Fruit Beer Watermelon Wheat

Williams 728
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Just got ingredients for a watermelon wheat from a home brew store near my home. The shop owner suggested artificial watermelon flavor because he said if the juice stays in the primary too long the yeast will eat more sugar than they should and you'd get a rind taste? I don't know about that because it seems with just juice it'd be more sugar and alcohol but he insisted that other customers had complained about a bad taste when using raw juice.
Anyways I'm excited to try my recipe, 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon is my favorite, hope this is close
 
I'll be brewing this here soon. I'm doing version 5 that's on DD's site which uses carapils. I like the idea of cara-pils in this recipe. Also I'll be going with wyeast 1010 instead of WLP320, just personal preference. Should be tasty!
 
DesignatedDrinker said:
I'll be brewing this here soon. I'm doing version 5 that's on DD's site which uses carapils. I like the idea of cara-pils in this recipe. Also I'll be going with wyeast 1010 instead of WLP320, just personal preference. Should be tasty!
Click to expand...

I used wyeast 1010 when I made this. Use a blowoff tube this cracked the lid on my bucket. Luckily I caught it before there was to much mess. But the beer turned it really well.
 
waltzbrewingco said:
Just got ingredients for a watermelon wheat from a home brew store near my home. The shop owner suggested artificial watermelon flavor because he said if the juice stays in the primary too long the yeast will eat more sugar than they should and you'd get a rind taste? I don't know about that because it seems with just juice it'd be more sugar and alcohol but he insisted that other customers had complained about a bad taste when using raw juice.
Anyways I'm excited to try my recipe, 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon is my favorite, hope this is close
Click to expand...

I've only made this once but it turned out great. I plan on brewing it every summer. I used 8 cups of watermelon juice and no artificial watermelon stuff. I added it to the primary after 2 weeks and let it go another 2 weeks before bottling. It took two basketball sized watermelons to get 8 cups and I was careful not to scoop too close to the rind / white part. I just re-read my tasting notes and I did taste a VERY slight bitterness in it. I went back and forth on whether or not I should try to sweeten it up a bit the next time. Maybe with some honey malt or something like that.

But ultimately, I decided to leave it alone. It tastes like a regular wheat beer at first sip but then it floods you with watermelon flavor and let's you know that it's watermelon. It's a really refreshing beer the way it is and I'm afraid if I tried to sweeten it up it wouldn't be. Right now I'm not planning on changing anything.
 
btack said:
I used wyeast 1010 when I made this. Use a blowoff tube this cracked the lid on my bucket. Luckily I caught it before there was to much mess. But the beer turned it really well.
Click to expand...


Thanks. Ya i figure this is going to he a very active fermentation. It will be in a carboy with a blow off.
 
waltzbrewingco said:
Just got ingredients for a watermelon wheat from a home brew store near my home. The shop owner suggested artificial watermelon flavor because he said if the juice stays in the primary too long the yeast will eat more sugar than they should and you'd get a rind taste? I don't know about that because it seems with just juice it'd be more sugar and alcohol but he insisted that other customers had complained about a bad taste when using raw juice.
Anyways I'm excited to try my recipe, 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon is my favorite, hope this is close
Click to expand...

I always add the watermelon juice after I rack to secondary. You will get a small amount of additional fermentation but not nearly enough to completely strip the watermelon flavor.

I personally can't stand artificial watermelon flavor so I would avoid it at all costs...that's just me though, you may enjoy it.
 
Ive seen many threads on watermelon wheats, and the comments seem consistent. Avoid watermelon flavoring extract at all costs and always add the watermelon juice to secondary. The extract doesnt leave nearly as good of flavor and primary fermentation strips the flavor. Even watched a video where they used watermelon juice only for the mash, sparge and boil. Approximately 6.5 gallons of it. After primary fermentation, almost no watermelon flavor at all!!?!!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
 
Hmm well the flavoring wasnt that expensive, so I guess u can ditch it.
This recipe doesn't require secondary fermentation, but clearly that's when I need to add the juice? Is the con census here?
 
I made a batch of this and I LOVED it. I will be making it again for sure.

For people wondering how many watermelons to buy, Usually 1 will do. I got roughly 7.5 cups from a medium sized one.
 
I think ill use one watermelon, no matter how much juice I get. Ill put it in secondary carboy then add extract if when I bottle I can't taste enough watermelon
 
waltzbrewingco said:
I think ill use one watermelon, no matter how much juice I get. Ill put it in secondary carboy then add extract if when I bottle I can't taste enough watermelon
Click to expand...

Just like any recipe, make it the first time however you choose, take good notes, then adjust it according to your liking and try it again. Eventually you'll come up with something you really enjoy. The original recipe posted by the OP is solid, no doubt. Like I said, I added 8 cups straight to the primary after 2 weeks of fermentation, and in my case it took 2 watermelons to get 8 cups but I was extremely careful not to get too close to the rind because of the chance of bitterness. I let it go 2 more weeks after adding it before bottling and it was perfect for me. I didn't stir it, swirl it, or anything like that...just dumped it in.

