Ideas on adding cucumber to a pilsner

[BrewinSoldier]

Hey guys! I really really like a beer made by Tioga Sequoia brewing company out of Fresno. I've tried shooting them a few emails but they never respond back.

Anyways the beer they make is called "Cool as a cucumbier" and is a cucumber pilsner.

In their description they say they use bohemian malts and saaz hops. It goes on to say they hand peel thousands of pounds of local organic cucumbers and juice them.

So my recipe to try and duplicate it would be using a grain bill of 100% floor malted bohemian pilsner malt to a target 4.9% ABV. Then use all saaz hops to get to 22IBUs. I'm going to use white labs wlp800 pilsner yeast with a 4L starter.

My question is when to add the cucumber? There is a possibility they add it at flameout in the boil to sanitize the juice, but I could see that giving the juice a cooked cucumber flavor. I'm guessing they probably add it to either the secondary or Brite tank, but if that's the case, how are they sanitizing the juice?

Thanks for any and all help. I'm brewing this Friday.

 

[derekcw83]

Look at flavor concentrates www.monin.com

 

[treacheroustexan]

I have a cucumber lime saison that I am kegging tomorrow actually. I added 3 whole, peeled cucumbers to the fermenters for about a week. Very cucumber forward. No sanitizing because I'm counting on the alcohol already in the beer to kill anything. It smelled awesome!

 

[BrewinSoldier]

I have a cucumber lime saison that I am kegging tomorrow actually. I added 3 whole, peeled cucumbers to the fermenters for about a week. Very cucumber forward. No sanitizing because I'm counting on the alcohol already in the beer to kill anything. It smelled awesome!

Did you add to the secondary or primary? I was wondering if adding whole peeled cucumbers would impart enough flavor.

 

[Jtk78]

I have a cucumber lime saison that I am kegging tomorrow actually. I added 3 whole, peeled cucumbers to the fermenters for about a week. Very cucumber forward. No sanitizing because I'm counting on the alcohol already in the beer to kill anything. It smelled awesome!

I am really interested in this as well. Mind posting or pm'ing the recipe. Couple questions as well.
Have you made this in the past?
If so, does the cucumber fade fast or have decent staying power?
Did you slice the cucumber in addition to peeling it?
Did you bag the cucumber in a dry hop sock or paint strainer.
What was you method for the lime addition?

I'm planning on brewing a 2 saisons in a couple weeks, and I'm sure this would go over huge on the deck in the summer.

 

[jekeane]

I did a cucumber jalapeño saison a year ago that took a silver at a decent size comp. I dumped most of it in my garden after a month or so because the cucumber was to much to enjoy more than half a glass.

I peeled and sliced the cucumbers then let the steep for 10 minutes after flameout. i scooped most of them out before chilling and then strained the rest on the way to the fermenter. I used 2 large cucumbers in 3 gallons.

 

[xandersaml]

Interestingly enough, cucumbers actually purify water naturally. If you sanitize everything that comes into contact with them you should be fine.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Did you add to the secondary or primary? I was wondering if adding whole peeled cucumbers would impart enough flavor.

I just threw them straight into primary with my dry hops.

I am really interested in this as well. Mind posting or pm'ing the recipe. Couple questions as well.
Have you made this in the past?
If so, does the cucumber fade fast or have decent staying power?
Did you slice the cucumber in addition to peeling it?
Did you bag the cucumber in a dry hop sock or paint strainer.
What was you method for the lime addition?

I'm planning on brewing a 2 saisons in a couple weeks, and I'm sure this would go over huge on the deck in the summer.

First time brewing it so who knows how it will be haha. I'll post results when I taste it. I just peeled the cucumbers and then made a slit down the middle in them, but not actually slicing them. No bag, just straight in. And for the lime I added zest at flameout. I may need to add some juice to the keg though.

