Watermelon Wheat First Version

[Kenny wilson]

Hello to all,
I wanted to brew a beer my wife would enjoy. She loves 21st Amendment's watermelon wheat. I pretty much followed the clone recipe (see below). The end result was the flavor was good (could taste watermelon) but the aroma was off. It almost had a vegital smell or the smell of only the watermelon rind. I did not use any rind though just the pulp which I pureed. I did however buy a watermelon with the seeds which I pureed. I did use a cheese cloth to strain as well. My question is do you think pureeing the seeds along with the pulp contributed to this aroma?

6 lbs Pale Malt 2 row
5 lbs White Wheat
.8 oz of Vienna
.25 oz Columbus (60 min)
.5 oz Magnum (10 min)
Note - added puree into secondary for 7 days

 

[LarMoeCur]

So, you poured the puree over a cheese cloth and just added the juice? I would think the seeds would add a nutty like an unroasted sunflower or pumpkin seed flavor. I'd say it is possible. What yeast strain did you use?

 

[Kenny wilson]

Correct. I pureed it then ran it through a cheese cloth. I used WLP 001

 

[mpjay2000]

My wife and I are fans of 21st Amendment's "Hell or High Watermelon" Wheat also. I usually will make a 10 gallon batch of my wheat beer and add 8 cups of pureed, seedless watermelon to one of the fermenters after primary fermentation is complete. That way I get 2 different beers from the same brew day.

Cheers!
mpjay

 

[mpjay2000]

I should have added, I strain the puree through a metal strainer then add directly to the fermenter. I've never used cheesecloth for this.

mpjay

 

[LarMoeCur]

WLP001. Well it's not the yeast giving off a weird aroma. I can't see a few seeds affecting the aroma. I've never puree a melon. I've always just juiced it with a strainer and a wood mallet.

 

[chickypad]

I'm also a fan of adding just the fresh juice (I use a strainer and potato masher). I've made a lot of batches this way. For me the sweet spot is about 1 cup per gallon, if the watermelon is nice and ripe (brix of juice about 10). I add it directly to the keg.

 

[shortyz]

i added 4 cups to a 5 gallon batch and it way to overpowering...

did another with 2 cups, and it was still a little strong. directly into keg

 

[Soulshine2]

WLP001. Well it's not the yeast giving off a weird aroma. I can't see a few seeds affecting the aroma. I've never puree a melon. I've always just juiced it with a strainer and a wood mallet.

Gallagher ,is that you ?

 

[LarMoeCur]

 

[50calshooter]

If your watermelon isn't as ripe as it should be it will create a sort of cucumber aroma. Or if you cut the melon too close to the rine. I've worked with watermelon in a lot of beers over the years. It's very volatile and hard to extract flavor from because it is mostly sugars that give it the flavor (once it ferments out you are left with what ever flavor is buried under all that sweetness). I use a Vita Mixer blender and mix the crap out of one good ripe melon - that goes in the secondary unstrained. Then I use Brewer's Best Watermelon flavoring - not quite half the 4oz bottle. I use SAF ALE's wheat beer yeast. Happy Brewing. Hope it helps.

 

[Rev2010]

I've worked with watermelon in a lot of beers over the years. It's very volatile and hard to extract flavor from because it is mostly sugars that give it the flavor (once it ferments out you are left with what ever flavor is buried under all that sweetness)

I'm doing my first Watermelon Jalapeno Wheat beer and have been going back and forth as to whether I just want to 1) add a half gallon of pressed watermelon juice to the fermenter then immediately keg or 2) if I want to add the watermelon juice to the fermenter for only the last 2-3 days or so then keg so that not all the sugars are consumed. Has anyone just added the juice at kegging or done something similar where you prevent it all from fermenting out? I adjusted the base beer volume to allow for the half gallon of watermelon juice btw.


Rev.

 

[Rev2010]

I could really use an opinion on the above ^^^

 

[shortyz]

ive done some watermelon beers, and just watch out on how much you add! i always add mine after fermenting into the keg to prevent it from fermenting.

i did 2 cups of watermelon juice and it was way to much. if your kegging u can always add more but never take it out lol.

