Wheat peach

I've brewed a couple of ciders recently but this is my first beer brew in about 20 years.

SWMBO doesn't like beer as a rule but loves Lindemans Peach lambic ( I know, not really lambic) She occasionally will drink a wheat beer so I thought I'd make her this - based on

Killer Bee Wheat posted by Matt Wilson in 2002 on the website tastybrew.com

Here's the link: http://www.tastybrew.com/brews/view/30

I cut back the honey (SWMBO doesn't like a lot of EtOH) and cut back the hops.

6lbs Briess Wheat extract (65% wheat 35% malted barley)
1 lb wheat dry extract
1lb honey
1 oz Saaz
8 oz. carapils
Hefeweizen ale yeast wlp300
1 can oregon peach puree (3 lbs)

Steep the carapils in 2 gallons water at 170 for 30 minutes (mine was 180 - 168 over the 1/2 hour), sparge with 2 quarts water at 170 F. Bring to a boil. Add dry extract, mix thoroughly. Add wheat syrup extract, mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 ounce saaz and boil for 45 minutes. Add 1lb honey, boil for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 ounce Saaz. Boil for 5 minutes. Chill wort in ice water bath, add to cold chicago tap water to bring to 75 deg and 5 gallons. Pitch yeast and aerate with sterilized wort spoon.

S.G. 1.0605 (with temp correction)

I plan to primary ferment for a couple of days, then rack onto peach puree until fermentation stops. Carb with 4 ounces corn sugar and bottle. I'll post tasting notes.

36 hours later it is fermenting like crazy. Smells like bananas at the fermentation lock, and there's a 3-4 inch krauesen. So far so good

I had this exact same idea. I was gonna try it sometime in May or June. Keep posting please.

4 days into fermentation there was one bubble every 6 seconds or so. I racked it out from underneath a huge krauesen into a carboy into which I had poured 3 lb Oregon fruit peach puree. This morning there is increased fermentation with a bubble every 3 seconds or so. I tasted it before racking onto the peaches and there are already delicious flavors that remind me very strongly of Hacker-Schorr hefeweisen, one of my all time favorite beers. S.G. before peaches last night was 1.049. This morning there is another thick krauesen. I think I wont need a blow off tube but I put the carboy into a plastic tub just in case.

Came home from work this evening and found that I did, in fact, need a blow off tube. So I improvised one.

S.G. today 1.013
Tastes like wheat beer w/slight alcohol burn. No peach flavor at all.
We'll see.

Man thats a bummer.
I hope the peach starts to come through while it conditions

Thinking of trying this myself...
Question, in the recipe you call for 1lb of wheat DRy extract, but in the directions you say to add the 1lb of wheat syrup extract. Which did you actually use?

I was thinking of using 6lbs (2 cans) or Oregon Puree since you didn't taste much Peach flavor. (btw..I recently made a cherry stout with only 1 can of cherry puree and can't hardly tell the cherry flave is even there. Will definately use 2 cans next time)

bckyrdkid420 said:

Thinking of trying this myself...
Question, in the recipe you call for 1lb of wheat DRy extract, but in the directions you say to add the 1lb of wheat syrup extract. Which did you actually use?

I was thinking of using 6lbs (2 cans) or Oregon Puree since you didn't taste much Peach flavor. (btw..I recently made a cherry stout with only 1 can of cherry puree and can't hardly tell the cherry flave is even there. Will definately use 2 cans next time)

Click to expand...

Actually the recipe called for both - 6 lbs wheat extract syrup and 1 lb dry wheat extract. I don't know enough about this to know why both were called for. Need someone with more experience to fill me in.

I bottled this tonight - there is a vague, very faint peach like flavor. I also added 8oz lactose to add a little sweetness and body. We'll see how it conditions.

Here's a link to a forum thread that explains dme vs lme fairly well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/dme-vs-lme-169572/

I'll probably go to all DME especially for lighter colored beers.

Tastes like a slightly sweet wheat beer. Very nice balanced wheat beer but no peaches.

What temperature did you ferment at? I ferment that yeast at 65 - no higher.

Still a tasty, slightly sweet wheat beer. SWMBO says she can barely taste the peach - I can't at all. Fermented at just about 65 deg F.

This is a delicious wheat beer. SWMBO and daughter #2 do not like beer, yet like this beer. I've given it to several brewers who also like it a lot. I think the lactose adds a perceptible but not overwhelming sweetness and I wonder if the peaches added acidity that brightens the flavors. Still no real peach flavor but nobody is complaining and I'm running out. It does need some torrified wheat for better head retention next time around.

dunleav1 said:

What temperature did you ferment at? I ferment that yeast at 65 - no higher.

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It was cool in the basement, well below 65F

Waiting for the wheat base to fully ferment before adding the fruit for a second fermentation. That gives those volatile fruit flavors a better chance to stay in the beer.

moviebrain said:

Waiting for the wheat base to fully ferment before adding the fruit for a second fermentation. That gives those volatile fruit flavors a better chance to stay in the beer.

Click to expand...

You know, I guessed as much after making my cherry cider and raspberry cyser. That's what I did - ferment it out first, then add the fruit. I will do it that way if I make a fruit beer again.