Peach Wheat

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cubbies

cubbies

Tastes like butterdirt
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This is my first recipe post. The beer is not quite ready but has come along very nicely.


Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WLP 300 hefe yeast
Yeast Starter: Yes
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: No
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.045
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 12
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 5 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 21 days
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7 days

5lb Belgain 2-row pale
4lb German Wheat
1.5lb flaked Wheat

.75oz Hersbrucker 60 minutes
.25 oz Hersbrucker 20 minutes

Step infusion 20 minutes at 104 degrees, 40 minutes 140 degrees, 60 minutes 158.

After three weeks, take 5lb frozen peaches and heat with two cups of water to 160 degrees and let sit for 20 minutes. After peaches have cooked bring them back down to room temp and add to carboy. Rack beer on top of peaches. Let sit an additional week then keg or bottle. Two weeks minimum for peach flavor to mellow out.
 
Yes and no. I made this beer for my sister in law who first tried a peach beer at the beer festival in June or whenever it was. I dont know if the one she tried was the Wheach or not, but I assume it was. So, I guess in a roundabout way, the Wheach was the inspiration for this beer, but I have no idea what kind of grainbill, yeast or peaches are used in their beer. So I cant say that it is necessarily a clone.
 
For future reference, O'Fallon uses the Kolsch yeast for all of their beers. I also think they use an extract for the flavor.
 
cool, thanks for that info. The folks at O'fallon are really cool. I keg now, but when I was bottling, they sold me a bunch of bottles at cost. Even gave me a mini tour of their operation while I was there. Very nice and cool folks.
 
I brewed a raspberry wheat last year and used 2 lbs of raspberries and that was PLENTY... 5 lbs sounds like alot... then again, I have never used peaches, but that is ALOT of fruit for 5 gallons
 
Well, according to Ray Daniels in Designing Great Beers peaches are mild while other fruit, like raspberries and blueberries are not. He actually suggested around 7 lbs of peaches for a peach flavored beer. I used 5 because I knew that 7 was going to be too 'peachy' for me. And I would probably not use 5 again, but I wouldn't go as low at 2, you probably would hardly taste them. I think 4 is probably just right for a peach beer. Also, while mentioning that, this beer has only been in keg for 10 days, so the peach will likely mellow out over the coming weeks and 5 is probably going to end up being just about perfect.
 
davefleck said:
can't wait to hear the tasting report!
guessing you're adding the peach any day now.
Click to expand...

lol, no peaches were added a while ago. I cashed this keg about a week ago. And I have had nothing but requests to brew it up again. This beer went over very well. I dont plan on making it for a little while as I only have two kegs at the moment (two more are on their way), and one is filled with a Belgian Golden Ale, and I have a Stout in secondary and an IPA that is about ready to be dry-hopped, and I really need to get a Bitter going. So, it is going to be a little bit before I make it again.

However, as I said this beer went over very well. One thing that I would definitely recommend is to follow the scheduled times. We are talking 21 days fermenting, 7 days on the peaches and 14 days conditioning time. I know you typically dont find wheat beers that need time, but this one definitely did.
 
I think anything on real fruit needs time to mellow. I just did a peach wheat with (peach extract) and not only is it really good, but it was drinkable in 14 days and that's only because I wanted it a little more clear than a typical wheat.
 
5lb Belgain 2-row pale
4lb German Wheat
1.5lb flaked Wheat

.75oz Hersbrucker 60 minutes
.25 oz Hersbrucker 20 minutes
Click to expand...

I want to brew this beer, but I don't have access to these exact ingredients.

What exactly is a Belgain 2 row compared to a regular 2 row or a Pilsen 2 row ? Do you have specs on the color ?

What do you mean by a German Wheat ?

What is flaked wheat ?

I don't have access to Hersbrucker hops. What could I use as a substitute ?

Thanks.
 
i used 2 lbs of peaches in mine and it wasnt nearly enough. i like 5 should do the trick.
 
The Pol said:
I brewed a raspberry wheat last year and used 2 lbs of raspberries and that was PLENTY... 5 lbs sounds like alot... then again, I have never used peaches, but that is ALOT of fruit for 5 gallons
Click to expand...


Peaches are pretty subtle. I put over 10lbs of peaches for my Peach Blonde Ale. I'm not sure what the total weight was after discarding the cores and pureeing it though. However the taste is noticeable but certainly not strong.

