Fruit Beer Watermelon Wheat

psusoccer21 said:

Thanks, I'll give it one more week.

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After two weeks in the secondary the sulfur smell went away. I bottled and waited another two weeks.

Cracked one open the other day and this beer is great. Only mod from v1.4 is that I used 1lb or carapils... I pleased to say this is first beer my wife will drink with me.

When I do v.5 someday, I am definitely adding a half pound of carapils... going to add it to my Orange Honey Hefe too. The OHH was a touch thin last time.

What will the carapils do for it?

It helps with head retention.

Does malto dextrin do the same thing?

Smburnette said:

It helps with head retention.

Does malto dextrin do the same thing?

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Maltodextrin provides a similar result but it's mostly used in extract brewing.

Carapils will add some body, right? That's what I'm shooting for.

DubbelDach said:

Carapils will add some body, right? That's what I'm shooting for.

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Yes, carapils adds body and improves head retention. I used 1 lbs. Because this is the first time I've brewed this recipe I don't have a comparison without it.

I am pleased with the body on this beer. Thanks again for sharing this recipe!

Ok I thought I had read it adds body, mine could've definitely used some. I don't really know if head retension was an issue.

what temp are you mashing at? i didn't see it in the recipe up front. thanks! that might solve some body issues as well.

I will be brewing this beer (all grain) this week but my LHBS was out of the WLP American Hef. that this recipe uses. I went with Wyeast 3068 smak pac.

What do you think and at what temp. would you recommend fermenting at with this yeast? Lower temps around 65 to 66 which tend to bring out clove flavors or 70 to 72 to bring out more bananna flavors.

I think I will go with 68F temp and use 1oz flavor. extract and 6-8 cups strained watermelon juice to ensure the watermelon flavor is not adversely affected by this yeast strain giving clove or bananna flavors.

Any suggestions for an alternative to WLP-320? I am looking for a yeast that keeps the same flavor and cloudiness but enhances the aroma (WLP-320 has a small amount of sulfur smell).

Thanks

This beer is fantastic! The only small changes I made was using the Wyeast 3068, 6 cups of juice, 2oz flavoring, and 1 lb of carapils gave it nice lacing and a beautiful white head that lasted all the way!
ABV 5.3, IBU 16 OG 1.053 FG 1.012
It is very refreshing and was just what I was looking for!
I think my next brew will be your Founders Breakfast Clone for this late fall.
Cheers:rockin:

Great to hear, shohog!

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be making it this year... But will use the Carapils in the future.

Less than three months and my wife has requested I brew this again. Here's what I used for a 5.5 gal batch. Biggest change was to the yeast. I felt the original yeast had too much of a sulfur smell.

5.5 lbs. 2-row Pils
5.5 lbs. German Wheat Malt
1.0 lb. Cara-Pils/Dextrine
0.55 oz. Mt. Hood Pellets boiled 30 min.
8 cups Watermelon fresh squeezed juice added to secondary
.75 oz. Watermelon Flavoring @ Bottling
1 pkg Safale S-04

I do not recommended using the S-04 yeast. The aroma was more pleasant but it was missing something that the original yeast provided. I may lightly dry hop next time and revert to the original yeast.

psusoccer21 said:

Less than three months and my wife has requested I brew this again. Here's what I used for a 5.5 gal batch. Biggest change was to the yeast. I felt the original yeast had too much of a sulfur smell.

5.5 lbs. 2-row Pils
5.5 lbs. German Wheat Malt
1.0 lb. Cara-Pils/Dextrine
0.55 oz. Mt. Hood Pellets boiled 30 min.
8 cups Watermelon fresh squeezed juice added to secondary
.75 oz. Watermelon Flavoring @ Bottling
1 pkg Safale S-04

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So i am new to this, and want to try this beer so i was wondering if anyone has tryed using a friut extract insted? Not sure if that would be good but it was a thought so any thoughts let me know. Thanks

mcfail said:

So i am new to this, and want to try this beer so i was wondering if anyone has tryed using a friut extract insted? Not sure if that would be good but it was a thought so any thoughts let me know. Thanks

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My first few batches I used it exclusively, and I still use it to accent the real fruit. Using real fruit is better, IMO. The extract is more Jolly Ranchier. I used the stuff that Williams Brewing sells.

Brewing this up again on Saturday in preparation for spring...awesome, awesome beer!

So I was preparing my starter for my anticipated brew day on Saturday the other day and I realized that I grabbed the WLP300 instead of the 320. It is a pure Hefeweizen strain that produces strong banana and clove flavors so I am wondering how this will go over in the watermelon wheat...

I plan to ferment it on the cold side to hopefully minimize the phenols but has anyone brewed this with the 300 yet and if so, how did it turn out for you?

I've been wanting to try this with the WLP300. I'd personally ferment this yeast at 66-68. Please post your results.

kingmatt said:

So I was preparing my starter for my anticipated brew day on Saturday the other day and I realized that I grabbed the WLP300 instead of the 320. It is a pure Hefeweizen strain that produces strong banana and clove flavors so I am wondering how this will go over in the watermelon wheat...

