21st amendment brewery hell or high watermelon.

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Willtom

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I was wonder if any one knows of a clone receipt for 21st amendment brewers's hell or high watermelon
 
+1 That's a good summer beer so I'd love to see a recipe if somebody has one.
 
It is a great summer beer! I'm hoping it will be my next brew but haven't had much luck finding a receipt yet. If I come across one I'll be sure to post it on here.
 
Finally found a receipt for the hell or high watermelon. Bottled it about 3 weeks ago and drank some this weekend. It turned out very good.


Fermentable
Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt 5.0 lb
American White Wheat 5.0 lb


Hop AmountTime
Columbus (US) 0.25 oz 60 min
Columbus (US) 0.5 oz 15 min


NameLab/Product
California Ale Yeast White Labs WLP001

NameAmountTime
Watermelon 1.0 each 7.0 days Secondary
 
Willtom how did you add the watermelon and how much? I'm assuming this is a five gallon batch too right?
 
Yes it was a 5 gallon batch. I added it when I transferred to the secondary. I used a whole small watermelon. I cut it up in small chunks. Then put it in a pot and brought it up to a boil for 5 minutes also I added two campden tablets to kill any wild yeast and to sanitize.
 
Ok, so I brewed a variant of this recipe, it had a bit more watermelon flavor, but the color was spot on. To be honest, the compliment I kept receiving was that it tasted similar to the 21st Amendment, but the tad bit more watermelon flavor made it better than 21st's. Here's my recipe for 5.5 gallons:

5.5 lb. American 2 Row Pale
5.5 lb. American White Wheat
0.25 oz. Columbus @ 30 min
0.25 oz. Columbus @ 8 min
0.25 oz. Magnum @ 2 min
Wyeast 1056
Mash @152 for 60 min
(1) Whole watermelon pureed and added to secondary (about 3/4 gallon)
Ferment at 62-64 degrees

To do the watermelon, I scooped out all of the pulp with an ice cream scoop and added to blender to puree. I then boiled the puree for 5 min, cooled, and added to a 6 gallon secondary. Fermentation kicked in again, and I kept the temp at roughly 68-70. After 7-8 days, it was ready for the keg. Here's some pics:

Watermelon Wheat 2.jpg


Watermelon Wheat 5.jpg


Watermelon Wheat 6.jpg
 
Ok, so I brewed a variant of this recipe, it had a bit more watermelon flavor, but the color was spot on. To be honest, the compliment I kept receiving was that it tasted similar to the 21st Amendment, but the tad bit more watermelon flavor made it better than 21st's. Here's my recipe for 5.5 gallons:

5.5 lb. American 2 Row Pale
5.5 lb. American White Wheat
0.25 oz. Columbus @ 30 min
0.25 oz. Columbus @ 8 min
0.25 oz. Magnum @ 2 min
Wyeast 1056
(1) Whole watermelon pureed and added to secondary.
Ferment at 62-64 degrees

To do the watermelon, I scooped out all of the pulp with an ice cream scoop and added to blender to puree. I then boiled the puree for 5 min, cooled, and added to a 6 gallon secondary. Fermentation kicked in again, and I kept the temp at roughly 68-70. After 7-8 days, it was ready for the keg. Here's some pics:
What was your mash temp at?
 
I second Topher79's post:

While not a wheat, I put together a watermelon cream ale that won 3rd in one of our state brewer's cup subcategories. My advice on the watermelon is to add alot and dry hop.

During the diacetyl rest I added watermelon and let it ferment an extra week before kegging. Three medium sized watermelons totaling 8lb were sanitized, scooped, puree'd, and strained into juice and added to the secondary. No boiling. Just thoroughly cleaning outside the rind, cleaning all surfaces and equipment and adding to a 5 gallon secondary afterwards. Juice totaled 0.75 gallons. First attempt had an odd vegetal smell (not DMS) that was masked by dry hopping with Citra on the second batch. It got REALLY good after a couple months.

I think any simple wheat recipe can benefit from watermelon. Finding the right hops helps too. I used Centennial for bittering, Amarillo for flavor, and Citra for dry hopping. Not sure what 21st Amendment uses but I would venture a guess at a hop that compliments the mild fruitiness.

Good luck! :mug:
 
enkamania, would you please post your recipe to this thread?
the 'outofkey' link previously posted is no longer accessible.

would like to join you in making this an annual rotation! :mug:
 
enkamania, would you please post your recipe to this thread?
the 'outofkey' link previously posted is no longer accessible.

would like to join you in making this an annual rotation! :mug:

The recipe is on the first page.

Oh nevermind I see he posted a link that doesn't work. I assumed he used the recipe from page 1.
 
Yeah, I'm curious how that linked recipe compares, as its apparently good enough to make 3 times!
 
Here is the recipe I use. I have also used California yeast.

6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
4 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L
1.0 oz Hallertauer [4.3%] - Boil 60 min
1.0 oz Hallertauer [4.3%] - Boil 5 min
1 pkgs Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)
6.60 lbs Watermelon (Primary 2 weeks)
 
Here is the recipe I use. I have also used California yeast.

6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
4 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L
1.0 oz Hallertauer [4.3%] - Boil 60 min
1.0 oz Hallertauer [4.3%] - Boil 5 min
1 pkgs Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)
6.60 lbs Watermelon (Primary 2 weeks)

Hmmm looks quite different from what the brewery says they use on their website, but thanks for sharing.
 
