Peach wheat beer

[cbarker777]

I want to make a peach beer once the local peaches are ripe but I have a few questions I want to do a wheat beer don't know if I should do a honey wheat, an American wheat, or an over hoped wheat. I plan on doing a kit and then secondary fomentation racking onto the peaches. My questions are what beer sounds best for the kit? Will my plan work or is there a better way to do a wheat peach beer?

 

[Colorowdy]

I would do an American wheat or a Berliner weisse. I have never used peaches but from what I have read it takes a metric crap ton to get flavor.
Or this http://byo.com/hops/item/2349-gose
I would coriander seeds though.
I brewed it and dropped the salt to a half ounce it was pretty damn thirst quenching.
Either way happy brewing.

 

[justenoughforme]

puree the peaches

i've never done this but it makes sense : )

 

[castillo556]

I did a 5 G batch and used 3 lbs of frozen peaches dry hopped after primary ferm was complete. I let it sit for 1.5 weeks. The flavor was barely noticeable.

You'll likely have to use peach flavoring to achieve a more pronounced peach flavor.

 

[DatsyukianDeke]

What about roasting peeled and pitted halves in a not too hot oven to concentrate their flavor and sugar and to drive off some of the excess moisture?

 

[mcbar]

I did an American wheat with peach in it. I let the beer ferment for two weeks, then I heated 4 lbs of frozen peaches to 160F on my stovetop for about 20 minutes and added them in a mesh bag to the primary. I let that ride for another week or so then bottled.

The initial sample had a definite tart, peachy quality to it, but the peach flavour faded considerably during bottle conditioning. Right now, four months later, the beer is a refreshing, slightly tart American wheat - and if you close your eyes and imagine really hard, you can almost taste something like peach.

If I were to do the recipe again I would add at least another lb of peaches. They more or less disintegrated during heating, but I might make more of an effort to mash or puree them to increase the surface area as much as possible. The method I used to add them seemed to work well - I would probably repeat that, being careful to minimize splashing. I didn't weight my bag - that might have helped for peace of mind if nothing else, as the bag floated to the surface and could have potentially resulted in mold.

I might also use a German yeast instead of American. I think a more estery beer might accentuate rather than mask the peach flavour.

Good luck!

Edit: I should mention this was a 5 gallon batch.

 

[rhys333]

A little out in left field perhaps, but 1469 is known for stonefruit flavors. Certainly not a wheat beer strain, but it might help boost the peach flavor and aroma.

 

[cbarker777]

Wow sounds like it's not quite as easy as I thought. I need to do some big time research. This beer has to be in the fermenter by end of next week or it won't be ready for when I want it.

I don't really want to use any concentrate but sounds like it my be the best way to get a noticeable flavor.

I was thinking 1-2lbs per gallon I have no idea how many peaches that will be but that's not a problem I will have bushels of them but the problem will be how do I fit all that in the fermenter. Like I said my plan was to put them in my secondary then transfer the beer on top of them to limit splashing.

I read somewhere about a tablet that you can drop into the peaches to "sterilize" them so I don't introduce an infection. Does anyone have any idea what tablet I am talking about I can't find the article again?

 

[Colorowdy]

If it was me I would pasturize them on the stove with some pectic enzyme. Heat them to 160°F for 20 minutes and you are good to go.

 

[TinyHands]

What about roasting peeled and pitted halves in a not too hot oven to concentrate their flavor and sugar and to drive off some of the excess moisture?

I like this idea. You could even soak them with vodka once they've cooled. That would help pull the flavors out and sanitize them. But I wouldn't add until after primary ferm is complete.

Also, I like your handle. He's the best.

 

[cbarker777]

I like this idea. You could even soak them with vodka once they've cooled. That would help pull the flavors out and sanitize them. But I wouldn't add until after primary ferm is complete.



Also, I like your handle. He's the best.

When doing the vodka will that add alcohol and flavor. I don't want vodka flavor in my beer I don't think. I know the purpose would be to sanitize but I don't want some Heavy hitting beer either. Could I not roast them and just do the soak in vodka would that be enough presuming the vodka can't be tasted.

 

[DatsyukianDeke]

Also, I like your handle. He's the best.

The Magic Man!

 

[FoxFeud]

I have never used peaches but from what I have read it takes a metric crap ton to get flavor.

I read the same thing in Radical Brewing, but Randy Mosher mentions that apricots actually make a better peach beer than peaches. Haven't gotten around to trying it myself but it may be worth a shot if you are concerned or don't end up with enough peach flavor.

 

[rich5665]

Why not try a Peach Extract instead of the actual fruit? Add the extract to the bottling bucket and then add the beer from the primary add your sugar, bottle and let it carbonate and condition. Just a thought.

 

[Colorowdy]

^ extract tastes like cough syrup

 

[TinyHands]

When doing the vodka will that add alcohol and flavor. I don't want vodka flavor in my beer I don't think. I know the purpose would be to sanitize but I don't want some Heavy hitting beer either. Could I not roast them and just do the soak in vodka would that be enough presuming the vodka can't be tasted.

You could soak half of them and add to secondary, if you're worried about the alcohol taste-- I just did this with black walnuts. It's just an easy way to pull chemicals out of your fruit, so they dissolve in the beer quicker. In a five-gallon batch, a little vodka isn't going to add much ABV.

 

[myerstyson]

You could soak half of them and add to secondary, if you're worried about the alcohol taste-- I just did this with black walnuts. It's just an easy way to pull chemicals out of your fruit, so they dissolve in the beer quicker. In a five-gallon batch, a little vodka isn't going to add much ABV.

And it won't add an alcohol flavor, unless you buy a cheap vodka.

 

[cbarker777]

You could soak half of them and add to secondary, if you're worried about the alcohol taste-- I just did this with black walnuts. It's just an easy way to pull chemicals out of your fruit, so they dissolve in the beer quicker. In a five-gallon batch, a little vodka isn't going to add much ABV.

How much vodka to how much peaches? I think I am going to use 10# of peaches for my 5 gal batch.