American Pale Wheat Ale with Lactose

[EmptyGlass]

So I am looking to make a Wheat Ale with Blueberries. If anyone has had a Son of A Peach by RJ Rockers, then you know where I am headed. I hate fruit beers, but this beer has almost a velvety texture to it and the peach taste isn't overwhelming. I want to do the same but with blueberries. My question is should I be using lactose to achieve this? If so, how much and when?

Also, should I be using a pound of blueberries? Or should I go with extract? I like the idea of real blueberries but I am not sure which would be better.

Thanks!

Empty Glass Homebrew

Bottles - Swagger - Saison
Secondary - The '59 Sound - American Brown Ale

 

[photobru]

I know blueberry skins have a lot of tannins, so maybe the extract would work better for what you're describing?

 

[BuddhaNole]

I have made a blueberry wheat beer where I used both extract and fruit. The fruit gives you a good flavor, but little aroma. The extract gives it a great aroma. Using real fruit made my beer purple, but I thought it was really cool.

 

[EmptyGlass]

Thanks for the input. Any suggestions on the lactose?

 

[BuddhaNole]

Are you considering the lactose to achieve the texture or for sweetness?

 

[McKnuckle]

Lactose does affect mouthfeel, but it is non-fermentable and is usually employed to preserve residual sweetness. Not sure that's what you want in your blueberry wheat, but maybe it is. It's commonly used in sweet stout for both of those characteristics.

 

[EmptyGlass]

I am looking for texture...but I wouldn't mind a little sweetness to counter the blueberry in case that flavor is too strong.

 

[cyanmonkey]

Why not go for carapils or dextrine?

 

[azazel1024]

I'd go for carpails or use a little rye or oats depending on if you wanted any flavor imparted or not.

Lactose is going to increase body some, but it'll also bump up the sweetness, which I suspect you are not going for.

For blueberries, I'd add them to secondary and you shouldn't really have extracted tannins AFAIK. I have yet to brew with them though. Blueberries are also fairly delicate on aroma, so if you want any of that, deffinitely add after primary fermentation has quit to try to preserve as much aroma as possible.

 

[EmptyGlass]

For the oats when, and how much would I add? I should probably say this is a five gallon batch and is extract. Thanks.