Fruit Beer Watermelon Wheat

DubbelDach · Mar 17, 2011

BeerChef80 said:
What if you reduced the watermelon juice to concentrate the flavor?

I don't know... Don't see the need though. Seems like it might drive off aromatics.

kingmatt · Mar 19, 2011

DubbelDach said:
I don't know... Don't see the need though. Seems like it might drive off aromatics.

Just brewed this up as my first all-grain brew, thanks for the recipe :mug:

I HATE artificial watermelon flavoring so I am not planning on adding any at bottling as you suggest, would you suggest upping the fresh watermelon juice over 6 cu?

I don't know if you have had "Hell or High Watermelon" from 21st Amendment but that is the type of flavor I am looking for...

DubbelDach · Mar 19, 2011

kingmatt said:
Just brewed this up as my first all-grain brew, thanks for the recipe

I HATE artificial watermelon flavoring so I am not planning on adding any at bottling as you suggest, would you suggest upping the fresh watermelon juice over 6 cu?

I don't know if you have had "Hell or High Watermelon" from 21st Amendment but that is the type of flavor I am looking for...

In that case, I'd be tempted to up it. 8-10 cups maybe? I have not had 21As... Really wanted to get some last time so I could compare. When I first tried to do this, I found that they used 400 lbs of melon, and with the size of whatever their system was, I came to 6 cups/5 gallons somehow.

BeerChef80 · Mar 20, 2011

DubbelDach said:
I don't know... Don't see the need though. Seems like it might drive off aromatics.

There is that possibility i guess, i was just thinking how not to "water" down the beer with 4-6 cups of juice.

DubbelDach · Mar 20, 2011

BeerChef80 said:
There is that possibility i guess, i was just thinking how not to "water" down the beer with 4-6 cups of juice.

Shoot a little high with the gravity to counter? Seems easier to add another bit of base malt than to reduce the juice...

However, if you try it, I'd love to hear how it goes. Pics too, maybe.

nutty_gnome · Mar 20, 2011

I've don the Watermelon wheat both ways (real and extract). The extract tasted more lke 21A's interpretation.

BUT - If you look around, there is a thread out there about someone who boiled his watermelon juice to sterilize and it turned into a foul squash tasting liquid. I would NOT boil the juice. Truth be told, Lorann flavored candy oil is a great way to go with this one. But everyone has to decide for themselves. Either way, good luck!

BeerChef80 · Mar 21, 2011

nutty_gnome said:
I've don the Watermelon wheat both ways (real and extract). The extract tasted more lke 21A's interpretation.

BUT - If you look around, there is a thread out there about someone who boiled his watermelon juice to sterilize and it turned into a foul squash tasting liquid. I would NOT boil the juice. Truth be told, Lorann flavored candy oil is a great way to go with this one. But everyone has to decide for themselves. Either way, good luck!

Good to know, Thanks

nutty_gnome · Mar 21, 2011

Here is the post I was referencing:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/cucumber-beer-226450/#post2662265

N_G

rferguson61 · Mar 21, 2011

I'm assuming the usual 2-3 weeks in primary? How long in the secondary? I was reading in Zymurgy that it takes 3-6 months in secondary.

kingmatt · Mar 22, 2011

rferguson61 said:
I'm assuming the usual 2-3 weeks in primary? How long in the secondary? I was reading in Zymurgy that it takes 3-6 months in secondary.

3-6 months secondary for a beer under 1.050

maybe you were reading an article about mead?

DubbelDach · Mar 22, 2011

rferguson61 said:
I'm assuming the usual 2-3 weeks in primary? How long in the secondary? I was reading in Zymurgy that it takes 3-6 months in secondary.

For this, I go 1 week primary, 1 week 2ndary with the juice. But read your hydrometer.

Wheat beers = best consumed fresh.

BrewsClues · Mar 25, 2011

I want to brew this, but I'm going to have to go with extract. my only other fermenting vessel, other than my 6.5gallon bucket, is a 5gallon plastic carboy with a handle. Could I do a 5 gallon batch or would I have to scale it down?

