Blueberry Blonde Ale

[AlexGren]

Hi everyone,

I'm working on developing a recipe for a blueberry blonde ale and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice or experience with using frozen blueberries. When to add them, how much to add, etc.

I'm looking for a decent amount of blueberry flavor, not overpowering.

Thanks!
AG

 

[RM-MN]

My advice would be to "don't use blueberries to get blueberry flavor". The flavor of blueberries is delicate and when you ferment them you mostly get the acidity, not the flavor. Instead, ferment the beer normally and add a high quality extract at bottling time. Don't go cheap with the extract, it will taste very artificial.

 

[Pappers_]

Have never used blueberries. You might take a look through the HBT recipe database and see what other brewers have done, their tried-and-true recipes. Here's a link to Fruit beers - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...torical-other-homebrew-recip.76/?prefix_id=87

 

[AlexGren]

Thanks for the input guys, I'll check out the database and for from there.

 

[FunkedOut]

I’ve been planning the same.
Going to try mosaic for hops and see how that goes prior to adding blueberries.
I was thinking mash high to keep some sweetness and let the berries dry it out some.
Just thoughts...

 

[TGFV]

I've used blueberries only once before and I ended up adding lactose to the american wheat ale to bring back some of the flavour.

If you go with the whole fruit route, I would buy frozen and either rack into a secondary with all the berries already in it (preferably in a bag for easy removal and to keep fruit sediment down) or if you use a bucket for primary, just put it in after the beer is fully fermented (though sanitize the strainer bag).

With a blond, like some wheats, if the OG is low you will get more tartness that true blueberry flavour though, so either a decent helping of crystal malt, malto or lactose can help with that I would think.

 

[BrewerDan1]

I brewed an American Wheat and added 2 oz of natural blueberry extract at packaging and it is awesome. The blueberry is very subtle but apparent.

 

[applescrap]

I have used blueberries many times but that was when i first started with mr beer kits. I was using the oregon cans. Nothing to remember. Then i made all grain once with fresh and in primary ferment. Good but could be better. After a vast, and i mean vast amount of research and reading, i have come to the conclusions

That freezing fresh fruit to break down the cell walls and or using Frozen fruit is a good method. With a slight puree or mash they are added to a secondary. Then at bottling extract is also added to taste.

The question i have is ... is using something to kill the yeast then adding fruit in secondary avoid secondary fermentation and is better. I love blueberry beer. Yeah secondary and extract if nothing else.

 

[MT's AZ Ale Haus]

I am planning on doing a Blueberry Wit, I have read a lot on using fruit.
What I've come to learn is that you can do it twice. One portion in the mash, and the second in the secondary ferm as a dry hop just before bottling.

I plan on using 2# of frozen blueberries in the mash and 2# frozen blueberries in the dry hop.

Be sure to steep them in a little boiling water to sanitize them.

 

[applescrap]

I dont think you want to boil fruit like that.

 

[madscientist451]

Use frozen blueberries, place in a quart jar and add enough vodka to cover.
Let sit for 2-3 weeks. Before bottling/kegging, run some blending trials with measured samples to see how much of the tincture you need to add to get the flavor you are looking for. The vodka will kill any wild yeast and bacteria.