Hey guys, I am fairly new to brewing having started last summer and only extract brews up to this point. I am planning to switch to biab in the very new future. I was drinking a Cheerwine (North Carolina staple non alcoholic soda) a couple of nights ago and decided I want to try and brew a Cheerwine beer. A couple of local NC breweries have done them in the past with one being a wheat beer base and the other a sour. I want to go with the wheat beer style. I have contacted both breweries to get some ideas from them. One gave minimal advice and the other hasn't responded yet. My question is about using the Cheerwine. I'm thinking it would be best to use the syrup vs the actual soda. But when do I add it and how much???? Thanks in advance!
Cheerwine???
- Thread starter Medic_RN
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Maybe think about doing cola and cherry extracts? If you add the syrup, you’ll be adding acid (probably phosphoric?) and corn syrup. If you do add the syrup, I would do in primary after fermentation is done, and let the syrup ferment completely out (probably another week or two).
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
If you can get Cheerwine syrup, use that. Do what ong said.
"Other adjuncts mainly just boost the strength of the beer. Cane sugar, corn sugar, Belgian candi sugar, corn syrup and rice syrup add little flavor when used in small quantities (around 10%). They boost the amount of fermentable sugar in the wort without adding protein and color to the beer. Over about 10 percent, these sugars can lend a solvent-like, highly alcoholic taste. Over 30 percent and yeast nutrition can suffer, especially in beers made from malt extract." - BYO
If you CAN'T get Cheerwine syrup... depending on how involved you want to be you CAN make you own by freeze-distilling the Cheerwine. If memory serves, you need probably around 5x the volume of Cheerwine to get your desired Cheerwine syrup amount. I'd assume 1.5 g/mL density of the resulting syrup when determining the volume of Cheerwine to freeze.
I would not try fermenting the Cheerwine itself. Just mix with high-proof vodka if you want a hard soda...
"Other adjuncts mainly just boost the strength of the beer. Cane sugar, corn sugar, Belgian candi sugar, corn syrup and rice syrup add little flavor when used in small quantities (around 10%). They boost the amount of fermentable sugar in the wort without adding protein and color to the beer. Over about 10 percent, these sugars can lend a solvent-like, highly alcoholic taste. Over 30 percent and yeast nutrition can suffer, especially in beers made from malt extract." - BYO
If you CAN'T get Cheerwine syrup... depending on how involved you want to be you CAN make you own by freeze-distilling the Cheerwine. If memory serves, you need probably around 5x the volume of Cheerwine to get your desired Cheerwine syrup amount. I'd assume 1.5 g/mL density of the resulting syrup when determining the volume of Cheerwine to freeze.
I would not try fermenting the Cheerwine itself. Just mix with high-proof vodka if you want a hard soda...
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Well, I'm not too familiar with extract brewing...
For an "All Grain" recipe I'd suggest probably up to 10% of your grain bill by weight.
You can add more later if that doesn't produce the flavor you want after one week.
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
I'd add the syrup to the beer after its fermented. If the sugar is fermented out of the syrup, the taste will be different than what you are expecting.
Do some blending trials to figure how much to add to the whole batch, then keg it and keep it cold, and drink within a few weeks so the sugar in the syrup doesn't kick off again.
Do some blending trials to figure how much to add to the whole batch, then keg it and keep it cold, and drink within a few weeks so the sugar in the syrup doesn't kick off again.
Currently I bottle. I am limited on room as far as kegging. We are buying a new house now so I'll have some more room to allow for kegging and I also plan on a fermentation chamber. What about an add in to prevent further fermentation prior to adding the syrup?
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Need active yeast to bottle carb.
I know you're working with extract, and I also know that Cheerwine tastes, at best, "cherry-ish," but I've gotten "cherry-ish" flavors with a combination of Lallemand Munich Classic yeast and Avangard Dark Munich in what was supposed to be a dunkelweizen, and D-180 candi syrup and Lallemand Abbaye yeast in a quad. Since you're leaning more toward wheat beer, the Munich Classic/Dark Munich might be an interesting thing to try. Might not be as Cheerwine-like as you'd prefer, but it's something to think about.
Thanks again for all of your replies and suggestions. So I reached out to Cheerwine and I can get a bag in a box of the syrup at the factory retail store. It's the size for a soda fountain..... So I imagine I'll experiment with a couple batches and of course awesome Cheerwine pound cake.....
ancientmariner52
Well-Known Member
I wonder if you could use the Cheerwine syrup in place of priming sugar? Dilute a sample with a measured quantity of water, to get in to the range of your hydrometer. Then you can calculate the maximum possible sugar content of the undiluted syrup, and from there figure out a safe amount for priming. I'm not a lab math guy, but I'm sure it's doable. Surely there are some unfermentables in there, so assuming pure sugar solution should keep you safe from bottle bombs. Good luck!
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
This is a good idea if you feel comfortable with the calculations.
Still add syrup to the fermentor because you won't get much flavor from the small amount for priming.
I think you could make a great Cheerwine beer with syrup or just cherry extract. The key here will be to sweeten the final beer, otherwise it could turn out very dry. I'd add a pound of lactose (unfermentable) to 5 gallons of beer to sweeten and add body.
Two things from a guy who was in NC from before he could remember until he was old enough to leave the nest:
1) Please, no matter what, don’t give up on this endeavor until you’ve got it licked. I miss Cheerwine almost as much as I miss Bojangles. My mom sends us a case of Cheerwine about every other month. Figure this out and then share.
2) How much do they want for a bag of the syrup and if I sent you money, would you be willing to pick one up for me and ship it to me out here in Montana? I love the idea of trying to figure this out; but, there’s no way in hell I'm finding any Cheerwine syrup out here.
1) Please, no matter what, don’t give up on this endeavor until you’ve got it licked. I miss Cheerwine almost as much as I miss Bojangles. My mom sends us a case of Cheerwine about every other month. Figure this out and then share.
2) How much do they want for a bag of the syrup and if I sent you money, would you be willing to pick one up for me and ship it to me out here in Montana? I love the idea of trying to figure this out; but, there’s no way in hell I'm finding any Cheerwine syrup out here.
So currently everything is packed up because we bought a new house so a move happens next week...... But once settled I've got a good starting point and have actually decided to do both a wheat based version and a stout version to see which I prefer. I've been making a blue moon/Cheerwine shandy recently that I'm loving... I'll be keeping detailed notes on these so no fear!
The bib of syrup is $65 at the plant in Salisbury. I'd absolutely be willing to pick you up one and ship it out when I go get mine. I'll keep you posted.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Adding it in the last 5-10 minutes of the boil ensures it is sanitized and you don't have to work around any issues with foaming.
It makes no difference when it is added IF you know how much you should use. If you do NOT know exactly how much to use, then it is best to add at bottling time, a little bit at a time until the finished beer tastes to your liking. That might require half a pound, a whole pound, or maybe more, depending on your own personal tastes. Dissolve it in hot water before adding, otherwise it will not dissolve. Lactose is difficult to dissolve even in hot water.
Hey boomer,
I'm heading to the plant tomorrow to get the syrup for these batches. Just saw that you said you were from Albemarle. I lived in Stanly county for many years and worked ems there for must of them.
You can inbox me or email me at [email protected]