If you have the capability you might want to use a 6.5gal carboy instead of a 5gal because when I made this the fruit wasted a ton of space and I had no choice but to waste the excess beer. :(

Also make sure you rig a blow-off hose after you add the fruit. :drunk:


edit: Whoops I didn't read the whole thread and see that you already finished this beer. :)
 
brewman ! said:
I want to brew this beer, but I don't have access to these exact ingredients.

What exactly is a Belgain 2 row compared to a regular 2 row or a Pilsen 2 row ? Do you have specs on the color ?

What do you mean by a German Wheat ?

What is flaked wheat ?

I don't have access to Hersbrucker hops. What could I use as a substitute ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...


Belgian two row, is exactly what it is. Two Row Barley. It can be found here. If you dont have access to it, any light two row would do. Even Pilsen malt would probably work well.

For the German Wheat, I cant remember exactly, but I think I used Weyermann Pale Wheat #G352 However, any white wheat will do I think.

Flaked Wheat is a pretty important part of the beer IMO. Should be readily available.

I personally believe that the Hersbrucker is the best hop for this beer, however, I would imagine you could use Hallertauer or Mt Hood pretty easily.
 
I've got everything lined up except the flaked wheat. My LHBS doesn't have it. They said to use Puffed Wheat instead. Would that work ?

Who usually sells flaked wheat ?
 
Hmmm, I dont know anything about puffed wheat, but it seems to me that it would not be the same. If they say it is, then maybe it is. You might want to ask some other board members, I have never used puffed wheat. I typically get my stuff at austinhomebrew
 
blacklab said:
You guys ever have any issues with the fruit causing contamination?
Click to expand...

That is why you heat it. Add the peaches (or whatever) to a pot with just a little water. Not even enough to cook the fruit. Bring it up to about 160 and let it sit at that temp for 10-15 minutes. That should kill anything that could cause an infection.
 
I make wines from fruit. Peaches, apricots, etc. We do not sterilize the fruit and I've never had a problem.

I don't know what to do about the flaked wheat. From here is sounds like it is just rolled wheat, unmalted. I wonder if I could get some raw wheat, roll it and cook it like cereal and then add it to the mash ?

"Flaked Wheat Unmalted wheat is a common ingredient in wheat beers, including: American Wheat, Bavarian Weisse, and is essential to Belgian Lambic and Wit. It adds starch haze and high levels of protein. Flaked wheat adds more wheat flavor "sharpness" than malted wheat. Use 0.5-2 lb. per 5 gal batch. Must be mashed with base malt."

http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-2.html

And this:

To our knowledge, all flaked malts and adjuncts are pregelatinized, or precooked, unless stated otherwise. The possible exception would be "steel-cut" oats.

Malted wheat is wheat that has undergone the malting process and is sold in its natural whole kernel form. The primary difference here is that germination has resulted in the breakdown of proteins and many other materials in the kernel.

Flaked malts and ajuncts are made by steaming the whole kernel, typically under pressure, until the kernel softens and swells. Then the kernels are passed between a set of hot rollers, which flatten and pull them apart.

Flaked wheat is made with raw wheat, wheat that has not been malted.

Flaked malts and adjuncts will provide you with additional fermentables.
Click to expand...

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-1004.html

I have a pressure cooker. I just need to find some raw wheat. Luckily I live on the prairies.
 
I was searching for peach and found this thread. I have a ton of peaches in my deep freezer and was planning on throwing them in my American Wheat at secondary. I chickened out at the last minute and went with blueberries based on a note in Ray Daniels' book Designing Great Beers. He says something about fermented peaches cause strange flavors. Has anyone experienced this?

I may brew up a peach wheat or blonde after the bluebeery wheat is finished, based on the positive notes in this thread.
 
I am also thinking about doing a Peach beer-a light ale maybe. SWMBO loves Lindeman's Peche but I have limited skills (about my 9th batch) and space so I'd like to avoid attempting a lambic. From reading above, it seems like 10 lbs will give us a serious peach taste, but does anyone know how to make it sour like a lambic as well? Citric acid or something like that? Does anyone know of a Lindeman's clone that is not Lambic?

I read the BYO recipe with apple jolly ranchers and was wondering if maybe a lb. of peach ranchers would be good on top of the actual fruit? Anyone try anything like this before? Thanks for any and all suggestions.