Here is the recipe I use. I have also used California yeast.

6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
4 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L
1.0 oz Hallertauer [4.3%] - Boil 60 min
1.0 oz Hallertauer [4.3%] - Boil 5 min
1 pkgs Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)
6.60 lbs Watermelon (Primary 2 weeks)

Thanks for sharing!.... curious at what point you add the watermelon to primary?-- a week after fermentation began, I'm guessing, for 3 weeks total?
 
Thanks for sharing!.... curious at what point you add the watermelon to primary?-- a week after fermentation began, I'm guessing, for 3 weeks total?

After a week or so, when fermentation has slowed. I'll probably try one week of watermelon for a total of two weeks
 
+1 to the out of key brewing recipe above. I've made it with wlp 001 and it turned out awesome. I wanted a little more watermelon flavor so I puréed a whole watermelon, strained the juice, pasteurized and added to the fermentor. It's a little cleaner than adding chunks of watermelon to the primary.
 
I did a lot of research about watermelon recipes before settling on this kit from Adventures in Homebrewing (AIH) (http://www.homebrewing.org/AIH-Fruit-Wheat-Recipe-Kit_p_541.html). I do want to say that I am not affiliated with AIH in anyway, but do like their kits and almost exclusively.

I decided to not use the watermelon extract that came with the kit and opted for real watermelon instead. I chose the Wyeast 1010 American Wheat yeast option. The primary fermentation was very aggressive. I had to add a blowoff tube at 4AM because my air lock was all jammed up. Let the primary fermentation process go the full 2 weeks. For secondary fermentation, I bought a seedless watermelon at the store and put all the watermelon meat into a ninja blender. I did not use any of the rind at all since my research indicated that using the rind may cause an undesirable flavor. I pureed all the watermelon and threw it in the bottom of my bottling bucket. I then racked the fermented beer on top of the watermelon puree. I also chose to NOT boil the puree before adding it to the bucket. I read that boiling watermelon could also cause some really nasty flavors and aromas.

Did everything turn very red??? YES. Did that go away??? YES! The sugars in the watermelon kicked off a secondary fermentation. I let the watermelon/beer mixture ferment for another 5 days. I probably could have gone 7, but did not want to run any risk of the fruit turning into a vinegar taste. On the 5th day, I kegged the beer and chilled it for 24 hours before force carbonating.

Every time I transferred the beer (primary to secondary, secondary to keg), I ran the beer through a sanitized colander. The result was SPECTACULAR. My neighbors and I did a blind taste test with my beer and some Hell or High Watermelon, and my beer blew away the competition. I was concerned that using the real fruit would make the beer too sweet or have an overpowering watermelon taste. Totally not the case at all. The watermelon flavor is subtle. It was described as a great wheat beer taste with a nice watermelon undertone. Now that the weather here in DC has hit the 80's and low 90's, this beer is a great drink on a hot day!

:mug:
 
If you were to do a 1 gallon or 3 gallon recipe of this, how much watermelon would you use?
 
For 1 gallon, I would do 1/4 of a watermelon. For 3 gallons, I would do at least half a watermelon. DO NOT boil the watermelon or use the rind at all!!

Best of luck!
 
Wish I had read this before I boiled down 3/4 of a watermelon puree for an hour and strained out the solid. It smelled and tasted a little burnt, but I used it as priming sugar (SG of the liquid was 1.090 so I used 2 cups to equate to 140 grams of sugar). Hopefully the end-produvt after aging doesn't have too much of that off-flavor. Will know soon enough.
 
I hope it works out for you! In my research, I have found that boiling the puree or using the rind gives it a beet like flavor and possibly a vinegar like flavor. I guess it is all up to the beer gods at this point!
 
I tasted a bottle last night and luckily all of the watermelon and off flavor was consumed by the yeast, so it just tastes like a wheat beer now. :ban:
 
I might brew this tomorrow. I don't have the hops listed though, but I do have Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe, Chinook, Warrior, Tettnang. so I might use something from those.
 
Hi fellas

I live in Australia and only made my first batch of beer the other day. That seems to be going well but I also attempted a 2 gallon batch of this 21st hell or high watermelon and I think I may have fluffed it. It doesn't seem to be bubbling much at all. Also it smells a bit sour? is this normal or did I butcher it? How long are you supposed to leave the wort in the primary fermentor?


The process I did was

1. Mash the grain
2. Bring to boil then add the hops
3. chill the wort
4. place in the primary fermenter with the US safale yeast as the brew shop did not have Wyeast.
5. after about 4 days of not much bubbling I placed it in a secondary with the watermelon juice


any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Regards from Australia
 
Hi fellas

I live in Australia and only made my first batch of beer the other day. That seems to be going well but I also attempted a 2 gallon batch of this 21st hell or high watermelon and I think I may have fluffed it. It doesn't seem to be bubbling much at all. Also it smells a bit sour? is this normal or did I butcher it? How long are you supposed to leave the wort in the primary fermentor?


The process I did was

1. Mash the grain
2. Bring to boil then add the hops
3. chill the wort
4. place in the primary fermenter with the US safale yeast as the brew shop did not have Wyeast.
5. after about 4 days of not much bubbling I placed it in a secondary with the watermelon juice


any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Regards from Australia

What were your gravity readings? In a two gallon batchbit is unlikely that you had a stuck fermentation, but always let your yeast take it's time, it doesn't know how many days it has been.
 

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