Fruit Beer Lemon-Lime Hefe Weizen

[V-Fib]

So I have read through a lot of this thread, and thanks for posting SLIM as it looks great!

I was thinking of making a grapefruit version of this beer by using simply grapfruit instead of simply limeade, using grapefruit zest instead of lime zest, and possibly subbing Cascade for the Sorachi. I would use the same yeast, but was wondering if changing out the Sorachi Ace with Cascade would wreck the balance of this beer? Or would it be better to keep the Sorachi Ace and add some Cascade hops for flavor/aroma?

Thanks

You can try adding some Falconer's Flight hops late in the boil or a dry hop. I just recently used them for the first time and they scream grapefruit to me.

 

[toulousc]

Thanks, that sounds like a good addition!

 

[azdavid]

Thanks. Fermentation started yesterday and she's bubblin away. Should I add the limeade today?View attachment 393590

I would wait until fermentation has slowed a bit. I made the mistake of being impatient and added it on day 2 of active fermentation and it blew its top.

 

[hopularkid]

I added the limeade in and while trying to pry the stopper out it somehow fell in rigged a blowoff tube and it's goin! has anybody ever dropped the stopper in? Don't want it to affect the beer. The 3 gallon ones suck.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Thanks!! Maybe I'll use those. How did you add the fruit? What and how much did you use?

I added between 1.5 and 2 cups of whole, frozen cranberries (this was for a 1-gallon batch) at knock-out; they then swelled, burst and steeped during the chill-down etc., and were strained out when I transferred to my fermenter.

For what it's worth, I also used SafAle S-05 yeast, also.

You can read about the experience so far here, if interested:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=616976

Any more questions, let me know - and if you try it, keep us informed as to the results!

 

[hopularkid]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1492158934.287360.jpg

First kegged beer. Tastes really clean. Expected more lime, my gf says it tastes like a sweet tart. I'm getting some phenols since it got a little hot while fermenting, but will be brewing this again. Very tasty summer beer. I ended up about 5% abv. Cheers!

 

[burauzaa]

I brewed this at the weekend, hit the OG perfectly, added yeast starter and away it went. Yesterday (Tuesday) the bubbling had slowed, but not completely stopped so I decided it was time to add the Limeade. I put it in and since then I've seen no activity in the airlock. Is this expected?

 

[hopularkid]

I brewed this at the weekend, hit the OG perfectly, added yeast starter and away it went. Yesterday (Tuesday) the bubbling had slowed, but not completely stopped so I decided it was time to add the Limeade. I put it in and since then I've seen no activity in the airlock. Is this expected?

No. When You add the limeade it should ferment even more aggressive. And you made a starter? No idea what could've went wrong. Any sudden temp changes? Maybe give it a stir.

 

[Jwin]

I brewed this at the weekend, hit the OG perfectly, added yeast starter and away it went. Yesterday (Tuesday) the bubbling had slowed, but not completely stopped so I decided it was time to add the Limeade. I put it in and since then I've seen no activity in the airlock. Is this expected?

What are you fermenting in? Maybe a bad seal. Doubtful that the yeast aren't going to town on that sugar water.

 

[burauzaa]

What are you fermenting in? Maybe a bad seal. Doubtful that the yeast aren't going to town on that sugar water.

In a bucket, the seal seems fine. I'll give it a week and take a reading I suppose.

 

[SD-SLIM]

I've brewed this recipe over a thousand times....a few possibilities: you added the limeade cold instead of room temperature, this shocks yeast and makes it work slow...repitch yeast to fix. Your equipment could have a leak, take daily readings to see if it continues to progress...if it does it's the equipment. And finally something could have went wrong with the recipe and you didn't have enough fermentable sugars.....hoping for the first 2 options, I hope it turns out

 

[burauzaa]

D'oh! I think that's it: The limeade came from the fridge
I'll take a reading and see where it is. I'll add yeast if necessary.

I've brewed this recipe over a thousand times....a few possibilities: you added the limeade cold instead of room temperature, this shocks yeast and makes it work slow...repitch yeast to fix. Your equipment could have a leak, take daily readings to see if it continues to progress...if it does it's the equipment. And finally something could have went wrong with the recipe and you didn't have enough fermentable sugars.....hoping for the first 2 options, I hope it turns out

 

[Gbbulevich]

Recipes looks great and brewed it this past weekend - with one mistake. I managed to forget the zest during the boil. Based on folks variations of this recipe, am I better off leaving it out now or adding a lesser amount with vodka when I add the limeade? Thanks for any advice!!

 

[SD-SLIM]

You can do 2 simple things, squeeze 3 to 4 lime and put juice in at the same time as limeade or get Torani lime extract and use it as your bottling primer (if you bottle)...personally I would use the lime juice....the only noticible difference between lime juice and zest, is that you won't have a strong lime after taste....but it still will be amazing beer

 

[Gbbulevich]

Thanks Slim. I'll go with the lime juice. It's been fermenting like crazy for past 48 hours. Plan to add limeade and juice tomorrow. Excited to see how this comes out in a few weeks - made 10 gallon batch for summer - seems like a great recipe.

 

[burauzaa]

D'oh! I think that's it: The limeade came from the fridge
I'll take a reading and see where it is. I'll add yeast if necessary.