 

[Rev2010]

Rather than create a new thread just figured I'd update here in Kenny Wilson's thread. My Waterloo (Watermelon Jalapeno Wheat beer) was a major success, everyone absolutely loved it. I went with 1 quart of 100% fresh pressed watermelon juice from a local juice bar since I don't yet have a juicer. For the jalapeno's I went with 5 decent sized jalapeno's cut into quarters length-wise then cut into halves or thirds horizontally. I sanitized the outsides of the peppers in a bucket of StarSan as well as the knife, cutting board, mesh bag, and crystal ball that I use to weight down the bag. Let it steep in the fermenter for one week. The jalapeno aroma and flavor is right up there but it's not so overwhelming as to not be able to drink several as the heat remains the same and does not increase with additional pints. I considered possibly reducing the peppers to 4 just for those that might be more adverse to "spicy" but all my friends and tasters told me to leave it just as is. A number did suggest just a pinch more watermelon juice so in the future when I brew it again I think I'll try just 8oz more for a total of 40oz watermelon - though I think it's perfect as is. For the watermelon I didn't ferment it as I didn't want to lose the little bit of sweetness watermelon has. I just added it right into the fermenter then kegged it from there (to better mix it). Anyway, very very happy with it!



Rev.

 

[Jag75]

That's a nice looking beer ! I bet its wonderful. Does it actually taste like jalapeno or is it just a tad spicy on the back end of slight watermelon taste?

 

[Rev2010]

That's a nice looking beer ! I bet its wonderful. Does it actually taste like jalapeno or is it just a tad spicy on the back end of slight watermelon taste?

It has the actual jalapeno flavor, a lot of it! When you first smell the beer the jalapeno is very prominent on the nose with the wheat beer behind it followed by the watermelon which is the least noticeable in the smell - it's mostly jalapeno. Then when you sip it you first get the watermelon and wheat followed by the jalapeno flavor then followed by the ensuing heat from the jalapeno. It's awesome, really is. First time I made it too. I originally thought many probably wouldn't like it cause of the strong jalapeno flavor but all (and I had a LOT taste this and my bartender friend gave samples to other people at the bar I didn't even know) loved it and when discussing any changes all seemed to agree not to change the jalapeno amount. Only a couple of people said they want a slight tad more watermelon with others saying it's perfect as is. That's why I figured going forward I'd just up the watermelon amount 25% to 40oz.


Rev.

 

[Jag75]

Is that your recipe ? I'd like to try it if it's ok

Just seen this is your thread and you put the recipe up. Thanks for directing me to this thread. Definitely want to try this

 

[Rev2010]

Is that your recipe ? I'd like to try it if it's ok

Just seen this is your thread and you put the recipe up. Thanks for directing me to this thread. Definitely want to try this

Nope, this is Kenny Wilson's thread, I only commented later. So no that's not the recipe. I can PM mine to you if you'd like.


Rev.

 

[Norther]

Nope, this is Kenny Wilson's thread, I only commented later. So no that's not the recipe. I can PM mine to you if you'd like.


Rev.

I'd be interested if you're open to sharing your recipe. I can't PM you for some reason, so figured I'd reply here.

 

[Rev2010]

I'd be interested if you're open to sharing your recipe. I can't PM you for some reason, so figured I'd reply here.

Here ya go. The only thing I'd like to ask is if you brew this as-is (unmodified) if you wouldn't mind keeping the name.

Waterloo (Watermelon Jalapeño Wheat Beer) - Recipe by Rev

Ingredients for 5G Batch:

5lb 8oz Rahr White Wheat Malt
3lb Briess Pale Ale Malt
1oz Hallertauer 4.1% AA (Boil 40 minutes)
1 pack Nottingham yeast
5 decent sized jalapeño's
32oz fresh pressed watermelon juice

I didn't add any brewing salts for this one, just used straight up NYC water with campden tablet to rid all water used of chlorine. Water report info is:

Calcium 7 | Magnesium 2 | Sodium 11 |Bicarbonate 19 | Sulfate 3 | Chloride 14 | CaCO3 16

Mash for one hour at 155. My mash pH was planned and hit 5.43 so shoot for that - I used 1.4ml lactic acid for the mash with my water to hit that and used .5ml lactic acid in the sparge water. I did a double batch sparge, my efficiency was 86% but that and some higher than average yeast attentuation led to the beer being 6% abv and I planned for it to be more around 5.4%
I used one pack of Nottingham yeast (didn't want any yeast contributed flavors) and fermented at 65F for 4 weeks. At week 3 with one week left to go I took 5 of the "larger in the pack" jalapeños, rinsed them off, and put them in a bucket of StarSan. They float of course so I turned them a couple of times. I sanitized the cutting board, knife, mesh bag, and a large crystal ball I weight down the bag with. I broke off the stems and cutup the jalapeños into quarters lengthwise then also into thirds horizontally. I put them in the mesh bag with everything (seeds and insides) then tied up the bag and gently lowered it into the beer where it sat for one week.
On kegging day I went out to this local juice bar that sells 100% fresh pressed watermelon juice and ordered 32oz and he pressed it on the spot. I gently poured the watermelon juice into the fermenter then kegged the beer - I did this to better mix the juice and beer. I carbed it up at 15psi.

Hope that covers everything. If I forgot something let me know.


Rev.