 

[TorMag]

Sweetwater, is making a Cucumber beer, I tried one, thought it was ok at best. I would not buy one myself, but this was given to me by someone who thought it was nasty. Anyway, it got me to thinking how it would be done, not that I would do it. I was thinking that you would just make cucumber water in the beginning.

https://www.loseweightbyeating.com/cucumber-water/

 

[Jtk78]

Sorry to hijack, but based on this thread I am giving this a shot. This weekend I will brew 2 wheat batches from a single mash. One 5 gallon batch will be hop bursted with Mosaic and El Dorado.

The other will be lightly hopped and I will "dry cuke" into a hop sock. I'll use + - 3lbs of cukes, then peel them, chop them & throw them in 7 days after pitching. They'll stay in the beer 7 days before bottling.

50% 2 row
25% white wheat malt
25% dark wheat malt (9L)
1.055 target OG

Only thing I'm not 100% sure about yet is what hops I'll use. Thinking Saaz to 16-20 IBU, but still deciding. Open for suggestions.

 

[beerguyfrmsd]

Hey guys! I really really like a beer made by Tioga Sequoia brewing company out of Fresno. I've tried shooting them a few emails but they never respond back.

Anyways the beer they make is called "Cool as a cucumbier" and is a cucumber pilsner.

In their description they say they use bohemian malts and saaz hops. It goes on to say they hand peel thousands of pounds of local organic cucumbers and juice them.

So my recipe to try and duplicate it would be using a grain bill of 100% floor malted bohemian pilsner malt to a target 4.9% ABV. Then use all saaz hops to get to 22IBUs. I'm going to use white labs wlp800 pilsner yeast with a 4L starter.

My question is when to add the cucumber? There is a possibility they add it at flameout in the boil to sanitize the juice, but I could see that giving the juice a cooked cucumber flavor. I'm guessing they probably add it to either the secondary or Brite tank, but if that's the case, how are they sanitizing the juice?

Thanks for any and all help. I'm brewing this Friday.

If anything, they might be pasteurizing the cucumbers juice, making it consumable without any off flavors.

 

[mrdauber64]

I am drinking a 100% pilsner malt with a late addition of Galaxy. I added 2.5 lbs of peeled and chopped cucumbers to the primary after fermentation for 3 days. It turned out fantastic! So refreshing if and the galaxy and cucumber give it this fruitiness. It will be my summer beer every year for sure!

 

[BrewinSoldier]

I am drinking a 100% pilsner malt with a late addition of Galaxy. I added 2.5 lbs of peeled and chopped cucumbers to the primary after fermentation for 3 days. It turned out fantastic! So refreshing if and the galaxy and cucumber give it this fruitiness. It will be my summer beer every year for sure!

How forward is the cucumber flavor? I'm brewing this in 6 hours and have my recipe put together (all saaz hops), got my water dialed in(shooting for a pH of 5.2 and only 10ppm of Ca), yeast starter is still chugging along, but still not sure what I'm going to do for cucumbers. Hell, I haven't even went to the farm stand to buy them yet lol

I'll post an update if which route I go. I definitely want the cucumber aroma and flavor there, not something people have to guess at, but at the same time not overwhelming.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Sorry to hijack, but based on this thread I am giving this a shot. This weekend I will brew 2 wheat batches from a single mash. One 5 gallon batch will be hop bursted with Mosaic and El Dorado.

The other will be lightly hopped and I will "dry cuke" into a hop sock. I'll use + - 3lbs of cukes, then peel them, chop them & throw them in 7 days after pitching. They'll stay in the beer 7 days before bottling.

50% 2 row
25% white wheat malt
25% dark wheat malt (9L)
1.055 target OG

Only thing I'm not 100% sure about yet is what hops I'll use. Thinking Saaz to 16-20 IBU, but still deciding. Open for suggestions.

Depending on your water profile, from everything I've read, saaz does not do well with sulfate. Something to think about. My water I build from scratch using RO. For my pilsner I have 10ppm calcium, 1ppm sulfate, and I think 12ppm chloride. Everything else is 0.

