Berry Weiss

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shrades

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:tank: I would like to make a beer that is close to Leini'sBerry Weiss.Can I use a wheat beer kit and add fruit flavoring to it. And at what point in the brew do I add it? Thanks Shrades
 
There's no reason you couldn't use a wheat beer kit and add fruit flavoring and make a very nice beer, but whether it will taste like Leinie's Berry Weiss will depend on the fruit flavoring you use, and the kit's ingredients - not all wheat kits are the same, and not all wheat beers use the same recipe.

In my experience, you want to add fruit flavoring JUST before bottling. That's how I did my Black Acre Berry and it worked out perfectly.

If you're using real fruit and not extract, some people add the real fruit during the first boil, after the boil, during secondary fermentation, or just prior to bottling. There is fierce debate over whether to freeze the fruit prior to using it, or boil it, or both, or neither. Some people sanitize the fruit with starsan (not a recommendation of mine, but different strokes for different folks.)

I'd suggest that if you want to duplicate Berry Weiss, CONSIDER adding 4oz lactose to sweeten your beer, and knocking off some of the hops in the kit in order to decrease the bitterness.
 
:tank:Hey thanks for the help, I'm not much for apricots, but maybe I'll try to switch that with some other fruit extract. I'm new to brewing and only have acouple of brews under my belt, but fruity beer maybe I can think about spring when drinking them. Shrades
 
I think your original idea will be closer to Leinenkugel's fruit beer than my Black Acre Berry is. . . I just wanted to point out one beer that added extract at the bottling phase. Black Acre Berry is actually a little bitter, and the apricot is very subtle, which is NOT how I would describe Leinie's Berry Weiss!

IF you want to use the Black Acre Recipe instead of a kit, that's fine, but halve the hops, switch out the Pale Malt extract syrup with Wheat extract, double the amount of flavoring, and switch it to raspberry flavoring instead of Apricot. (Although Leinie's is a weird blend isn't it? Like. . . Lingonberries and cranberries and something else?)

-Jack
 
Leini's produces only lagers. This is a big disadvantage for you in cloning this if you are a newer brewer. Using a very clean fermenting ale yeast at very low temperature may get you close. I would make a recipe with around 80% light extract, 20% wheat extract, and find some fruit puree to match the taste.

Is this the only beer style or brand you like? If you like other beer styles, others may be easier to start with. For example, a basic wheat beer kit will likely produce a better beer than an attempt at a berriweiss.

Just a suggestion. I don't know your brewing experience or capabilities. I hope that helps a bit...
 
Im new to this great hobby. But I think I'm going to try a wheat beer abd add fruit extract in the bottle phase. Thanks any other ideas I'm open. Shrades
 
Use a honey wheat kit, when fermentation's done add 5lb of berries boiled in a muslin bag with the boiling juice and 2oz of a berry extract. Wait for the small fermentation that will start to finish and bottle.
 
Thanks Fat Guy Brewing, I can't wait to try this! The best of this fruit beer is, I'm a head groundskeeper for the University of Iowa. And I have a great supply of wild rasberry red and black, wild cherry, nad also peach trees. It is going to be hard to wait until Summer, when tomorrow is going to zero degrees out! Thanks again.
 
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