Flavor additives for Hefe?

[Aleforge]

I bought a kit from Austin HB, the Hefeweizen partial mash with apricot flavoring. I have never used a flavoring additive before and it states on the directions to add it into the bottling bucket before bottling. Since I will be racking from secondary right into my keg, when should I dump it in and how should I make sure its mixed up without inducing oxygen?

Thanks!

 

[DubbelDach]

Dump the flavoring in the keg and rack the beer on top of it.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Apricot flavoring usually tastes like soapy water...

I second to skip it.

Save it for a brew that needs help in the flavor department.

 

[Aleforge]

Apricot flavoring usually tastes like soapy water...

I second to skip it.

Save it for a brew that needs help in the flavor department.

Seriously? Ugh, I had no idea, the description (like you can go by that lol) sounds great. Plus I know the kits from ABS are highly recommended around here. Didn't think I could go wrong!

I want some kind of flavoring, even if its in secondary so I gotta do something!

 

[Wing Nut]

I made an apricot wheat last year using a brew house kit. I racked the beer into the secondary on top of 9lbs of skinned apricots. It was very tasty, the beer has a nice orange colour and a wonderfull apricot nose. There is a lot of small bits of apricot floating around in it too. I would strongly caution you to use a blow off tube, myne moved foam through a 4 foot 2 1/2" tube.

Havent tried using extracts though.

Wing nut

 

[bbrim]

My next beer is going to be a hefe and I am planning on adding mulling spice. Maybe worth consideration. I am planning on adding it with the flavoring hops but I'm sure it would be okay to add it to the secondary as well.

 

[Aleforge]

Think I will skip on the additive and just put a good amount of canned apricots in the secondary. Kind of wary the extract could give a "fake" like flavor profile.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I wouldn't use it either. A hefe has a good flavor profile without adding fruit to it.

 

[Arrog@nt B@st@rd]

I've always used the flavoring additives (Blackberry mainly) by just pitching it into the primary at the same time I pitch yeast. Works great in my "breakfast stout"....nice and subtle and smooth.

 

[Aleforge]

I hear what some are saying about how great Hefe's are alone. But some of my favorite local ones have had fruit in them. Such as OFallon's Wheach. For some reason with fruit added I seem to get more people interested in craft beer. Even my guy friends who scoff at anything outside of bud light tend to handle it easier and actually will ask for a second! Since this will be my first shot I am hoping to make something easy drinking with that hint of fruit on the backend.

So I went with the wheat kit from ABS and it came with the mentioned extract. Which someone mentioned tasted like soap... lol. Which now has me scared to try it! I appreciate all the responses. I'm going to do fruit with this batch one way or another. With that being said I got two options, primary or secondary. I want some aroma, and a touch of flavor at the end. Nothing over powering. Which and what method (fresh, canned, puree) would work the best for this batch?

:cross:

 

[homebrewer_99]

I said it tastes like soap...and it does...to me...

When it comes to fruit...I always recommend the secondary for several reasons.

1. You want to make sure you made a good tasting brew to start off with.

2. The flavor and aroma will be better in the secondary.

 

[PUD]

i brewed the ag baverian hefe from austin homebrew and floated five gallons at my girlfriends b-day party. garnished with a lemon, a regular hefe is well liked by many bud light drinkers.

 

[ScoutMan]

Been getting good feedback from the females at our weekend gatherings regarding my Raspberry Wheat. Just my regular wheat recipe with 5 oz of raspberry extract added to the keg. Doesn't taste "fake" to me, and the keg is usually among the 1st or 2nd to blow. I did hear a few comments that it should be "raspberry" colored over the holiday weekend, so next batch I'm gonna add a few drops of food coloring.

 

[Aleforge]

Been getting good feedback from the females at our weekend gatherings regarding my Raspberry Wheat. Just my regular wheat recipe with 5 oz of raspberry extract added to the keg. Doesn't taste "fake" to me, and the keg is usually among the 1st or 2nd to blow. I did hear a few comments that it should be "raspberry" colored over the holiday weekend, so next batch I'm gonna add a few drops of food coloring.

Was the extract from AHS? I don't mind doing it a more "natural" way. I am brewing this sunday so I will have a week or so to decide. Anyway to taste this extract before hand? I wonder if I put one drop in a bottle of commercial wheat if it would give me an idea of what to expect. HMM!

