Lots of Pears . . . What to make?

[rockgineer]

I have a bunch of pear trees. I've never made anything with them. I'd like to try a Lambic but can't find a recipe.

Anyone have any ideas with details of the process?

 

[PintOfBitter]

perry of course

EDIT: actually, if you're not interested in perry, have you thought about maybe adding some to a cream ale or blond or something? If they're very flavorful, it may be an interesting touch. They may end up only contributing a very mild flavor.

 

[Freezeblade]

I came in here to say Perry, but it appears that PintOfBitter beat me to it. Good lambic recipe? there should be some in the wild fermention area of the forum, I'm sure if you ask them they'd be more than happy to send you on your merry and sour way.

 

[Beernip]

Hruškovica

Or a pear wine.

I don't like fruit in my beer though...

 

[permo]

Maybe Make a hard cider, holiday type of brew with pears, pear juice, two row, noble hops and clean ale yeast? Sounds good to me.

 

[rockgineer]

that sounds pretty good to me too. how do I incorporate the pears with the beer wort?

 

[permo]

Optimally you would juice them and add the juice to a secondary fermenter. Alternatively you can just peel and chop, or peel and puree them. I have peeled and chopped apples before and froze them, then added them right to primary at yeast pitching time. It worked great. The yeast will find the sugars, they sucked the sugars right out of the apples...that is for sure.

You know, a nice fall style pear ale sounds AWESOME. Try this maybe.

5 gallon batch

9 pounds two row
8 oz special B
8 oz caramunich
4 oz aromatic
4 oz biscuit
2 oz chocolate malt
add 5 # chopped and peeled pears to primary and let the yeast work their magic.
I wouldn't be against adding a cinnamon stick and a nutmeg at the end of the boil too....
30 IBU magnum or whatever you got at 60 and call it good.

 

[Randar]

Pears don't have the tart bitterness of a good cider apple that adds obvious flavor and they have such a subtle and delicate flavor when used in cooked that they often are relatively empty vessels for the spices used.

Not sure if you'd ever be able to use them in a quantity sufficient to extract recognizable flavor.

 

[rockgineer]

Quantity isn't a problem. I have six 80 year old pear trees.

I may have to try a fall spiced pear ale, a lambic and a cider.

 

[rockgineer]

Quantity isn't a problem. I have six 80 year old pear trees.

I may have to try a fall spiced pear ale, a lambic and a cider.