Critique my Blueberry Ale Recipe?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

efreem01

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
261
Reaction score
0
Location
Hicksville, NY
Hey, It's starting to get much nicer outside and i'm thinking of brewing my last batch and packing it up for the summer. I'm kind of tweaking a recipe i found online here: http://www.stoutbillys.com/stout/recipens/(Flat)/ED7FB2D5.htm

I want a light colored beer. Note that i swapped the 2lb of fresh blueberries in the primary to a 3.3lb can of blueberry in the secondary. I hear that putting fruit in the primary doesn't transmit flavor well to the beer. I also swapped the amber DME for amber LME. Any ideas? This is my first time trying to formulate my own recipe.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 2.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 9.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 30.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.00 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 84.2 %
1.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 15.8 %
2.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50%] (60 min) Hops 30.3 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50%] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)Hops -
1 Pkgs California Ale V (White Labs #WLP051) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: None
Total Grain Weight: 10.00 lb
----------------------------


Notes:
------
Add extract in last 15 minutes of boil
Add 3.3 lb can of oregon blueberry puree in secondary

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Honestly, if you are making a fruit beer, I'd switch out some of the pale extract for wheat extract or at the very least steep some wheat. The wheat really combines well with fruit beers.
 
Not many lighter beers will use that much caramel malt. It may overpower the fruit tastes (although maybe not since you're useing a decent amount of blueberries). I'd consider 0.5 lb or possibly 1 lb of caramel instead and then up the pale (or wheat) malt extract accordingly.
 
I'd drop the crystal malt way down, 1/2lb at the most. I typically only make fruit beers on request so I often skip the specialty grains all together and just use on extra light DME. That way, the fruit is really the key taste ingredient in the beer.
 
If you put the fruit in the secondary, you're not fermenting the fruit sugars so the flavor won't be quite as infused.

I'll agree that it's a lot of caramel for a fruit beer. You should use wheat and maybe a more biscuity malt.
 
I'd drop the last hop addition - you don't want the hops to compete with the fruit, that's not a good combo. Fuggles aren't the most dominating hop out there, but they're going to compete with the fruit in a non-complementary way (IMHO).

I agree with the suggestion to make this a wheat beer base, that's classic for a fruit beer.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm probably going to cook up some version of this and make it my last beer of the season. I can't maintain ale fermentation temperatures in air conditioning.
 
When I made my raspberry, I used 7lbs Maris Otter and lightly hopped it. It was the best beer that I have made to date. I used raspberries from my back yard, 2.5 lbs... you will love it. Be sure your hops dont compete too much, also, you will get some sweetness from the berries, I tried to make mine pretty dry prior to the berry addition in the secondary.

Pol
 

Latest posts

Back
Top