 

[Reddy]

I've got a honey-lemon hefe going right now. I pitched several lemons sliced up into my primary (I don't use a secondary with beer) and dumped my aerated wort onto them.

I tasted some of the wort and it taste great, the airlock is going nuts right now (just started it yesterday) and the gas coming through smells wonderful.

I hear what people are saying, that wheat beers are great on their own. However, with some of the fruity overtones they have, I think they can really be complemented with the addition of some real fruit. Raspberry wheat is on tap at several bars here in town and it's really popular. I think with the citrus-y hops I used, I may have stumbled on a really crisp, refreshing summer brew myself.

 

[ScoutMan]

I ordered extract online from here http://www.escofoods.com/raspberrey.soluble.extract.html#88. Their price for 32 oz (including shipping) was the same as if I would have purchased 6 oz at the local grocery store. You can usually find extracts in the spice section of the supermarket. A 1 oz bottle at the local Safeway was $5.50

 

[grasshopper1917]

My advice would be to add it and see how it turns out. What is the worst that can happen? You will get a beer that sint exactly to your taste - then you can pawn it off on your friends

Ive never used a fruit extract to flavour my beer - but I have tried a brew that was flavored with extract and it taster good. As for apricot flavored beer - there is a small brewery in Quebec 'St Ambroise' that makes a nice apricot ale - it is a fine beer.

Let us know how it turns out if you decide to do it

Cheers

 

[Bobby_M]

Don't be afraid to put a dropper full of extract flavoring into your pint glass and pour on top of it if you want to see what it WOULD have done to the whole keg.

 

[Aleforge]

I am going to do that tonight, might as well try it out on the small scale first. Thanks to all of you for helping me out!

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

I've got a honey-lemon hefe going right now. I pitched several lemons sliced up into my primary (I don't use a secondary with beer) and dumped my aerated wort onto them.

I tasted some of the wort and it taste great, the airlock is going nuts right now (just started it yesterday) and the gas coming through smells wonderful.

I hear what people are saying, that wheat beers are great on their own. However, with some of the fruity overtones they have, I think they can really be complemented with the addition of some real fruit. Raspberry wheat is on tap at several bars here in town and it's really popular. I think with the citrus-y hops I used, I may have stumbled on a really crisp, refreshing summer brew myself.

Any concerns on the lemon imparting a bad taste after it is fermented? I usually use the rind if I use orange or lemon in anything.

 

[Aleforge]

Any concerns on the lemon imparting a bad taste after it is fermented? I usually use the rind if I use orange or lemon in anything.

Good question, from what others have told me they use a lot of "zest of lemon", but some used juice also.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Good question, from what others have told me they use a lot of "zest of lemon", but some used juice also.

I guess it is the same as raspberries and other fruit. Let us know how it is.

 

[Reddy]

Any concerns on the lemon imparting a bad taste after it is fermented? I usually use the rind if I use orange or lemon in anything.

Well originally I was only gong to do the zest, but decided what the hell and threw it all in there. I ate a piece of the pith to see how bitter it was and found it to have very little flavor at all. (Can't say the same about oranges though). In the future though, I'll put fruit in the secondary, not the primary. The lemons caused some of the krausen to cling to them and not break up and fermentation stalled for a bit, but I got it going again.

I snuck a taste the other day and I have to say it was pretty nice. A kinda sharp, sour taste (which to be fair is what I was after - ever have lemon ice as a kid?) but with some malt to balance it out. Very subtle hop taste, you have to look for it. I think when it's cold & carbed it'll make a nice lawnmower beer. Maybe next time some Amarillo hops might be in order.

The only disappointment I had about it, was that the honey flavor was not apparent. That really surprises me since I used a pint in a 3 gal. batch(!).

 

[Aleforge]

Well originally I was only gong to do the zest, but decided what the hell and threw it all in there. I ate a piece of the pith to see how bitter it was and found it to have very little flavor at all. (Can't say the same about oranges though). In the future though, I'll put fruit in the secondary, not the primary. The lemons caused some of the krausen to cling to them and not break up and fermentation stalled for a bit, but I got it going again.

I snuck a taste the other day and I have to say it was pretty nice. A kinda sharp, sour taste (which to be fair is what I was after - ever have lemon ice as a kid?) but with some malt to balance it out. Very subtle hop taste, you have to look for it. I think when it's cold & carbed it'll make a nice lawnmower beer. Maybe next time some Amarillo hops might be in order.

