Raspberry Wheat Help

[Grinnan5150]

I realize taste is subjective so there are no wrong answers here, just trying to gauge your input.

I'm going to be making a raspberry wheat which will be essentially me adding raspberry extract to the keg at packaging. I really want a nice shot of raspberry flavor, not just a hint because my wife really enjoys the fruit beers with lots of fruit flavor.

Do you think the full four ounces that come in the bottle will be overkill or should it be just right?

 

[John Eberly]

Raspberry flavor is pretty strong; I've flavored a full 5 gallon batch with only about two pints of berries.

I suggest an experiment - when your beer is ready to keg, measure out a pint and measure in drops of extract until it tastes the way you want it to. Count the drops and add the right proportion into the keg and you should have what you want - 40 pints in 5 gallons...

 

[IslandLizard]

+1 ^

Most extracts start to taste artificial if too much gets added. You can always add more, but never take it away once added.

I usually dose a half pint until I like it, a drop at a time. Then use half of it in another pint and have someone else (my wife) taste it without telling what I did. That half amount tends to be about the upper limit.

Use real raspberries if you can. The frozen ones are fine, or a can (e.g., Vintner's Harvest). Since it's considered a (real) secondary fermentation leave as little headspace as possible, and try to avoid oxygen (air) take up during handling. If you have CO2, you can flush the headspace.

I've never tried it, but you could possibly add the fruit to a keg, perhaps in a weighted down large mesh bag, then rack from liquid out to liquid out when done. A hop bag tied around the liquid post may help prevent sucking up lots of pulp and trub. You still may need to remove the poppets from the post and QD when transferring.

 

[Morrey]

I just kegged a Raspberry Wheat so I hope to shed a bit of light on your question. Most raspberry extracts range from terrible to really terrible. Artificial screams at you. Fresh or frozen raspberries are expensive and can take time to infuse the beer. Puree can be a PITA, so I went on a search for the best Raspberry extract available.

I discovered McCormicks raspberry extract and it is truly excellent. Not just any extract, it has got to be McCormick's and it is not easy to find, plus a bit expensive. So I ended up buying a 6 pk on Amazon and it made the best Raspberry Wheat Beer I have had. The bottles are only 1 oz ea, and I think I used close to a 1 oz bottle in a 5G keg. I kept trying the flavor as I added a small amount each taste.

I also put a drop or two of the extract in my morning coffee and it is really great. Not sweet at all, just the true essence of natural berries. This extract comes highly recommended, and it is so much easier than all the alternate methods of infusion.

 

[Grinnan5150]

I just kegged a Raspberry Wheat so I hope to shed a bit of light on your question. Most raspberry extracts range from terrible to really terrible. Artificial screams at you. Fresh or frozen raspberries are expensive and can take time to infuse the beer. Puree can be a PITA, so I went on a search for the best Raspberry extract available.

I discovered McCormicks raspberry extract and it is truly excellent. Not just any extract, it has got to be McCormick's and it is not easy to find, plus a bit expensive. So I ended up buying a 6 pk on Amazon and it made the best Raspberry Wheat Beer I have had. The bottles are only 1 oz ea, and I think I used close to a 1 oz bottle in a 5G keg. I kept trying the flavor as I added a small amount each taste.

I also put a drop or two of the extract in my morning coffee and it is really great. Not sweet at all, just the true essence of natural berries. This extract comes highly recommended, and it is so much easier than all the alternate methods of infusion.

Thanks. Gonna go on Amazon now and check it out. I have had bad experiences with using real fruit and purees in the past.

 

[Grinnan5150]

I just kegged a Raspberry Wheat so I hope to shed a bit of light on your question. Most raspberry extracts range from terrible to really terrible. Artificial screams at you. Fresh or frozen raspberries are expensive and can take time to infuse the beer. Puree can be a PITA, so I went on a search for the best Raspberry extract available.

I discovered McCormicks raspberry extract and it is truly excellent. Not just any extract, it has got to be McCormick's and it is not easy to find, plus a bit expensive. So I ended up buying a 6 pk on Amazon and it made the best Raspberry Wheat Beer I have had. The bottles are only 1 oz ea, and I think I used close to a 1 oz bottle in a 5G keg. I kept trying the flavor as I added a small amount each taste.

I also put a drop or two of the extract in my morning coffee and it is really great. Not sweet at all, just the true essence of natural berries. This extract comes highly recommended, and it is so much easier than all the alternate methods of infusion.

McCormick's makes tons of different extracts. I wonder if their other extracts would be just as good in specialty beers?

 

[Morrey]

McCormick's makes tons of different extracts. I wonder if their other extracts would be just as good in specialty beers?

