Grape Ale???

[Rhys79]

I've been requested (well, more like pestered into it) by a friend to create a grape ale. I'm still relatively new to brewing, so I'm at a bit of a loss on where to start with this. I was figuring on just doing a blonde ale recipe and adding grape extract flavoring in secondary, but I can't find grape flavoring extract anywhere that isn't fermentable. All I can find is grape concentrate for wine making. Anyone know where I can find grape extract, or am I going to have to build grape concentrate into the fermentables bill and hope the flavor sticks around? If I had a kegging setup going, I could just use concentrate and sorbate the crap out of it to prevent it from re-fermenting, and then force carb. I don't have a kegging setup yet though. Any suggestions?

TIA!!

 

[DiscoFetus]

I've been requested (well, more like pestered into it) by a friend to create a grape ale. I'm still relatively new to brewing, so I'm at a bit of a loss on where to start with this. I was figuring on just doing a blonde ale recipe and adding grape extract flavoring in secondary, but I can't find grape flavoring extract anywhere that isn't fermentable. All I can find is grape concentrate for wine making. Anyone know where I can find grape extract, or am I going to have to build grape concentrate into the fermentables bill and hope the flavor sticks around? If I had a kegging setup going, I could just use concentrate and sorbate the crap out of it to prevent it from re-fermenting, and then force carb. I don't have a kegging setup yet though. Any suggestions?

TIA!!

The new Sam Adam's Long Shot winner's brews are out. There is a Grape Pale Ale, which isn't too bad. Tastes like some of the bittering was done with the seeds and stems and a nice blast of white grape juice. Not the store bought stuff, but I'm talking the green table grapes. Try it out and make your call. We decided that the juice was added during secondary, but who knows.

 

[Rhys79]

Adding juice during secondary would require either sorbating to prevent the concentrate from fermenting and then force carbing, which is quite possible for a commercially produced beer. Like I said though, I can't force carb a 5gal batch. I need something that I can bottle condition...

 

[Yooper]

But, why not let it ferment? I don't understand why that's the issue, so excuse me if that's a dumb question!

 

[Rhys79]

I was looking to get the grape flavor without having a wine flavor from fermented grape. I want it to taste like beer with an essence of grape, not a mix of beer and wine.

 

[Yooper]

Ok, gotcha! I'll think about this, because right now I can't think of anything at the moment.

 

[Nurmey]

I just remembered this link from another post. It doesn't sound like there is anything fermentable in it and they have grape flavor.

http://www.foodzar.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BICKFORDP1001&click=1640

 

[Rhys79]

That looks like it might work. A bit pricey, but hey, if he wants it that bad he can pay for it Thanks!!

Now I just have to decide what recipe to use. Looking for something very pale and lightly hopped...

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Grape soda extract? Not sure if it will ferment without the sugar added to it. What about diet grape soda? Not sure what effect artifical sweeteners have opn a beer. Someone here will know.

 

[Rhys79]

No artificial sweetners, can't stand them, horrible metalic aftertaste (yes, splenda too...). Not really going for the artificial grape flavor of grape soda, prefer something that actually tastes like grapes. The stuff from foodzar looks promising, just a bit pricey. I'm not paying for the stuff though, so I don't care that much...

 

[CBBaron]

Concord grape juice like Welches has a unique flavor that is recognized even after fermentation. I don't think it really tastes like you expect wine to taste.

I would suggest adding a can or 2 of 100% grape juice concentrate in the secondary of your blonde for a very distinct grape flavor. If after it ferments for a week or so it still doesn't have enough grape flavor you can add more.

That is if you want Concord grape flavor. White grapes have a quite different flavor.

Craig

 

[effigyoffaith]

wine made from muscatel grape is looked down on by wine snobs as tasting like grapes not wine (I like it). My if you found some grape concentrate from muscat grapes (like the one at the bottom of This page)

I think you might be able to let this ferment out and still taste grape. When the brewers of Dogfish Head brewed thier Midas Touch they used muscat juice so someones tasting notes from that might be useful. I'm curious to see what other have to say about this.

 

[FatMonsters]

The BYO website has the recipe clone for the Midas Touch.

I love Midas Touch, but it hits me as a beer meets wine kinda taste. Not a beer with grape flavor.

 

[Foodzar.com]

As the owner of Foodzar.com, I was wondering if you ended up making this ale yet with our product, and if so how did it come out?

Oops... looks like this Reply went to the wrong post.

 

[Foodzar.com]

No artificial sweetners, can't stand them, horrible metalic aftertaste (yes, splenda too...). Not really going for the artificial grape flavor of grape soda, prefer something that actually tastes like grapes. The stuff from foodzar looks promising, just a bit pricey. I'm not paying for the stuff though, so I don't care that much...

As the owner of Foodzar.com I was wondering if you ended up making this ale, and if/how it came out?