RoaringBrewer
Well-Known Member
So, I want to brew something up to celebrate spring and the coming of summer. Plus the SWMBO likes sweet/fruity beers. She's pretty flexible seeing as she also drinks IPA happily, but I think she is wanting a fruit-wheat lately. So, after doing research I have decided to go the black tea route, as opposed to the whole fruit or peach puree route. Brewtopia has done this successfully and supposedly got the idea from Dogfish Head. So, one of our well respected members and one of the most popular micros in the US believe brewing with teas works. I figure I'll give it a shot also... plus its a heck of a lot easier than working with real fruit!
Here's the Beersmith for my version:
Recipe: RBBC Peach Wit Ale
Brewer: RoaringBrewer
Style: Fruit Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.20 gal
Estimated OG: 1.047 SG
Estimated Color: 4.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 15.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.50 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 50.00 %
3.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 38.89 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 5.56 %
0.50 lb Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 5.56 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] (60 min)Hops 15.3 IBU
3.50 oz Sweet Ginger Peach Black Tea (Boil 3.0 min) Bulk Tea
1 Pkgs American Hefeweizen Ale (White Labs #WLP32 Yeast-Wheat)
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 9.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 11.25 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F
NOTES: Republic of Tea brand bulk black tea (in a can - for use with tea-balls or
whatnot) or Revolution brand tea. I am using the Revolution as I can't find RoT
around here. This is still bulk tea, its just split into diffuser packets which actually
appear to be made of very small gauge stainless steel mesh?! E.g. high quality diffusers, not the normal paper type you get with Lipton. I'll either just throw
all 42 of the packets (3 boxes) into a hop bag or I'll open each one and put into
a hop bag. RoT would be easier b/c you could just dump the whole can into a hop
bag. The tea itself though is identical b/w RoT and Revolution. STEEP FOR 3-5 MINS
AT FLAME-OUT per Brewtopia suggestion (he boiled his for 60 min, thinks better results will come at flameout). I am drinking one of the teas (in water) now and it has a great peach nose, but the peach/ginger flavor is definitely mild. It should NOT overpower the brew IMO. Ferment in primary for ~10-14 days, then keg at 2.8 volumes CO2.
Anyway, particularly interested to hear your thoughts on mash temp and yeast choice if nothing else.
Here's the Beersmith for my version:
Recipe: RBBC Peach Wit Ale
Brewer: RoaringBrewer
Style: Fruit Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.20 gal
Estimated OG: 1.047 SG
Estimated Color: 4.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 15.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.50 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 50.00 %
3.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 38.89 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 5.56 %
0.50 lb Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 5.56 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [4.00 %] (60 min)Hops 15.3 IBU
3.50 oz Sweet Ginger Peach Black Tea (Boil 3.0 min) Bulk Tea
1 Pkgs American Hefeweizen Ale (White Labs #WLP32 Yeast-Wheat)
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 9.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 11.25 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F
NOTES: Republic of Tea brand bulk black tea (in a can - for use with tea-balls or
whatnot) or Revolution brand tea. I am using the Revolution as I can't find RoT
around here. This is still bulk tea, its just split into diffuser packets which actually
appear to be made of very small gauge stainless steel mesh?! E.g. high quality diffusers, not the normal paper type you get with Lipton. I'll either just throw
all 42 of the packets (3 boxes) into a hop bag or I'll open each one and put into
a hop bag. RoT would be easier b/c you could just dump the whole can into a hop
bag. The tea itself though is identical b/w RoT and Revolution. STEEP FOR 3-5 MINS
AT FLAME-OUT per Brewtopia suggestion (he boiled his for 60 min, thinks better results will come at flameout). I am drinking one of the teas (in water) now and it has a great peach nose, but the peach/ginger flavor is definitely mild. It should NOT overpower the brew IMO. Ferment in primary for ~10-14 days, then keg at 2.8 volumes CO2.
Anyway, particularly interested to hear your thoughts on mash temp and yeast choice if nothing else.