fruity azz

[killian]

so Im going to be brewing with the wife & this is what Im working on.
she brewed my first extract batch with me about 4 years ago, but has had no interest in brewing sense, so Im going to show her an all grain batch tomorrow and I wanted to brew something she would be excited about. I normally brew darker beers and I think she is scared of a darker lovibond. So Im going to brew my 1st all grain wheat beer, please give me any ideas you have. Im milling the grain today right after I post so the grist cant change.

7.5 lbs two row base malt
6 lbs wheat malt
.5 lbs Munich malt

1 oz 5%alpha fuggles @ 60min
.5 oz 4% alpha hallertau @ 20min

nottingham no starter
2oz blueberry extract for 1 week in the secondary
1-2 lbs frozen blueberries for a week or two

the mash-60min @ 153-154 with 1.29qt/lb
so 4.5 gallons of strike water, losing 1.5 gallons to absorption giving me 3.1gallons from the first runnings, batch sparging with 3.5-4 gallons to collect 6.5-7 gallons for the boil.

Im not sure about the fruit & extract but I have only used extract once and ended up with gushing bottles (years ago). That batch I added the extract at bottling and the article in byo that gave me the idea for this recipe called for the extract in the secondary and the frozen I thought with a bigger grain bill I might want a little more blueberry flavor, I dont want it to be too sweet but to have some noticeable flavor.

I am a little concerned about a stuck sparge, but I havent had any problems sense I started batch sparging.

 

[killian]

has any one ever used fruit in the secondary

 

[FSR402]

has any one ever used fruit in the secondary

I have strawberries in mine right now. One week and so far s good.

I just put in some info to my promash an it's telling me that there will be an IBU of 24.7.
That IMO is way to high for a wheat. I would knock the Fuggles down to a .5oz, putting me at 13.8. But that's just me. Not sure what a hoppy fruit beer would be like.

 

[Professor Frink]

I would put in the blueberries like you're planning, but I would add the extract to taste at bottling - put in 1/2 oz., taste it, if you want more, add another 1/2 oz.

 

[jezter6]

I agree with Frink. If you have to get more berries and do it in secondary, it's better than extract.

1#/gal is a good measure for really fruited beers. For 'just a hint' I would be around 0.33-0.5#/gal

Try a blueberry beer before you do this. 1 - I've never had a blueberry beer that tasted anything remotely good. 2 - It's REAL easy to go overboard with fruit, and overboard on blueberry isn't good. Sample Sample Sample! Be very wary of extract, as just a few drops can take it from "heavily fruited, but drinkable" to "oh my god what monstrosity is this?!?!"

 

[killian]

jezter you should try blue paw wheat by sea dog brewing company.

 

[dantodd]

I'm not into fruity sweet beers but 21st amendment's signature beer is a watermelon wheat that is quite popular. Also, Marin Brewing Company makes Blueberry Hill which SWMBO likes a lot. I knoe watermelon wheat is available in cans not sure if MBC bottles blueberry.

 

[dj_van_gilder]

You are going to need some rice hulls in your mash to keep from getting a stuck sparg.

 

[killian]

I this batch is in the secondary right now. Tomorrow I racking again on to 1lb of frozen blueberries with probably .5 oz of blueberry extract. I didnt have any lautering problems, I had a suprisingly smooth brewday.

 

[perry]

I don't usually chime in on the domestic gradoux, but I'm impressed that the SO wants to be a part of the process... I'm married to a scientist who knows chemistry inside and out and she is simply content to drink what I make, most of it anyway. I'm grateful for that, and I'm not sure I'd want her input on my brew sessions... More power to ya! -p

 

[1234Alchemy]

This might be sort of off-topic, but since we're talking about fruit beers, I had a couple questions. Is it better to use fresh or frozen fruit, or doesn't it matter? And how do you ensure that putting fruit into your secondary won't get anything nasty in there?

 

[killian]

I added 1lb of frozen blueberries to the secondary, thats the 1st time I have used fruit. from what I have read frozen fruit is the way to go and there is less of a chance of contamination because the fruit is frozen.