2ndstorey
Well-Known Member
I have had several requests for this so I figured I should just post the recipe here.
To process prickly pears into juice you need:
a big pot (~3 gal.)
a medium pot (6 qt)
a pack of cheesecloth
a colander
a potato masher
Fill the big pot with prickly pears, spines and all. Pack that thing. Put what you would guess to be about and inch of water in the bottom of the pot. (about a cup, maybe two) Use medium heat with the lid on and after a while mash it down some with the potato masher. Repeat this about every twenty minutes or until it becomes soggy and wet. Turn the heat off and cover the colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and put into your medium pot. Start spooning the mush into the cheesecloth and press it a little to get the juice out. Do this with the whole batch and don't be afraid to get your hands a little purple. Once you have the juice you can cook it down on low heat to condense it. From 3 gallons of fruit I get about 1.5 gallons of juice and condense to .5 gallons to put in the fermenter. Take a specific gravity reading and adjust for temperature. Store in an airtight container untill brewday. Keep refridgerated. Try to use within a week.
Now for the beer recipe. It is a minimash for 5.5 gallons yield.
12 oz. Crystal 10
8 oz. CaraPils
2.75 lbs 2 row
I mash this at 154F for 60 min. and double batch sparge.
4 lbs Light liquid extract
1 oz. Liberty @ 60 min.
.5 oz. Tettnanger @ 15 min.
.5 oz. Tettnanger @ 5 min.
1 whirlflock tab @ 5- 10 min.
Pitch a nice healthy starter of California Ale yeast @ 72F
Pour your Prickly Pear juice into your carboy last and then add oxygen if possible.
Ferment to 1.010 @ 68F
To process prickly pears into juice you need:
a big pot (~3 gal.)
a medium pot (6 qt)
a pack of cheesecloth
a colander
a potato masher
Fill the big pot with prickly pears, spines and all. Pack that thing. Put what you would guess to be about and inch of water in the bottom of the pot. (about a cup, maybe two) Use medium heat with the lid on and after a while mash it down some with the potato masher. Repeat this about every twenty minutes or until it becomes soggy and wet. Turn the heat off and cover the colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and put into your medium pot. Start spooning the mush into the cheesecloth and press it a little to get the juice out. Do this with the whole batch and don't be afraid to get your hands a little purple. Once you have the juice you can cook it down on low heat to condense it. From 3 gallons of fruit I get about 1.5 gallons of juice and condense to .5 gallons to put in the fermenter. Take a specific gravity reading and adjust for temperature. Store in an airtight container untill brewday. Keep refridgerated. Try to use within a week.
Now for the beer recipe. It is a minimash for 5.5 gallons yield.
12 oz. Crystal 10
8 oz. CaraPils
2.75 lbs 2 row
I mash this at 154F for 60 min. and double batch sparge.
4 lbs Light liquid extract
1 oz. Liberty @ 60 min.
.5 oz. Tettnanger @ 15 min.
.5 oz. Tettnanger @ 5 min.
1 whirlflock tab @ 5- 10 min.
Pitch a nice healthy starter of California Ale yeast @ 72F
Pour your Prickly Pear juice into your carboy last and then add oxygen if possible.
Ferment to 1.010 @ 68F