I plan to ferment it on the cold side to hopefully minimize the phenols but has anyone brewed this with the 300 yet and if so, how did it turn out for you?

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psusoccer21 said:

I've been wanting to try this with the WLP300. I'd personally ferment this yeast at 66-68. Please post your results.

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I brewed this on Saturday and pitched from a decanted 1L starter...even at 68 it took off like a rocket and I have already had to empty my blowoff pitcher twice. This is easily the most krausen I have ever had with any beer I've brewed so far

might have to give this a try, going into summer. What about some honey malt?

kingmatt said:

I brewed this on Saturday and pitched from a decanted 1L starter...even at 68 it took off like a rocket and I have already had to empty my blowoff pitcher twice. This is easily the most krausen I have ever had with any beer I've brewed so far

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Any results from the 300 yet? I have a few jars of 300 saved and was thinking about doing this recipe with it as well.

Has anyone made an extract version of this yet? Would this work?

3 lbs Pilsen DME
3 lbs Wheat DME

.5 oz Mt. Hood (60 min)

6 cups Watermelon Juice
1 oz Watermelon Extract

WLP320

I browsed through most of the pages on this thread, and although the question was asked once, I didn't see an answer. At what point do you add the honey? I was going to follow the original recipe and add the honey, but I've never used it in a batch, but I plan on brewing this today.

I'm gonna check the inventory because I think I do have some extra wheat lying around, but I wanted to use the honey, since I've already got it.

Lgaddy44 said:

I browsed through most of the pages on this thread, and although the question was asked once, I didn't see an answer. At what point do you add the honey? I was going to follow the original recipe and add the honey, but I've never used it in a batch, but I plan on brewing this today.

I'm gonna check the inventory because I think I do have some extra wheat lying around, but I wanted to use the honey, since I've already got it.

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Under 5 mins left in the boil, or at flameout.

I do recommend v.4 of the recipe over the version with the honey though....

Thanks for the quick response! I did find an extra pound of wheat in my stash, but I did not see a v4, of this recipe. Is it all the same, with the exception of the honey, and adding 5# of wheat versus the orignal 4# listed?

Lgaddy44 said:

Thanks for the quick response! I did find an extra pound of wheat in my stash, but I did not see a v4, of this recipe. Is it all the same, with the exception of the honey, and adding 5# of wheat versus the orignal 4# listed?

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v4

Lgaddy44 said:

Thanks for the quick response! I did find an extra pound of wheat in my stash, but I did not see a v4, of this recipe. Is it all the same, with the exception of the honey, and adding 5# of wheat versus the orignal 4# listed?

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Yes, and thanks jaysus for the link.

v.5 will be the same as v.4 but with the addition of some Cara-pils for a little more body.

KingMatt,

What's the verdict with the 300?

kingmatt said:

I brewed this on Saturday and pitched from a decanted 1L starter...even at 68 it took off like a rocket and I have already had to empty my blowoff pitcher twice. This is easily the most krausen I have ever had with any beer I've brewed so far

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Well i'll be brewing this tomorrow with 300, might be some variations on hops, but should matter too much, will post results.

I just kegged this a week a go and was finally warm enough to drink it and man was it a big hit. Thanks for posting this recipe, I used the 380 yeast and about 4 oz of fresh watermelon juice I also use about 2 oz of watermelon extract at kegging. If I did it again I would only use about an ounce I was surprised how much the banana came through not wine coolerish at all.

Finally saw some watermelons at the grocery store this week. This one is now on deck!! I'll be bottling this, so should I be using any of the extract or just straight juice? I guess the better question is will the extract mess with the carbonation of the bottled beer?

Terp - Adjust it to taste... That's all up to you. Just juice may be fine, or it may need it. The extract won't mess with carbonation.

DubbelDach said:

Terp - Adjust it to taste... That's all up to you. Just juice may be fine, or it may need it. The extract won't mess with carbonation.

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Thanks man. That was my main concern whether or not the extract would mess with the carbonation.

Great recipe. I'm definately going to try this one.

4 cups of watermelon juice... Like 1 large watermelon? I've read about people blending it up and putting it secondary...

Any tips to juicing a watermelon?

bwatts4200 said:

4 cups of watermelon juice... Like 1 large watermelon? I've read about people blending it up and putting it secondary...

Any tips to juicing a watermelon?

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Dude just juice that MFer..! I was worried about how to do it too having never done it. Sanitize everything that will come in contact with the watermelon/juice. Cube up big chunks and put in a clean musling bag and wring and squeeze the juices out into a bowl/pitcher by hand. Repeat until you have your desired amount. Easy.

Sanitize the knife, cutting board, bowl, muslin bags, etc.

Steel bowl and potato masher... Then strain it.

This is going into the secondary... Won't there be enough alcohol to kill it all without sanitizing?