D
 
I noticed my peach wheat didnt taste much like peaches and i also subsequently read that peach flavor tends to ferment out and apricots are a better choice for a simliar flavor.
 
I have bought Austin Homebrew supply peach wheat kit in the past and it uses peach extract and the final product turned out excellent and a big hit with friends.
 
Doog_Si_Reeb said:
I was searching for peach and found this thread. I have a ton of peaches in my deep freezer and was planning on throwing them in my American Wheat at secondary. I chickened out at the last minute and went with blueberries based on a note in Ray Daniels' book Designing Great Beers. He says something about fermented peaches cause strange flavors. Has anyone experienced this?

I may brew up a peach wheat or blonde after the bluebeery wheat is finished, based on the positive notes in this thread.
Click to expand...


Before making this beer, I also read Ray Daniel's book and asked the same question here. I am not sure what happened to him, but nobody I have talked to reported any strange flavors whatsoever. This beer tastes like beer with a nice touch of peach on the front of the tongue. It had no off flavors whatsoever. I am not sure if maybe he used bad peaches or what, but I, nor anyone I have talked to, had similar experiences. Peaches worked fine for me.
 
I didnt notice any off flavors either, just not much peach. All i did was toss them into the secondary after cutting them up. I relied on the Co2 blanket and the alcohol to kill all the nasties. I tapped that keg in January and all is still good.
 
Thanks for the info guys. The peaches I have are peeled and frozen. Table sugar was added to prevent the fruit from browning. I may shoot for doing a cream ale that is on the lower side of the alcohol spectrum since the peaches have extra sugar. I am a little concernced about my brewing reputation when I make a "Peaches and Cream Ale." :D
 
cubbies said:
How much did you use? Did you use fresh or frozen?
Click to expand...

2-2.5 lbs Frozen.

If i did this again i would probably add peach extract in the secondary along with fresh apricots to add fruity freshness and a bit of citric acid to bring the fruit flavor out a bit.
 
Atl300zx said:
2-2.5 lbs Frozen.

If i did this again i would probably add peach extract in the secondary along with fresh apricots to add fruity freshness and a bit of citric acid to bring the fruit flavor out a bit.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I would imagine that would not be very peachy. If you check my recipe, you will see that it calls for 5lbs of frozen. The thing about peaches is they are rather mild in comparison to other fruits people use in beer. For example, i would never recommend 5lbs of raspberries or blueberries.

For my taste, 5 is too much. It was a little too peachy to me. If I were to remake it (which I will soon) I will use 4 lbs..
 
cubbies said:
Yeah, I would imagine that would not be very peachy. If you check my recipe, you will see that it calls for 5lbs of frozen. The thing about peaches is they are rather mild in comparison to other fruits people use in beer. For example, i would never recommend 5lbs of raspberries or blueberries.

For my taste, 5 is too much. It was a little too peachy to me. If I were to remake it (which I will soon) I will use 4 lbs..
Click to expand...

Randy Moser said that peaches flavor ferments out, but if your was "too peachy" i might revisit this.
 
Atl300zx said:
Randy Moser said that peaches flavor ferments out, but if your was "too peachy" i might revisit this.
Click to expand...

Definitely not. When this beer was still young in the keg, it was like I mixed it with a gallon of straight peach juice. It mellowed into a very drinkable, refreshing beer with a nice peach flavor.
 
I'm planning an apricot wheat next week. Now with the flaked wheat is it ok to use in extract brewing? Would I just steep at the beginning of the boil like other grains? I just want the beer to have a nice hazy look and full mouthfeel to it.
 
I did the following on Saturday:

3.0 lb Very Light Dry Extract
3.3 lb Liquid Wheat Extract
1.0 lb Victory Malt
1.0 oz Spalter (3.8%)
1 package WYeast Denny’s Fav 2450


I added 8 lbs. of thawed frozen peaches as soon as the boil ended. Its bubbling nicely now.

I plan to rack on top of more peaches (probably 5 lbs) when I transfer to the secondary. I really want to be able to taste the peaches. I'll let you all know how it turns out...

Thanks for all the info.

D
 
I racked to a secondary on top of about 6 more pound of peaches last night. Fermentation, as per bubbles in the airlock, was pretty vigorous this morning.

Can I keep adding peaches every few days until this stops? SWMBO wants a very peachy beer.

Also, any idea how much ABV the additional fruit adds?

Took a taste and we were pretty pleased so far.

Thanks
D
 

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