The only disappointment I had about it, was that the honey flavor was not apparent. That really surprises me since I used a pint in a 3 gal. batch(!).

Wow, I wonder how much honey you have to use in order to impart a flavor.

 

[Reddy]

Wow, I wonder how much honey you have to use in order to impart a flavor.

According to Palmer's book 10%-30% of your fermentables needs to be honey to get a "moderate" taste. I used 3 lbs wheat extract. A pint of honey is about a pound a half so I'm closer to that 10% but I was afraid of overdoing it. Guess I shouldn't have worried about...

 

[IrregularPulse]

I'm glad you started this thread or I would have. I have a hefe going now getting kegged this week as soon as I get a CO2 bottle to carb it. Thinking bout putting some lemon zest or something. Gonna take it to a music festival in june. How much lemon zest should I put in 5 gallons if it's sitting a week before serving? Or should I add juice?

 

[Reddy]

I added 5 or 6 sliced up lemons (they were small lemons though) to my primary. Like I said, I should have put them in the secondary, but I hardly ever use one for beer. This was for a 3 gallon batch and I got a pretty obvious lemon flavor.

I have no idea what that would transfer to in terms of zest or juice. Maybe someone more helpful can chime in. I know at least one HBT member makes a citrus wheat with lemon and orange.

 

[IrregularPulse]

If I get no other response, I'll just de-seed and cut up 5-6 lemons. and throw them in the keg. I just want a light lemon hint in the background

 

[eb50]

Wow, I wonder how much honey you have to use in order to impart a flavor.

i made a honey weizen last nite from midwest. it called for 2lbs of honey for 5 gallon

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

At times I get into the habit of adding honey to almost everything. With a medium gravity batch it takes over 2 to 3 pounds of honey to do anything except add a sweetened smell to the aroma.

You don't really get any sweeter beer unless you halt the fermentation, yeast just loves diluted honey sugar and eats that before the more complex malts. Today on a whim I just made a braggot - cheating using a can of Coopers and 5 lbs of clover honey. (I found a store selling it for under $3 a pound). Light enough to keep myself and my friends from a mead hangover, but still a good enough drink to not drive.

Simple, basic, and I was done in an hour and off to the pub. Now for a traditional mead.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

People like to trash the flavorings. The peach flavoring is quite good. The amount given (2 oz.) is only enough to give just a hint of flavor in the aftertaste. It will not overpower the flavor. Use the flavoring. You will like the results. If you don't let me know. Using real fruit is admirable but unpredictable and a pain. The flavoring we use are the same that are used by breweries. And we only use 2oz. to keep the flavor subtle. Keep me posted.

Forrest

 

[Aleforge]

People like to trash the flavorings. The peach flavoring is quite good. The amount given (2 oz.) is only enough to give just a hint of flavor in the aftertaste. It will not overpower the flavor. Use the flavoring. You will like the results. If you don't let me know. Using real fruit is admirable but unpredictable and a pain. The flavoring we use are the same that are used by breweries. And we only use 2oz. to keep the flavor subtle. Keep me posted.

Forrest

I will trust you Forrest and go ahead and use it when I keg. Do you guys recommend using it then or in the secondary?

Thanks for responding to this thread btw!

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Add it right before you bottle or keg.

Forrest

 

[Reddy]

I bottled my flavor-added wheat yesterday. I think it came out great!

It was a partial grain and I used some Amarillo hops, a pint of honey and a bunch of sliced up lemons. I would never call it Hefe, but it makes an interesting wheat beer for summer. It's medium in body, no real obvious hop flavor, a moderate lemon flavor, with some residual sweetness on top of the normal wheat beer flavor. I think it's a cool summer beer that I'll be making again in the future. The only catch is, it has a weird aftertaste.... maybe caused by the pith from the lemon? I don't know... it's not distracting or anything, just a little unusual. I like it a lot though, so like I said, I'll be making it again.

How did yours come out Taipans?

 

[StarsNBars8]

About ten days ago I added just over 2 oz of a cherry flavor to a wheat beer; placed it in the bottom of the keg and siphoned the beer over top of it.

That keg went empty last night... I agree with Forest - 2 oz is an almost perfect amount for 5 gallons. There's almost more of an aroma than a flavor, and only then it's an aftertaste that just lingers for a few seconds. Less is more in the flavor department. This is a recipe I'll try again one day, but it's gotta get in line with the other three or four I have planned.

Good Luck with it!

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