As some others have said, and from what I've read/heard on podcasts, adding to the boil tends to stick around quite a bit and get more prominent very quick. I've also read adding to boil/flameout gives them a "cooked" taste. Im leaning in adding a few to the fermenter after fermentation is just about done, then keep tasting every 2 days until it's to my liking. If worst comes to worst and it's not enough, I'll try adding maybe one at flameout next time, or even juice a few and add to the keg.

 

[mrdauber64]

How forward is the cucumber flavor? I'm brewing this in 6 hours and have my recipe put together (all saaz hops), got my water dialed in(shooting for a pH of 5.2 and only 10ppm of Ca), yeast starter is still chugging along, but still not sure what I'm going to do for cucumbers. Hell, I haven't even went to the farm stand to buy them yet lol



I'll post an update if which route I go. I definitely want the cucumber aroma and flavor there, not something people have to guess at, but at the same time not overwhelming.

The cucumber is very present. You notice it in the aroma and taste. I went with a clean malt and yeast(dry lager yeast) so that the cucumber couldn't hide behind anything else(except for the late galaxy hop addition, which I feel compliments the cucumber).

 

[Jtk78]

Depending on your water profile, from everything I've read, saaz does not do well with sulfate. Something to think about. My water I build from scratch using RO. For my pilsner I have 10ppm calcium, 1ppm sulfate, and I think 12ppm chloride. Everything else is 0.

As some others have said, and from what I've read/heard on podcasts, adding to the boil tends to stick around quite a bit and get more prominent very quick. I've also read adding to boil/flameout gives them a "cooked" taste. Im leaning in adding a few to the fermenter after fermentation is just about done, then keep tasting every 2 days until it's to my liking. If worst comes to worst and it's not enough, I'll try adding maybe one at flameout next time, or even juice a few and add to the keg.

Thanks for the hops advice. I definitely have some sulfate. Not through the roof or anything, but I have it at about 100ppm right now, and my PH should hit right around 5.35.

Any other hops you'd recommend. I'm buying today. Thanks again.

 

[lupulinaddict]

How forward is the cucumber flavor? I'm brewing this in 6 hours and have my recipe put together (all saaz hops), got my water dialed in(shooting for a pH of 5.2 and only 10ppm of Ca), yeast starter is still chugging along, but still not sure what I'm going to do for cucumbers. Hell, I haven't even went to the farm stand to buy them yet lol



I'll post an update if which route I go. I definitely want the cucumber aroma and flavor there, not something people have to guess at, but at the same time not overwhelming.

Hey If I remember right you are from modesto?? The market downtown usually carries cucumberliner from toolbox brewing. I tried it and the cucumber flavor isn't as pronounced as tioga-sequoia cucumber beer I had a few years ago. The reason I bring it up is because in of my magazines I saw that toolbox listed the recipe to their beer. Try searching craft beer and brewing magazine for their issue with the toolbox recipe and that maybe a baseline for how much and when to add the cucumber. Not sure if the tartness of the Berliner took away from the cucumber, but like I said, to me the ts had more flavor so I'd add more than the recipe called for to be safe, just maybe use it as a reference, and maybe you have time to pick up the beer from Patrick.

 

[Jtk78]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/beerandbrewing.com/amp/toolbox-cucumberliner-recipe

Found it.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I am drinking a 100% pilsner malt with a late addition of Galaxy. I added 2.5 lbs of peeled and chopped cucumbers to the primary after fermentation for 3 days. It turned out fantastic! So refreshing if and the galaxy and cucumber give it this fruitiness. It will be my summer beer every year for sure!

My cucumber lime saison I just kegged the other day uses galaxy also! The galaxy/cucumber combo smells so good. I can't wait until it's carbed to try it.

