Using fruit extract (cherry) at bottling...

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GolgiApparatus

GolgiApparatus

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For a cherry wheat, how much would resemble, say SA Cherry Wheat? The whole bottle? Half? I plan to taste to make sure it's where I like it, but a general idea would help to start. I know this is a matter of preference, so a lot of variance in opinions is likely, but just a general idea would be awesome!

:mug:
 
I can't say for sure, but I will be using apricot extract for the brew I am bottling on Friday, aiming for the same intensity of apricot in mine as cherry in SA Cherry Wheat. I am going to use the whole bottle. The bottle says use 3-5 oz and it's a 5 oz bottle, so it ought to do the trick.
 
That is what I am shooting for, more or less. My cherry wheat kit came with cherry extract.

I find that the SA cherry wheat does not get a lot of respect, but I like it.

Next batch, I plan on trying real cherries. I might add some to the secondary this time.
 
nukebrewer said:
I can't say for sure, but I will be using apricot extract for the brew I am bottling on Friday, aiming for the same intensity of apricot in mine as cherry in SA Cherry Wheat. I am going to use the whole bottle. The bottle says use 3-5 oz and it's a 5 oz bottle, so it ought to do the trick.
Click to expand...

I will just say this...I had a 6 pack of Apricot Pyramid earlier this year, and it was WAY too apricotty IMO! After two, those last four soldiers lasted 6 months in the fridge, and that right there, is unusual! :tank:
 
I too like the SA Cherry Wheat. I tried the cherry extract thing with a Coopers Wheat canned kit back when I was first getting started.
Unfortunately, this turned out to be the only batch (knock on wood) that hasn't turned out. I dumped it after about 2 months in the bottle. It was very sour tasting. I can only assume I had some sort of sanitation problem or something. Someday though, I'll try this again.
I used the whole bottle of extract the first time, but after the fact I did a little further research and it seems perhaps a little less would be sufficient...
 
Since your using the extract I would recommend taking a few measured samples (1 to 4oz) of your beer and try a few different amounts of the extract. Then when you find what you want just use those ratios for the whole batch.

The OP is bottling, but if someone is doing this with beer that is already carbonated then its best to add the extract to the glass first then add the beer. Otherwise the extract can get stuck in the foam/head.
 
To be honest, I'm a little bummed. I bought some lemon grass that I was going to add to my american wheat, but SWMBO wanted me to make a beer for her (because they are always so "dark" and "heavy"). And, you guessed it, cherry wheat was the selection...
 
I am drinking a Schlafly Hefe right now. I added a couple of drops of my cherry extract, and it is pretty darn good.

Just enough cherry that I can detect it, perfect!
 
GolgiApparatus said:
To be honest, I'm a little bummed. I bought some lemon grass that I was going to add to my american wheat, but SWMBO wanted me to make a beer for her (because they are always so "dark" and "heavy"). And, you guessed it, cherry wheat was the selection...
Click to expand...

In Bavaria, one of the best beers I ever had was a dunkel weiss with lemon undertones. I wonder if they added lemon grass, or if it was just an ester produced by the yeast?
 
Search feature? Wuz'at? Oh, it's what I just used. Yay me! :ban:

So anyway. I have here a bottle of LD Carlson Strawberry/Kiwi "flavoring" for beer. I plan to add it to a Honey Wheat extract kit. I have no directions but, search feature says this is added to the bottling bucket.

Well, I just tasted some. BAH! ACK! HORRIBLE! It tastes a little like that stuff the dentist rubs on your gums to numb them and it's chalky and weirdly sweet and just BAD all at the same time. It's not a rotten or death taste. Just not what I was expecting. I was thinking syrupy sweet like the syrup used in soft drink machines before it's mixed with carbonated water. No!

How is this stuff supposed to taste right out the bottle?

EDIT- Just put a few drops into my Porter. Meh. Is better than right out the bottle, but, meh.
 
Zul'jin said:
Search feature? Wuz'at? Oh, it's what I just used. Yay me! :ban:

So anyway. I have here a bottle of LD Carlson Strawberry/Kiwi "flavoring" for beer. I plan to add it to a Honey Wheat extract kit. I have no directions but, search feature says this is added to the bottling bucket.

Well, I just tasted some. BAH! ACK! HORRIBLE! It tastes a little like that stuff the dentist rubs on your gums to numb them and it's chalky and weirdly sweet and just BAD all at the same time. It's not a rotten or death taste. Just not what I was expecting. I was thinking syrupy sweet like the syrup used in soft drink machines before it's mixed with carbonated water. No!

How is this stuff supposed to taste right out the bottle?

EDIT- Just put a few drops into my Porter. Meh. Is better than right out the bottle, but, meh.
Click to expand...

Pour out the "cough medicine" and get you some real fruit. I like to use cherries, tart canned and black frozen, mixed together.

SOOOOOOOOO much better than extract.
 

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