Want to brew a Wheat, but would also like to make some Cherry?

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El_Borracho

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I've been rummaging around here, bumped into a few walls but all in all understanding enough to embark on my mission...

Wife really isn't a drinking in any sort of way, she can kill half a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat sixxer... I love wheat beers but 5gallons of cherry flavored beer would eventually get old.

I'd like to be able to maybe maybe 3 gal of wheat, then flavor the other 2 gallons. Is this possible?

I figured set the priming sugar for all 5gal, then once I've bottled 3 gals - add cherry flavoring for 2 gallons - then bottle the rest. Possible?

Will the cherry flavor stuff taste like butt? Am I better off boiling 6lbs of cherries when I make my wort?? Maybe dry hopping the cherries (that may not be the right term)?

Last but never least, what ingredient kit would you guys suggest? I don't care for a Sam Adams clone.
 
From what I heard on the Jamil show, extracts are the quickest way to accurate aroma and flavor. It's pretty cheap too, $5 for 4oz of extract. The purees and fresh fruit are going to cost you. I'm dosing half a batch of wheat with peach extract and leaving the other half plain. The extract gets added right to the bottling bucket so you can add it after you already have half of it bottled.
 
My recollection of the Jamil show was that the cans of Oregon puree are the best, and to avoid the extract (especially cherry) for all purposes other than just a subtle aroma. The cherry extract is supposed to be NASTY.
 
El_Borracho said:
I've been rummaging around here, bumped into a few walls but all in all understanding enough to embark on my mission...

Wife really isn't a drinking in any sort of way, she can kill half a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat sixxer... I love wheat beers but 5gallons of cherry flavored beer would eventually get old.

I'd like to be able to maybe maybe 3 gal of wheat, then flavor the other 2 gallons. Is this possible?

I figured set the priming sugar for all 5gal, then once I've bottled 3 gals - add cherry flavoring for 2 gallons - then bottle the rest. Possible?

Will the cherry flavor stuff taste like butt? Am I better off boiling 6lbs of cherries when I make my wort?? Maybe dry hopping the cherries (that may not be the right term)?


Last but never least, what ingredient kit would you guys suggest? I don't care for a Sam Adams clone.

I was looking into doing something like this a while back (never did, but I"ll share what I found out). If you're planning on flavoring only two gallons of your beer, using puree in secondary would be the best bet. See what you can find in the two gallon size carboy-wise (or split everything into 4 1/2 gallon growlers, that was my plan), and add the cherries to that two gallons and let sit for while. (Don't have the specifics in front of me, I"m at work and it's been a while since I looked into it).

As for process, brew your normal 5 gallon batch and ferment it. You could look for an American Wheat kit, or a Hefeweizen kit, depending on what you want. the American Wheat, isn't going to put forth the banana and clove notes of a Hefeweizen, which may be better for what your planning on doing. Personally, I"m a Hefe fan over American wheats. But it's your call.

So once it's done fermenting, put two gallons in whatever container you're using, add the cherry puree, and let it sit for a few weeks (like any secondary). The other three gallons you can either put in secondary (unnecessary) or bottle it, again, your call.

Just my .02.

Cheers,
 
^^If you do this I will be curious to see how it turns out. I would be afraid of pink beer. Not sure why that would bother me but it would.
 
I've been following some of your posts El_B.
I really sugest that you go with something less complicated for a first beer.
Give yourself an easy win.

You can impress SWMBO with a fruit beer once you get the hang of this.

Part of the learning process is understanding the linkage between the beer you make and the ingredients, your process and the conrols you employ.

Taking some baby steps will make it easier to understand this.

My 2 cents.
 
olllllo said:
I've been following some of your posts El_B.
I really sugest that you go with something less complicated for a first beer.
Give yourself an easy win.

You can impress SWMBO with a fruit beer once you get the hang of this.

Part of the learning process is understanding the linkage between the beer you make and the ingredients, your process and the conrols you employ.

Taking some baby steps will make it easier to understand this.

My 2 cents.

+1.

I found myself wanting to make all kinds of "weird" beers (mocha stout, maple-raspberry red ales) right off the bat, and I was very disappointed. I had to take a step back to making some "regular" beers. Personally, I find that I get a lot more enjoyment now from the latter, but I've learned enough where if I choose to make a SWMBO-friendly batch using something like cherry puree, I'm confident I can execute it well.

