Cherry Wheat

Hey everyone! So I just kegged a Cherry Wheat that we made. I have a very good Wheat recipe and I did 10 gallons - 5 gallons regular and 5 gallons cherry. I added the Cherry puree (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/cherry-oregon-fruit-puree.html) to the secondary. The flavor came through a little, just enough actually, but the color is now a red color obviously. Thats not that big of a problem but I am just curious how Sam Adams gets that bold cherry flavor without turning their beer a red color. Any inputs?

I have read all the other 'cherry' posts where people say that Sam Adams tastes like cough syrup so we don't need to go down that road again. In my opinion, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat does not taste like cough syrup. For those of you who think it does, I want to know where you get your cough syrup because I want some. Cough syrup tasts like $h!t.

Anyway, thanks for reading and thanks for the input.

Walt
Wichita, KS

I know Sam uses Cherry extract, not sure why the color isn't effected as much as puree. I know when I buy kegged cherry wheat I see some redish tint.

I love me some cherry wheat. Guess some people are just sensitive. I'll just as gladly drink a pint of cherry wheat as a pliney or arrogant.

Stop being beer snobs to craft brews =) Just BMC.

They most likely use a cherry flavoured sugar or fake cherry flavour. It's the same reason the blue berry ale that you find isn't blue, or the watermelon ale isn't pink, it's a plain wheat recipe and they add either fake flavourings or sugar flavoured like whatever. I am positive that yours is far better than theirs. I haven't gotten around to my sour cherry wheat yet... maybe this summer would be a great time to try it out.

Hi Beerman, I have a friend who wants me to make a cherry wheat for him. I was thinking of doing the same as you with 10 gallons(5 regular, 5 cherry). What recipe did you use for the base beer and how much puree did you use?

Hey snowman! I used just the amount of puree that was in the can (3lbs). I would not do this again though because it turned the beer a red color. I would use this next time http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/cherry-natural-extract.html. I keg my beer and if you do the same, you could add an ounce at a time but I would mix the ounce with a little vodka and let it sit for a day or two, then dump it in the keg and shake. Let it stabilize for maybe a day then try it again. Now that I think about it, I would just dump it all in and go balls to the wall.

The recipe I used was my own wheat recipe. It's not perfect but it's a start:

10# White wheat
4# 2 Row
4# Pilsner
.5# Honey

1 oz Northern Brewer @ 60min
.5 oz Willamette @ 60min
1.5 oz Willamette @ 0 min

I usually add about 2 oz of grated orange peel at flame out as well but thats optional with the Cherry addition in mind.

If you do end up using the extract, please write back and let me know how it turns out. Good luck man!

Walt

Instead of using the northernbrewer cherry extract. I think your better off getting the cherry extract from Austin homebrew. They carry the ones made from LD carlson. There extract is more clear and won't change the color of beer

I just got done making a cherry wheat kit. It came with the 3lbs of cherry and 5 oz extract.

The color is a bit pink. So I would imagine that the only real way to get rid of the color is to use extract. I used both.