Powers · Mar 25, 2011

i never use a 5 gallon primary, normally because i rack 5.5 gallons to account for the lost volume to the yeast cake and inefficient racking.

i also usually experience aggressive fermentation using fruit and/or honey sugars. it may be a little less since you are racking the already fermented beer onto the watermelon juice. but, just to be safe, i'd use the bucket.

BrewsClues · Mar 25, 2011

But I have to do a secondary so I was just going to do the secondary in the 5gal. Carboy if it would be possible...

Powers · Mar 25, 2011

okay, i see your dilemma. probably best if dubbel responds on what kind of fermentation occurs in response to the watermelon juice. i can't imagine you'll be able to fill it to the neck.

EDIT: this looks like the perfect justification to go invest in a 6 gal better bottle

BrewsClues · Mar 25, 2011

I hear ya, well I could always just scale it down to save $. Forgive me for the noob questions but I read that someone mentioned a full boil, why is this necessary?

Powers · Mar 25, 2011

are you referring to the intensity of the boil, or the length?

if length, you have 60 minute hop additions that need to be carried through the full boil. the full 60 minutes is required to adequately break down the oils to provide the necessary bittering for your beer.

BrewsClues · Mar 25, 2011

I think I might have confused myself, ok so I need half extra light dme and half wheat dme, I think that's what I read that dubbel said. How much is half, and would I just bring 2gallons of water to a boil and add my extract and bring that to a boil and add my hops then set my timer blah blah then top off to 5gal. In my fermenter?

BrewsClues · Mar 26, 2011

Can I get some feedback please.

Powers · Mar 26, 2011

i'm not an extract brewer, but usually you just dump it in at the beginning of the boil. if you have the space in your kettle, just boil all the water and extract together. if not, you can put as much water in as safely fits (without risking a boil over), and then add the rest to the fermenter.

EDIT: or maybe just dump the extract in while your bringing it to a boil.

Powers · Mar 26, 2011

i'm actually making a belgian blonde right now

DubbelDach · Mar 26, 2011

BrewsClues said:
I think I might have confused myself, ok so I need half extra light dme and half wheat dme, I think that's what I read that dubbel said. How much is half, and would I just bring 2gallons of water to a boil and add my extract and bring that to a boil and add my hops then set my timer blah blah then top off to 5gal. In my fermenter?

Sounds about right for the process for an extract batch, yes.

BrewsClues · Mar 27, 2011

K thanks, so how many pounds of the dme will I need?

BrewsClues · Mar 27, 2011

I guess I'm just going to throw caution in the wind and use a 5gal Carboy for a 5 gal batch since it will be secondary and ill probably lose a little

BrewsClues · Apr 2, 2011

Just brewed my first AG batch last night of watermelon wheat and its bubbling away right now. Everything went smooth besides the fact that my mash temp. Was a little low. After I put the grains in and stirred good it was 145*. So I added hot water and got it to about 150*. I guess it should still be ok. Any thoughts?

xsists · Apr 6, 2011

DD, are you sparging or just collecting after the 60 minutes?

DubbelDach · Apr 6, 2011

xsists said:
DD, are you sparging or just collecting after the 60 minutes?

I batch sparge.

All: Being that this is in the Recipe forum, let's get this back on topic with recipe-oriented discussion, variants, results, etc... A lot of the other questions can probably go here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ Thanks!

BrewsClues · Apr 6, 2011

Alright this is recipe related, I'm going to do two secondary fermentations one with watermelon and one without, the one without I want to dry hop what type of hop would you prefer and how much?

DubbelDach · Apr 6, 2011

BrewsClues said:
Alright this is recipe related, I'm going to do two secondary fermentations one with watermelon and one without, the one without I want to dry hop what type of hop would you prefer and how much?

In a wheat beer.... I might try Sorachi Ace for a lemony finish... Or some Citra. Something on the citrusy side of things.

(Didn't mean to be a dick, guys!)

BrewsClues · Apr 11, 2011

So I took a gravity reading after a week in primary and it was at 1.010. I forgot to take an sg but it is watery looking and tasting. I'm guessing this is the result of my low mash temps.

Fruit Beer Watermelon Wheat

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