Advice for Wine in Beer

[shaneshepherd]

I found the recipe below in the Sept/Oct 2010 issue of Zymurgy. Credit goes to Jane Zelewski. It was a gold medal winner that year in the Specialty Beer category.

10.0 lbs two-row pale malt
1.5 lb light dry malt extract
0.65 oz Williamette (60 mins)
0.65 oz Williamette (15 mins)
1 tsp saffron (15 mins)
8.0lbs grape juice concentrate (0 mins)
3.0 lbs honey (0 min)
North End Tavern Brewing American Ale Yeast

OG 1.104
FG 1.025
Boil time 60 mins
Primary 3 weeks at 70º

Mash at 146º for 60 mins. sparge at 168º

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I really would like to try this recipe, but I'm hung up on a couple of things:

1) What type of grape juice concentrate would go well in this scenario. I've never used grape juice concentrate in a beer.
2) Couldn't find much information about this yeast online. I'm afraid that the Wyeast and White Labs American Ale yeasts are not alcohol tolerant enough to handle this high gravity.

Any advice on this?

 

[ong]

That... Doesn't sound wonderful to me. Wine/beer/mead. But the Chico/WLP001/US-05 yeast should be fine at that OG. Believe it's listed at around 12% alcohol tolerance, and that's inside that range (big starter or multiple packs though).

Not sure if the recipe is after frozen kiddy drink grape concentrate or something from a wine kit, though. Are there more details in the text?

BTW, I've been stirring a bit of my raspberry wine into some of my stout lately, and it's very nice, but that's about a 1:10 ratio wine to beer.

 

[shaneshepherd]

That... Doesn't sound wonderful to me. Wine/beer/mead. But the Chico/WLP001/US-05 yeast should be fine at that OG. Believe it's listed at around 12% alcohol tolerance, and that's inside that range (big starter or multiple packs though).

Not sure if the recipe is after frozen kiddy drink grape concentrate or something from a wine kit, though. Are there more details in the text?

BTW, I've been stirring a bit of my raspberry wine into some of my stout lately, and it's very nice, but that's about a 1:10 ratio wine to beer.

Unfortunately, no details in the text. I was thinking it would be something like one of these: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/winemaking/wine-ingredients/grape-concentrate

I have zero experience with grape juice. I do enjoy the Dogfish Head Midas Touch...which I think has a similar ingredient profile to this. The Midas Touch uses white muscat grapes, so maybe something like this? http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...ape-concentrate/alexander-s-muscat-46-oz.html

I agree, the WL001 sounds like a good bet.

 

[shaneshepherd]

That... Doesn't sound wonderful to me. Wine/beer/mead. But the Chico/WLP001/US-05 yeast should be fine at that OG. Believe it's listed at around 12% alcohol tolerance, and that's inside that range (big starter or multiple packs though).

Not sure if the recipe is after frozen kiddy drink grape concentrate or something from a wine kit, though. Are there more details in the text?

BTW, I've been stirring a bit of my raspberry wine into some of my stout lately, and it's very nice, but that's about a 1:10 ratio wine to beer.

Follow-up question on this: Why is this beer unappealing to you? Personal preference...or is there something that seems like a big mistake in the beer? It was a gold medal winner that year.

 

[ong]

Just seems like it's mixing a lot of stuff (including saffron?!? Which seems like it would give a weird, savory, paella flavor) and fermenting it all with beer yeast.

I would think, if I were trying to make a wine/beer combo, I would make a good beer and a good wine and blend the two finished products together carefully to taste. Hoping it all just ferments out right doesn't sound great to me.

But who knows, maybe it's fantastic!