To each his own, though.
 
Side note, too.

If your wife doesn't care too much for beer, but you'd like to get her liquored up (a goal many of us share ;)... err, not with YOUR wife, that's not what I meant!), give EdWort's apfelwein a shot. It's the easiest beverage in the world to make, and nice and tasty. Then, make yourself whatever damn beer YOU like!
 
you guys are right, hence why i'm asking you all..

olllllo, thank you for this and all the other advice you've given me.. I know i'm a pain.. hah.. I'm the type that needs a full understanding before I embark on something..

Wifey doesn't drink, at all really. Those 3 cherry wheats she had were the only 3 beers she had all year. She may have a glass of wine once in a blue - but we don't actually buy a bottle of wine.

Between us, screw her. Heh.. Wit it is!

Then you guys got to help me with a Hefe..
 
El_Borracho said:
Then you guys got to help me with a Hefe..

Dry wheat extract.
Hallertau hops - single addition.
Hefe yeast.


Done. Simplest recipe on the planet (no software here at work, so I don't have the quantities of each).
 
the_bird said:
Dry wheat extract.
Hallertau hops - single addition.
Hefe yeast.


Done. Simplest recipe on the planet (no software here at work, so I don't have the quantities of each).

5lbs Wheat DME
1.0 oz Hallertau (60 min)
.5 oz. Saaz (30 min) (optional)
.5 oz. Saaz (10 min) (optional)
Wyeast 3068

That's my Dunkelweizen recipe w/o the Carmel and Chocolate malts.

Go to town.

It would actually be easier to start with than the Wit, IMO.

Cheers,
 
you can't go wrong with one of these simple wheats. and most of them are perfect without a secondary. nothing better than drinking homebrew in 10 days!
 
Been there, brewed that, drinking it now!

A tremendously simple recipe (my first) and I highly recommend it.
 
I was reading over the posts here, you guys mentioned a few recipes. I don't know much, and would rather start with a kit that comes with everything. I'll actually be getting two kits.. This way I can have both my fermenters going the first weekend I start.. From there I'll research more on mini-mash/partial-mash and all grain. All grain really calls my attention but I sort of want to KIS this first go (I don't believe anyone is Stupid)..

So can you guys suggest a Wheat Ale vendor/kit?

I'm going to do a little research on the apfelwein..
 
Eh don't go with a kit. The process really isn't THAT hard. Personally I'd stay away from a wheat ale for your first, wheat yeast needs to be a little cooler or you'll have to put in extra time to make it taste right (cloves). I'd recommend a darker recipe, porter or stout. Do a partial extract batch. Brewing with full extract is really not much fun IMO.
 
vermin, thanks.. actually its been a few days since this thread and I've learned a few things.. I had decided to go the non-kit route. Still not sure of what I want to brew first..

I'm getting my kit as a gift, I don't know what type of kit it is :\ - not a Mr.Beer. Hah.. I'll probably end up making a MLT cooler, and need to get a 7.5gal pot.. Just go all grain from the start..

If doing all grain, OR extract what is the minimum sized stock pot I can use?? It's full-boil so I'm guessing 7 gallons?
 
I have a 30 quart pot, and it's really too small. If I were able to buy what I wanted, I would get a 40 quart. That seems really big, but you can get a huge foamy head before the hot break and boil overs are messy. A smaller pot means standing guard over it with a spray bottle and not putting in all your wort sometimes, like during a 90 minute boil. If you can find a 36 quart size, that would probably be an ideal size.
 
YooperBrew said:
I have a 30 quart pot, and it's really too small. If I were able to buy what I wanted, I would get a 40 quart. That seems really big, but you can get a huge foamy head before the hot break and boil overs are messy. A smaller pot means standing guard over it with a spray bottle and not putting in all your wort sometimes, like during a 90 minute boil. If you can find a 36 quart size, that would probably be an ideal size.

Cheese suggested 60qt.. Says 15gallons is about right and easier to maintain without boil over when working with wheat... I don't know **** though. Different suggestions anyone?

My main issue is the $ but I'm getting my kit as a gift so now $ is free to go all grain..
 
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