Raspberry Beer recipe questions.

SWMBO likes fruit beers, and this will be my first attempt, I don't want to use any fruit extracts, I really want to try real fruit, so here goes.

Type: Extract
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 3.50
Boil Time: 60 min

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract
0.75 lb Carapils
1.00 oz Liberty [4.00%] (45 min)
0.50 oz Liberty [4.00%] (15 min)
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 10.53 %
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [Starter 1000 ml] Yeast-Ale

Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.11 %
Bitterness: 21.4 IBU

The Estimated gravities are before the addition of the fruit, I dont know how to accomodate for the fresh fruit addition, and Beersmith doesn't seem to allow or calculate for the fresh fruit addition. If, someone can chime in on this as well it would be really helpful.

I will primary for approx 2-3 weeks and then I will add 4-5 lbs of fresh black Raspberries, after freezing (to break cell walls) and pasteurizing, to the secondary and rack on top of the fruit for about 3 weeks. From there, I don't know whether I will rack a third time to clear or just prime and bottle.

1. Since this will be my first attempt at a fruit beer, what contribution to the gravity will the fruit have?

2. After racking to secondary, will this be a true "secondary" fermentation due to the fruit addition?

3. Is it necessary, or at least best, to rack a third time to a clearing vessel to allow the beer to clear before priming and bottling?

4. Are there any precautions to take during bottling and priming to reduce the chances of bottle grenades (of course, other than steady hydro readings)?

As always, any feedback and constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.

i would highly suggest less than 1lb/gallon. I did a stout with real rasberries (red) and used 1 pound per gallon and it was quite overpowering. I would use half honestly. Its been a year and the rasberry has mellowed quite aa bit but at first it was deffinitly not drinkable. As for secondary, your going to want to add the berries in secondary and transfer from there to a tertiary when you have the desired flavor profile.

Thank you, I have read some conflicting results with the Raspberries, some have said the flavor wasn't overpowering with 4lbs, I am guessing it has alot to do with the berries themselves, but maybe I'll start with 3lbs. I appreciate the advice, again, this willbe my first attempt with fruit and I am "flying blind" so to speak.

I second the quantity remark, I have a great Raspberry Ale recipe on here.

I used 2 pounds of raspberries and it was AWESOME! One of my favorite beers ever. Not overpowering, but VERY apparent.

As for gravity contribution, who knows?

if you want to calculate the contribution...what i did for mine was take 4 oz of berries and heat water to disolved all the sugars then blended them. Essentially they will disintegrate leaving almost a red syrupy water. Take a hydrometer sample and then scale up to get SG/Lb of berries. 16oz per lb., 128 fl oz/gallon Potential gravity is Lbs/Gallon. This worked for me to give me a rough idea but i forget what the number was. I used frozen raspberry that i thawed and refroze to break down the cell walls...

Thanks for the formula, that should work, I was just curious to know what kind of effect the berries would have on the FG to better estimate what I want my OG to be to hit the target FG, if I am making sense.

yea you are. If i remeber it wasnt alot using that method. I calculated it at around. 1.010... Keep in mind i dont know if this is accurate, i just used it to ballpark because it worked in my head

Did you ever get this batch brewing? I'm looking at making a blackberry-wheat beer for swmbo right now.

Yes I brewed this last Thursday 4/21, I have it in primary right now, I will be adding fruit and racking to a secondary after a 10-14 day primary, I will secondary for 14 days, then a tertiary for another 14 days before priming and bottling and it will be about 28 in the bottle before one is cracked open. I think I am going to shoot for carbing on the upper end of the volumes for this beer, maybe crisp it up a little.

I just tried the Sweet Stout that I brewed last (the recipe is in my recipes), I let that sit in the primary for exactly 4 weeks (28 days) before bottling and itis by far the best I have made so far. I was trying for something like Sam Adams Cream Stout, and I think this recipe is better by far! Having said that, unless my beer needs to be secondaried for fruit addition or dry hopping and the such, I will be leaving all of my brews in the primary for at least a month I think it has improved the overall taste, seems cleaner, and I hate to use this word, but less "twangy".

Ever try using candied raspberries? (No, not candy raspberries, candied raspberries... there is a difference.)

Instead of having to add candy sugar you could add that and it would most likely turn out different than your everyday run-o-the-mill raspberry ale.

I used candied cantaloupe this weekend and can't wait to try it out. The wort was delicious and very, shall we say... cantaloupy?

I just cut em up real small and added to the wort for the last 15 minutes.

let us know the qty of berries you use and how you perceive the amount. i did a red raspberry wheat last year with about 2.5lbs of berries and although not overwhelming, was definitely noticeable. +1 to not using extract. i bought a bottle when making the aforementioned wheat and the taste, IMHO is not comparable to using real berries.

I just bought 3.5 pounds of fresh blackberries for my blackberryWit recipe(https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/blackberrywit-116410/). They're wrapped up and double ziplocked in the freezer now, buying the brew ingredients and brewing this friday. I'll be sure to post how it turns out with some pics.

I will be sure to post my results her when it is complete.

After a little research and advice from Scinerd3000, I will not sanitize my berries, I will freeze and thaw then crush and rack on top of them, if there is enough alcohol in there and fermentation is boosted, the yeasties would most likely out-compete any nasties that could get in there.

Went to buy my Raspberries this Sunday. Of course, the local farmer's market did not have Raspberries, so this recipe has been EDITED to reflect the change to Blackberries.

Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 3.50
Boil Time: 60 min

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract
0.75 lb Carapils
1.00 oz Liberty [4.00%] (45 min)
0.50 oz Liberty [4.00%] (15 min)
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 10.53 %
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [Starter 1000 ml] Yeast-Ale

PrimarY - 10 days @ 65°
Secondary - 3.15 lbs or 50.4 oz's Blackberries (frozen, thawed, and crushed) 10 days @ 65°.
Tertiary - 10 days @ 65°

Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.11 %
Bitterness: 21.4 IBU

I checked gravity last night, and it was right on the money for the eastimated target FG 1.013. It was actually 1.012 but the sample I took warmed to about 70° and hydrometer adjustment makes it FG 1.013 (76% AA for this yeast). I was going to rack, but I had not prepared my yeast washing jars and water far enough in advance, and the water was still to warm to save the yeast. So, hopefully tonight I will have the time to rack onto the fruit. Beer was kinda sharp and very green still, hard for me to guage it at this point.

On a side note I tried to make some candi sugar with turbinado sugar and citric acid. I actually made syrup, I dont know if I used too much water, or didn't boil long enough, or just didn't get it hot enough. It just about boiled over the pot at one point. I followed the instructions on the wiki How to make Candi Sugar - Home Brewing Wiki. I put it in the fridge overnight, but it was about the consistency of honey this morning, it tastes real good. I will use it as candi syrup, but I don't know exactly why it didn't harden, I don't have a candy thermometer either.