Tomatoes in the beer

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Is this for color, flavor or novelty?
For color i would use beet juice!
What is the purpose and recipe?

For sanitation I would just crush/puree and then lightly (or heavily depending on flavor) boil them...
 
Its for flavor and color, puree going into primary, just wasnt sure if boiling before pureeing would be sufficient
 
After growing some heirlooms for the first time this year, I loved the smell of the tomato plants themselves. I thought about doing a lager and dry-tomato-planting a gallon or so.
 
I dont have an advice on this one being a n00b,

but I will say I want to try the beer if you figure it out. We could taste test side by side with my okra mead.
 
Just add some tomato juice to your beer when you pour it, I think you'll be WAY better off.

Personally, I think this idea is kinda not so hotso.


each his own and all that.
 
Boiling the tomatoes would definitely add "cooked" tomato flavors as opposed to fresh tomato flavor. Trust me I'm Sicilian. Of course, if it is canned tomato puree vs. puree you made yourself, it is likely cooked to a certain degree to begin with...

Instead of boiling it first, what if you added during the last few hop additions so you would cook off any bacteria but not have "cooked" tasting tomato? Someone back me up or debunk me so I dont kill this guy with his own beer...
 
Well the recipe I recieved from the brewmaster at Shorts was the puree into the primary, looks like im gonna have to boil the puree some basically wondering what you guys think would be the minimum time at boil to get sanitized?
And its fresh not canned
 
In that case I would put in a ball jar and add the jar to a pot of boiling water, cover, and "process" for 10 minutes as if it were jam...
 
After growing some heirlooms for the first time this year, I loved the smell of the tomato plants themselves. I thought about doing a lager and dry-tomato-planting a gallon or so.

I would advise against that. Tomato plants themselves are mildly toxic, they contain a chemical known as solanine. It probably wouldn't kill you, but could give you one bad upset stomach. (note, in theory it COULD kill you though- depending on the concentration in your particular plant and how much you use).

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanine
 
Cut tomatoes in half. Place skin side down at 350 for 20 minutes after salting with kosher salt. Boom, big tomato flavor

Also sounds like a great idea, have a couple weeks before I can brew it (vacation-----hell id rather be brewing) do I think im gonna try both and go with the bigger tomato flavor so that way I have a solid plan for brew day, anymore ideas more than welcome and ill definately post how it turns out.
 
I was thinking as soon as I saw this thread title, "this must be some clone attempt of Short's Bloody Beer." Then I almost puked in my mouth, just as I do every time I think of Short's Bloody Beer. Gotta give it to Joe, though, he doesn't afraid.
 
I would advise against that. Tomato plants themselves are mildly toxic, they contain a chemical known as solanine. It probably wouldn't kill you, but could give you one bad upset stomach. (note, in theory it COULD kill you though- depending on the concentration in your particular plant and how much you use).

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanine

The oxalic acid could sure take your kidneys out though.
 
Yeah thats correct, like I said earlier the scaled down recipe sent to me by thier brewmaster has the tomatoes going into primary and spices into secondary. And Dont knock it till you tried it!!! :)
 
My co-worker has been brewing tomato pale ales for a while - I believe he uses an organic puree in the primary. It's an interesting brew - very crisp from the added acidity. Color is really not that different from a regular pale ale that tends towards dark gold/light amber hues. Gives you wicked tomato burps though.
 
If you want a strong vegetal presence then do everything you can to ensure DMS stays in the wort. For balance add 6 meatballs at flameout and then dry hop for 3 months with simcoe and Italian parsley.
Afterthought...does this guy have friends who now go to Buffalo Wild Wings by chance? :)
 
If you want a strong vegetal presence then do everything you can to ensure DMS stays in the wort. For balance add 6 meatballs at flameout and then dry hop for 3 months with simcoe and Italian parsley.
Afterthought...does this guy have friends who now go to Buffalo Wild Wings by chance? :)

If you dont like what im brewing I could care less, move on to the next thread
 
I’ve done a few tomato beers and they are Pretty good. Share the recipe if you can. I havn't come up with anything great but think it has potential.

As for sanitation: I have added fresh tomatoes to the primary. I dip them in boiling water for 1 min to kill any funk and wild yeast on the skin, then chop them on a sanitized board. I have also dried them in the oven to evaporate the liquid; this works well. You still get the fresh tomato flavor, but not as watered down.
My biggest problem with the beer is the tomato is overpowered easily. You need a light grain bill.

Luck.
 
Use tomatoes as you would any fairly high acid fruit as that is what they are.
 
I would mix up a very mild bleach solution (1/4 oz to a 16 oz spray bottle) spray it down with it, let it sit for about 30 seconds, rinse thoroughly, cut it up with a sanitized knife and cutting board and throw it in the secondary. I say it because I think one Heirloom would be sufficient for 5 gallons. Much more would be to much like a michillada which you might as well just do a bloody mary.
 
I would mix up a very mild bleach solution (1/4 oz to a 16 oz spray bottle) spray it down with it, let it sit for about 30 seconds, rinse thoroughly, cut it up with a sanitized knife and cutting board and throw it in the secondary. I say it because I think one Heirloom would be sufficient for 5 gallons. Much more would be to much like a michillada which you might as well just do a bloody mary.

Without being toooo negative. Bleach or tap water in the secondary are very bad. I have used 3 or 4 pounds of tomatoes in a recipe and had it too little flavor. Bleach?
 
Why not? I bleach my secondary. You are going to rinse the outside of the tomato thoroughly with water so no bleach will end up in the beer. If it makes you feel any better starsan would work about as good to sanitize them. Boiling anything volatilizes aroma and that is a main concern of adding fruit to secondary. The idea of not using bleach in homebrewing is a very new one, and I suspect one put out more by the makers of starsan and iodopher than anything else.
 
As far as the amount of fruit I have never added tomato but your numbers do seem right when looking at most fruit beers (1/2 lb to 1 lb) per gallon. When I imagine tomato in a beer I think of a hoppy pale with just a hint of tomato aroma not a v8 beer.
 
A couple weeks left lagering. Final yield is lookin about 4.5 gallons because of the trub and tomato puree that settled to the bottom. Tasted it when moved to secondary, had nice fresh light tomato flavor, spices added to secondary so that will add more flavor. This is gonna shape up to be a smooth beer that will go down one after another after a tough busy day.

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Looks interesting! My brother in law drinks 'red beer'. Basically, just sits down with a can of tomato juice and beer, pours the tomato juice into the beer can and drinks. He doesn't really like the beer all that much by itself but, I have watched him dispatch a 12'er in no time using this method.
 
I agree about using the whole plant. They are from the nightshade family and can have some chemicals that may cause problems.

I want to discuss a method that I don't see mentioned yet. That would be tomato water!

If you take fresh tomatoes and press or squeeze them under pressure, they will give up an almost clear liquid which tastes of wonderful tomato essence. This is much different than the sauce you would get if you pureed them. I believe adding the tomato water to a brew would produce a tasty beer if you are a fan of tomato flavor.
I love tomatoes in the summer time and grow many varieties. My all time favorite is a little orange cherry tomato called the "sungold".
 
Its a clone of Shorts Bloody Beer, I used fresh tomatoes which I boiled for one minute before pureeing. The flavor is definately fresh and not cooked which is what I was looking for. Racked onto black peppercorn, horseradish, dill and celery seed tincture.
Edit: used Roma and Kumato tomatoes
 
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