My finished beer wasn't pink at all like some of the pictures I've seen on this thread. It looked like a normal wheat beer. At first sip it initially tasted like a wheat beer, but then the watermelon really starts to hit.

I know most people here do this in the secondary with great results. And that is totally fine! Maybe it's better than adding it straight to the primary? I haven't tried it personally. You just have to experiment and see what you like best.

Trial and error. Brewing is a very personalized hobby and that's what makes it fun!

Cheers!
 
TrustyOlJohnson said:
Ive seen many threads on watermelon wheats, and the comments seem consistent. Avoid watermelon flavoring extract at all costs.
Click to expand...

And I completely agree with this. I haven't tried using artificial watermelon flavoring personally...but there are enough negative comments on this thread from the people who have. I wouldn't try it. Especially not on the first attempt. I think you'll find that using real watermelon is the way to go.
 
stewart194 said:
And I completely agree with this. I haven't tried using artificial watermelon flavoring personally...but there are enough negative comments on this thread from the people who have. I wouldn't try it. Especially not on the first attempt. I think you'll find that using real watermelon is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I know its trial and error but i certainly don't wanna screw up a recipe and lose the batch
 
Brought 2 cases down to Orlando to sip by the pool last week.


Thanks for the recipe :mug:

DSC08721.jpg
 
so I just brewed this week, will post recipe later. But I have a question, my recipe doesn't require secondary fermentation, and includes artificial flavor to add at bottling day. I plan on adding some natural flavor, actual juice and doing a secondary fermentation before bottling, then supplementing artificial flavor at bottling. Question is: recipe says 2-3 weeks with no secondary, but if it seems done fermenting earlier will it be OK to transfer it over the juice?
 
waltzbrewingco said:
so I just brewed this week, will post recipe later. But I have a question, my recipe doesn't require secondary fermentation, and includes artificial flavor to add at bottling day. I plan on adding some natural flavor, actual juice and doing a secondary fermentation before bottling, then supplementing artificial flavor at bottling. Question is: recipe says 2-3 weeks with no secondary, but if it seems done fermenting earlier will it be OK to transfer it over the juice?
Click to expand...

Moving it over earlier shouldnt be a problem. Id read through this forum regarding the artificial flavor though because the general consensus is that the artificial flavor is no good for watermelon. But this is homebrewing so feel free to do whatever you want thats what makes it fun.
 
You can sure try mixing that watermelon flavoring with another neutral wheat beer to see how it tastes for you. I tend to like the watermelon flavoring, tastes like jolly ranchers if you like jolly rancher watermelon.


Anderhoff.blogspot.com
 
Strangely enough the recipe I have is calles The Jolliest Rancher. As king ad its not much weaker than the 21A brew ill be happy.
I think on bottling day, ill taste a bit then add a little artificial flavor if its weak.
 
So I only used between 3-4 cups if juice. Transferred to a smaller 5 Gal carboy and even with such a small amount if juice it was pretty full. Had more fermentation within a few hours. Ill taste at bottling and decide whether a little (.5-1oz) flavoring is necessary.

1398524703152.jpg
 
I've heard good things about LorAnn. My recipe came with an oil already. 5oz for beer or wine flavoring and its clear. :-/
 
I brewed DD's version 5 of this that uses 4lb 2row, 6lb wheat and .5lb carapils. I used 1/2 gallon of fresh juiced watermelon I juiced with my juicer after starsaning it all. I also substituted WLP320 for wyeast 1010. This beer came out awesome. The carapils added great head retention. Flavor was great, the watermelon hits on the backside when its real cold, as it warms up the watermelon is more noticeable on the front end. Great beer to have on tap, everyone loves it. Thanks for the awesome recipe, will be making more for sure.
 
Also use good quality watermelons. I made this a few months ago with the small watermelons available at walmart and made it again with a fresh seasonal watermelon and there was a big difference. No watermelon flavour whatsoever the first time.
 
anyone ever use Safbrew WB-06 with this? LHBS doesn't carry the yeast listed in the original recipe
 
put this onto secondary with 9.5 cup of super sweet red watermelon juice. can't wait to tear into this while camping this summer!
 
I make this every spring and it is probably one of my favorite brews. I pretty much do it per version 5. I primary for 1 week, rack it onto 7 cups of fresh pressed juice (I have a vitamix blender that is amazing and then I strain out the juice) and let it sit for 2 more weeks, then bottle/keg.

Haven't tasted any of the bottles yet but I've been taking growlers of this to drink after hockey games and it goes quick.
 
has anyone tried any other hops with this with success? I am only getting about 9 ibu's with this recipe. Would like it to crank up to maybe 20?
 

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