I'm going to have a crack at a blueberry wheat. I have never had much success with fruit beers mainly because if the fruit is added during fermentation or to a secondary it tends to dry out due to re-fermentation and imparts very little fruit flavor. Also you have the added complications of making the beer tart whilst also diluting it.
My intention this time around is to use all natural blueberry extract and freeze dried wild blueberry powder and add them both directly to the keg to try and avoid the issues mentioned above.
I plan to cold crash and fine the beer in primary to remove most of the suspended yeast. Then rack to the keg and add the extract and blueberry powder. I will add the blueberry powder in a 100 micro mesh bag to keep it out of suspension. The chill straight away to keep fermentation from restarting.
I also have sodium metabisulphate and potassium sorbate on hand in need be, but I have never used them before and i'm concerned with off flavors.
Here is my draft recipe
6lbs Maris otter low color
6lbs crisp pale wheat malt
1 oz of Mosiac at knockout (to get some berry like hop character to compliment the fruit)
7oz Blueberry powder (equivalent to 3lbs of fruit)
2oz of blueberry extract
Mash low to get a dry beer as the powder will effectively back sweeten
Keep the IBU's low, i'll probably use warrior to around 20IBU's
Ferment with Denny's Favorite
If anyone has tried anything similar, please let me know. Especially regarding the use of stabilizing agents and the quantities fruit with the number of IBU's
My intention this time around is to use all natural blueberry extract and freeze dried wild blueberry powder and add them both directly to the keg to try and avoid the issues mentioned above.
I plan to cold crash and fine the beer in primary to remove most of the suspended yeast. Then rack to the keg and add the extract and blueberry powder. I will add the blueberry powder in a 100 micro mesh bag to keep it out of suspension. The chill straight away to keep fermentation from restarting.
I also have sodium metabisulphate and potassium sorbate on hand in need be, but I have never used them before and i'm concerned with off flavors.
Here is my draft recipe
6lbs Maris otter low color
6lbs crisp pale wheat malt
1 oz of Mosiac at knockout (to get some berry like hop character to compliment the fruit)
7oz Blueberry powder (equivalent to 3lbs of fruit)
2oz of blueberry extract
Mash low to get a dry beer as the powder will effectively back sweeten
Keep the IBU's low, i'll probably use warrior to around 20IBU's
Ferment with Denny's Favorite
If anyone has tried anything similar, please let me know. Especially regarding the use of stabilizing agents and the quantities fruit with the number of IBU's