 

[TorMag]

I just want to say, taste any cucumber before you add it. Some cuc's can be pretty nasty and bitter and not in good IBU way.

 

[lupulinaddict]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/beerandbrewing.com/amp/toolbox-cucumberliner-recipe



Found it.

Thanks. That's it!!

Maybe I should point out that I don't recommend the beer as being a great beer, just a worthy pickup to compare the recipe and what you taste to help build your brew. I don't want a bad reputation around here.

 

[Jtk78]

I just want to say, taste any cucumber before you add it. Some cuc's can be pretty nasty and bitter and not in good IBU way.

Good recommendation. I'll remember that.

Thanks. That's it!!

Maybe I should point out that I don't recommend the beer as being a great beer, just a worthy pickup to compare the recipe and what you taste to help build your brew. I don't want a bad reputation around here.

Noted. I won't hold you accountable. I'm not a fan of sours, and I'm not sure how that would play with the cucumber, but there was valuable info for me.


Edit - I went with 1oz of galaxy. Probably do .25oz at 60mins, .25 at 10 mins, and whirlpool the last .5oz.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/beerandbrewing.com/amp/toolbox-cucumberliner-recipe

Found it.

Good article. That pretty much sums it up for me. I stayed up till 6am reading my eyes out. I basically came down to throwing chopped cucumbers into the fermenter after fermentation is completely done. Then if for whatever reason I don't get what I'm looking for, I'll use my Omega masticating juicer to juice some and add it to the keg. From everything I read from people who have done it, it gives an awesome cucumber flavor and the alcohol kills off any unwanted stuff. You just sanitize everything really good prior to cutting and juicing. This will be my first pilsner and my first time using a vegetable.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Hey If I remember right you are from modesto?? The market downtown usually carries cucumberliner from toolbox brewing. I tried it and the cucumber flavor isn't as pronounced as tioga-sequoia cucumber beer I had a few years ago. The reason I bring it up is because in of my magazines I saw that toolbox listed the recipe to their beer. Try searching craft beer and brewing magazine for their issue with the toolbox recipe and that maybe a baseline for how much and when to add the cucumber. Not sure if the tartness of the Berliner took away from the cucumber, but like I said, to me the ts had more flavor so I'd add more than the recipe called for to be safe, just maybe use it as a reference, and maybe you have time to pick up the beer from Patrick.

Hey I sure am. Yeah I've been there a few times. I'll have to go pick a bottle up just to try out. I didn't know Tioga released their cucumbier already. I really like the profile their beer has, it's there and you can taste/smell it, but it's not overwhelming. I think it's an awesome summer beer. If mine turns out how I hope it does, I'll probably can a bunch of it and bring it with me on river floats etc. I really want to bump up my brewing to a 1BBL scale because my beers lately just don't last more than a month. I'm waiting to see what the price tag on SSbrewtechs new 1BBL system is going to be but I have a feeling big $$$. I'll probably end up with a Colorado brewing system.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Jtk78]

I am going to save the cucumber addition for another batch, most likely a saison that I'll brew in a few weeks. I used Wy1272 because I had just harvested some and I think the fruit aroma I'm getting will clash with the cucumber. Just wanted to throw the update in here so others weren't wondering about it.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

I am going to save the cucumber addition for another batch, most likely a saison that I'll brew in a few weeks. I used Wy1272 because I had just harvested some and I think the fruit aroma I'm getting will clash with the cucumber. Just wanted to throw the update in here so others weren't wondering about it.