Just took a reading and it's at 1.013, tastes pretty good too. I think it must have just fermented the heck out the lime juice while I was at work all day.

 

[beerguyfrmsd]

Yeah those are my first stops for supplies as well, but BMW is pretty good and the best place for bottles (they don't charge extra for shipping)!

Sorry , quoted the wrong comment by accident SLim

 

[beerguyfrmsd]

After brewing this beer several times and having other people brew it as well....I can tell you this will be one of your favorite recipes!

All Grain

• 6.25lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
• 4lbs White Wheat Malt
• 1lb Vienna Malt
• ****Mash 158 for 45 minutes****
• 0.25 Motueka Hops at 60 Minutes
• 0.25 Sorachi Ace 20 minutes
• 0.25 Motueka Hops 20 minutes
• 0.25 Sorachi Ace 7 Minutes
• 0.50 Lime Zest 5 Minutes
• White Labs Hefeweizen IV Ale Yeast
• ****Start Vigorous Fermentation****
• After Vigorous Fermentation subsides, add 1.75L Simply Limeade
• ****Ferment for a minimum of 3 weeks****

Extract

• 7lbs 12.6 Ounces of Wheat Liquid Extract
• 10.7 Ounces of Pale Liquid Extract
• Follow rest of All Grain Recipe

This beer is a great every day drinker, I recommend a frosty mug and a lime garnish!

Have you ever tried using WLP300 Hefeweizen over WLP380 Hefeweizen IV before?

 

[SD-SLIM]

Yes, you can alter the recipe with ingredients....but as you do, you remove a little bit of perfect harmony this recipe has with all of its ingredients.

 

[mcfire12]

So we're going to give this one a shot this weekend. Curious if everyone that has brewed this has cold crashed then added limeade, or added it warm after fermentation slows down. My buddy that brews with me added it all to beer smith and I haven't really done any exploring into it since. He old me 3 weeks for fermentation which sounded crazy to me. So how exactly are you guys adding all these ingredients? Do I just brew it, pitch the yeast, ferment for a week or 2, then dump the limeade in and cold crash right away? Any benefit in letting the limeade sit in the fermenter for a longer period? I don't do secondary every anymore, I typically just ferment, cold crash in the bucket, then keg and fine with gelatin. Way too many pages for me to look though, i'm hoping someone can be of some help that has done this one before.

 

[rossi46]

Its says in the OP to add the limeaid after vigorous fermentation subsides. And ferment for a minimum of 3 weeks.

 

[SD-SLIM]

This beer is an extremely complex beer, it needs 3 weeks of fermentation in order for certain flavors to develop.....however it's your beer so choose any path you would like, but in summary here is what I recommend: make wort, cool, pitch yeast, wait for fermentation to subside (usually a week), pitch room temperature limeade and wait for amazing beer to be made!
It's your beer, so do what you would like......BUT, if you have never followed the recipe exactly as posted, then you will not experience a beer that has won so many rewards, has been offered in retailers and loved by many!

Happy Brewing

 

[mcfire12]

3 weeks in the primary it is. I'm more interested on what exactly happens and why... I just don't understand. So is there still enough active yeast and it works on the sugar from the limeade? I just assumed that after fermentation was over, nothing else is going to change with the beer.

 

[Jwin]

3 weeks in the primary it is. I'm more interested on what exactly happens and why... I just don't understand. So is there still enough active yeast and it works on the sugar from the limeade? I just assumed that after fermentation was over, nothing else is going to change with the beer.

The yeast will go bonkers over all the simple sugars in the limeade.

 

[bolus14]

I have never made this, but have made a couple beers with a prominent lime flavor and wanted to add some thoughts.

Has anybody used around .5oz of lime zest in place of the Limeade? I only ask because I have had very good results using that amount and for some people that can't find Limeade or are having trouble with how it works out this might be a good alternative. This will also lower the final ABV since the limeade is contributing sugars that are getting fermented, it might leave a fuller body too since you'd be losing the liquid from the limeade.

It's not the hint of lime that many "traditionalist" might go for. I have tried .25-.3oz usually 3 limes and that gives that slight hint/background presence that people can say there's some lime but for lack of a better explanation it blends in with other flavors in that amount, where at .5oz (5-6 limes) it is known that there's some lime there but still plays with other flavors well.

 

[SD-SLIM]

Mcfire the 3 week fermentation is to eat the yeast, and then after visible activity stops the yeast them cleans up byproducts....so it's a must!
Bolus14 - this recipe uses both lime zest and limeade....the zest is aromic and for after taste....the limeade is to impact the overall flavor, the only sub would be a lime extract

 

[bolus14]

I missed that you have .5oz of zest at 5min.

I add mine "dry hop" style usually try to get it while there's 4 or 5 more gravity points to drop. This is usually when I raise the temp to ensure fermentation finishes. I get decent flavor and aroma from the zest that way.

I may try the OP this year, I have a friend who loves Bud Light Lime and this might be a good one to get him away from that garbage.

 

[mcfire12]

For some reason beer smith wants me to mash for 45 mins. Why is that? I'm assuming standard 60 min mash?

 

[balrog]

45m mash is what OP says to do, so if he made BMX file from that it would have the 45m mash

 

[mcfire12]

Alright, so just a 45 min mash and a 60 min boil for this then?