Raspberry Pale Ale

[Delaney]

Raspberry Pale Ale...
I wanted an influence from one of my favourite summertime beers, magic hat #9...at the same time I wanted raspberry/blackberry, not apricot, and something lighter. This is what I came up with.

Ended up using 22oz (1lb 6 0z) honey
77 oz (4lb 13 oz) Light Malt extract syrup.
yeast is Fermentis Safale S-04


I steeped the grain at 165F for 30 minutes
I added the honey at 155F after flame out, and held the temperature for 8-10 minutes
I added 2lbs 2 oz LME syrup at beginning beginning of boil
I added 2lbs 11 oz LME syrup at 10 min
Primary fermentation: 14 days
OG 1.045
SG when racking from primary to secondary: 1.007

Pitched yeast at 85F, temperature cooled in wine cellar to 66F for primary and secondary.


I added 1 lbs 0.5oz of black raspberries (Rubus occidentalis) to ~2.05 gallons (secondary)
I added 1lbs 3.5 oz of red raspberries to the other ~2.05 gallons (secondary)
I decided to ferment the remainder without berries for comparison.

Will there be a significant difference between the ABV of these two, or should I expect simliar results from either berry?

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Check out this link for blackberries. Apparently the amount of sugar in this fruit is rather low.

For raspberries, check out this and this.

 

[Delaney]

Check out this link for blackberries. Apparently the amount of sugar in this fruit is rather low.

For raspberries, check out this and this.

Hmmmm interesting...the berries I've been collecting aren't your typical elongated shape...they are round like the shape of a raspberry, and they taste more sour/sweet...I guess I have to figure our which cultivar I have do determine what sugar levels to expect...or make blackberry wine instead

 

[avidhomebrewer]

I'm not a berry expert by any means, but I wouldn't think the shape of the berry has much to do with the amount of sugar that is typical for that type of berry.

Blackberry wine would be tasty... give me a few bottles.

 

[Delaney]

I'm just describing the berry to you, it's a different shape, and also tastes sweeter as well as more sour than most blackberries.

I also think I don't care too much, it's more about taste than alcohol content, so I'll put in an amount that I think will taste right. The base is 4% so it can't turn out too poorly either way...

 

[Delaney]

I realized due to a novice error the boil time where the tettnanger was actually being isomerized was only 45-50 minutes...this affects the IBU by about 1 point...bringing it down to 22

 

[Delaney]

I'm thinking of adding more honey to the secondary when I add the raspberries for a slightly higher ABV%

 

[cypher2001]

I'm just describing the berry to you, it's a different shape, and also tastes sweeter as well as more sour than most blackberries.

Are you sure you don't have BLACK Rasberries instead of blackberries?

 

[Delaney]

I think they might be...trying to identify them

 

[Delaney]

I just added more honey to boost the abv% after 3 days....I added honey, then gave a short vigorous stir. The SG before I added the honey was 1.014...the SG reading after I added the honey was 1.020...

How do I adjust the abv% according to this? Do I add 0.006 to my OG?

 

[bmick]

If you're really looking for berry flavor, I'd recommend extracts at bottling. Use high quality ones, the cheap ones taste pretty bad. In my experience (done probably a half dozen fruit brews), fruits like raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry really don't contribute much flavor, at least not to the degree you'd be used to with something like MH#9.

 

[Delaney]

Im using this batch of beer as a test, since I have a bunch of empty carboys hanging around...I'll break it up into 6 parts, with varying amounts/types of fruit for comparison.

I don't like the idea of extracts...most other posts I've read discussing extracts recommend not to use them.

 

[Delaney]

When I input this information into BeerSmith 2.0...it gives me an ABV% of 5.3?...Is TastyBrew not accurate or am I missing something here?

note: this is with the additional 1 pound of honey being added 3 days late into primary...1.38 pounds honey in boil, 1 pound 3 days late.

 

[Delaney]

Hmmm I just tasted the black raspberry beer, uncarbonated...it is quite divine. I would use less #/berries in the future for red and black raspberry. I'd suggest 1.5#/5gallons

secondary fermentation: 7 days (6 with berries)
I carbonated this to a volume of 2.5

 

[Delaney]

The Red Raspberry is fully carbonated, easily the best beer I have ever brewed.