I am impressed with this extract for sure, and I have always thought of extracts as being the last resort. Many of the extracts bought from beer supply stores seem the most artificial of all. It is really hard to beat fresh ingredients, but this one works wonderfully well in my opinion.

I'd hate to go out on a limb and offer you advice that all extracts McCormick makes are as good as this one. Based on my experience, however, I'd feel fairly safe that other extracts they make are potentially superior.

If you get a chance in your searching, please see if they make a hazelnut extract. A bit of hazelnut in a brown ale is outstanding, at least in my opinion.

 

[IslandLizard]

I am impressed with this extract for sure, and I have always thought of extracts as being the last resort. Many of the extracts bought from beer supply stores seem the most artificial of all. It is really hard to beat fresh ingredients, but this one works wonderfully well in my opinion.

I'd hate to go out on a limb and offer you advice that all extracts McCormick makes are as good as this one. Based on my experience, however, I'd feel fairly safe that other extracts they make are potentially superior.

If you get a chance in your searching, please see if they make a hazelnut extract. A bit of hazelnut in a brown ale is outstanding, at least in my opinion.

During a beer tasting event I had a "fruit" beer that had a nice clean raspberry flavor. When I talked to one of the brewers asking how much raspberry was used, he said: "none!" They use super expensive extracts that run around $300 a gallon.

I've heard good reports about LorAnn "oils." Never knew McCormick made flavor extracts, aside from vanilla, although it doesn't surprise me.

I agree the flavorings offered in the brew stores is low quality ****. I've only used one of those, raspberry, and if used as more than a small, almost imperceptible accent, it starts to taste artificial very quickly.

One of the brewers in our club does sours, and really well. The Krieks I had from him definitely have a prominent cherry flavor. He uses 2 pounds of sour cherries per gallon, but has recently switched to using fruit juice, not whole fruit anymore. Easier to handle he says.

Thanks for the pointer to McCormick!

 

[brewprint]

I just kegged a Raspberry Wheat Sunday. It's fantastic. 4oz of Brewer's Best natural flavoring and your all set. Everyone loves it. It's fairly heavy on the flavor. This is almost always going to be on tap at my house.

I keep it low on IBU at around 20 and only a 60 minute addition. 50/50 wheat/2-row about 5lbs each. 1/2lb flaked oats. US05 as the yeast.

With the pH now corrected and good water at my place, this brew is very bright and refreshing.

 

[Morrey]

This may sound odd, but 10 years ago I would have rejected the thought of raspberry in a beer....much less in a wheat beer. Who would have thought Gose beers would be totally awesome and such fun to brew. My how my tastes have changed since I resumed home brewing.

I made a Cream of Three Crops recently, but lawnmower beers are now the exception instead of the rule. I experiment all the time and try some interesting combinations. Example...I love hoppy wheat beers like 3 Floyds Gumball Head with all Amarillo hops. So I decided I'd try dry hopping an extra ounce of Sorachi Ace with the Amarillo to get a hint of lemon or dill. Amazing! Things like this make us home brewers totally in control.

But my point is that its not such a bad thing to try interesting beers and new flavors. I read a post that said real beer drinkers don't put fruit and nuts in their beers. All I could think about was what a wonderful range of taste profiles this poster is missing.

 

[Grinnan5150]

This may sound odd, but 10 years ago I would have rejected the thought of raspberry in a beer....much less in a wheat beer. Who would have thought Gose beers would be totally awesome and such fun to brew. My how my tastes have changed since I resumed home brewing.

I made a Cream of Three Crops recently, but lawnmower beers are now the exception instead of the rule. I experiment all the time and try some interesting combinations. Example...I love hoppy wheat beers like 3 Floyds Gumball Head with all Amarillo hops. So I decided I'd try dry hopping an extra ounce of Sorachi Ace with the Amarillo to get a hint of lemon or dill. Amazing! Things like this make us home brewers totally in control.

But my point is that its not such a bad thing to try interesting beers and new flavors. I read a post that said real beer drinkers don't put fruit and nuts in their beers. All I could think about was what a wonderful range of taste profiles this poster is missing.

That poster was probably getting his beer advice from that Miller Lite Commercial with Burt Reynolds in it telling everyone "not to fruit the beer".

 

[Steveg229]

Thanks. Gonna go on Amazon now and check it out. I have had bad experiences with using real fruit and purees in the past.

I always use frozen raspberries and add them to fermentor 3-4 days before cold crashing.

I add the frozen berries to a sauce pan, add just enough water to barely cover and heat to approx 160 for about 15 minutes to pasteurize. Cover and let cool. Then I sanitize a mesh bag and carefully pour entire contents into bag into fermentor and tie shut. 3 to 4 days should be more than enough time. I use approximately 2 1/2 - 3 lbs to 5 gallons for a nice raspberry forward beer.