Ahh alright. My pineapple IPA that just finished was tasting really good. I racked onto 5 cans of organic dole pineapple chunks I got from Costco. I have definitely learned my lesson with using fresh ingredients like that in the fermenter. I think about 5 days and I tasted it and it was really good. I thought it'd be good for another couple days but when I tasted it again it had a weird taste. Itsfunneh how quick the beer can go from good to not so good in just a matter of a day too long in the fermenter on Fresh stuff like that. Hopefully it still salvageable and it's in the keg as we speak. One thing on cucumbers I've been reading is not to leave them in for more than 24 to 48 hours. Since this brew is a pilsner, I probably won't be in here to update for another 4-6 weeks, but I will post my experiences when it's said and done. I'm also thinking I should've maybe added a little more to the grain bill than just 100% floor malted bohemian pilsner but we shall see.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Just figured I'd give a quick update on this. For some reason the beer(still lagering in the fermenter at 34°F) doesn't want to clear and it's super cloudy. Only problem so far but one that will drive me crazy.

So last night I was juicing my veggies for the next few days and decided screw it...I cleaned and sanitized my Omega juicer and decided to see what a peeled cucumber juice would taste like. I juiced one large cucumber after dipping it in sanitizer. Then I emptied the juice into the fermenter and purged it with co2. I tasted it today and it's really good. I'm going to leave it where it's at, and if I want more flavor I'll juice another one and add it to the keg. Today I added a pack of Super Kleer to try and get it to drop clear. I'd really like to enter it in a contest on the 16th. Anyways, I'll update again when I get it all kegged and carbonated.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Only going to do one more update on this and then I'm done keeping this thread going. The beer is done for the most part. I ran it through a 1 micron filter the other night from one keg to the next. I messed up a little and it had been carbing at 35psi for half a day which was enough to make it a nightmare trying to filter. I ended up with maybe 4.5 gallons of filtered beer. It still didn't get the cloudiness all the way out but it's semi transparent which is good enough for me. Not sure if the filtering went as good as it could have because of all the foam but it's more clear than it was. It's not chill haze, not lack of starch conversion, not yeast, so not sure why it's still cloudy. Maybe just the batch of grain?

Anyways, tapped a little tonight and aroma was awesome. Good pilsner taste with a subtle flavor of fresh cucumber, EXACTLY what I wanted. It's still very young for a lager but if there's any left from the competition on Saturday, I'll can a few up and let them sit for another month to see what happens. I'll post the last update to this thread then(if there is any left).

 

[Jtk78]

Thanks for the update, and your timing could not have been better. I am throwing a surprise birthday party for my wife the end of July. I am brewing a Wit, an Irish Red, and gonna give a cucumber beer a shot. I'll update this once I figure this out and brew it.

 

[lupulinaddict]

Only going to do one more update on this and then I'm done keeping this thread going. The beer is done for the most part. I ran it through a 1 micron filter the other night from one keg to the next. I messed up a little and it had been carbing at 35psi for half a day which was enough to make it a nightmare trying to filter. I ended up with maybe 4.5 gallons of filtered beer. It still didn't get the cloudiness all the way out but it's semi transparent which is good enough for me. Not sure if the filtering went as good as it could have because of all the foam but it's more clear than it was. It's not chill haze, not lack of starch conversion, not yeast, so not sure why it's still cloudy. Maybe just the batch of grain?

Anyways, tapped a little tonight and aroma was awesome. Good pilsner taste with a subtle flavor of fresh cucumber, EXACTLY what I wanted. It's still very young for a lager but if there's any left from the competition on Saturday, I'll can a few up and let them sit for another month to see what happens. I'll post the last update to this thread then(if there is any left).

Good to hear it came out how you planned. I'm curious what competition you are entering it in?

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Thanks for the update, and your timing could not have been better. I am throwing a surprise birthday party for my wife the end of July. I am brewing a Wit, an Irish Red, and gonna give a cucumber beer a shot. I'll update this once I figure this out and brew it.

Awesome! Looking forward to it.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Good to hear it came out how you planned. I'm curious what competition you are entering it in?

There is a competition tomorrow at Tuolumne River Lodge. It from 2-6pm. $20 entry fee and includes a glass to sample everything. Supposedly 20+ home brewers and then some commercial breweries like Lagunitas, Ballast Point, Dust bowl, etc.