Blueberry beer: flavor with agave

[MrHadack]

Making a blueberry beer. I usually do not do any flavors, and the recipe initially called for 5 pounds of blueberries in the secondary. They're somewhat out of season right now and hard to come by so I am considering making up the difference with blueberry flavored agave nectar. About half a pound at 5 minutes left in the boil.

Can anyone comment if they've tried this before, and secondly if agave operates in a similar manner to honey (I've used that and maple syrup before with good results.)

Thanks!

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Agave will ferment out similar to honey but I'd be suspicious about whether the blueberry flavoring contains any preservatives that will inhibit fermentation and how it will taste after it has fermented.

 

[MrHadack]

Ingredients on the bottle say: Pure organic agave nectar, organic natural flavor, natural color, citric acid. A PDF from the company says they contain no preservatives, additives, or GMOs. So I'll take a chance with it. Half a pound should add some flavor I'd think. Just looking to supplement the blueberries.

 

[beaksnbeer]

Frozen blueberries are always available

 

[MrHadack]

Ha! Yes, very true.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Ingredients on the bottle say: Pure organic agave nectar, organic natural flavor, natural color, citric acid. A PDF from the company says they contain no preservatives, additives, or GMOs. So I'll take a chance with it. Half a pound should add some flavor I'd think. Just looking to supplement the blueberries.

Seems like it would be fine. Citric acid is just vitamin C and won't harm your yeast.

 

[MrHadack]

Just as a follow-up: I fermented with WLP007 which is very fast and the beer is already down to 1.010 from 1.047. I tasted a sample when testing and it has very subtle blueberry flavor. No off flavors. I am really pleased with it. So in case anyone else comes across this post wondering about Agave in the boil: I used blueberry flavored organic Madhava brand (found at local grocery stores) in the last 5 minutes of the boil.