Raspberry wheat questions

[hulkavitch]

I am making a raspberry wheat with a belgian wit beer kit from my lhbs and a 3lb can of raspberry puree. 2 questions:

1. Add puree to primary or secondary

2. Leave in orange peel and corriander or not?

Thanks

 

[glockspeed31]

Tagging this for the info. Thinking of making the same batch.

 

[pentachris]

1.I've been reading about this a lot - I think conventional wisdom says secondary. However, I just saw a Northern Brewer apricot ale recipe that instructs the brewer to add the puree a couple days into active fermentation in primary.

2. If it were me, I'd dial them both back a bit. Again, can't speak from experience, as I'm still a new brewer. But - to me, it's easier to drink a beer that lacks a little flavor than one that overpowers you with flavors that aren't mixing well.

3. You didn't ask, but I'd also use a more neutral yeast than what probably came with your kit.

 

[hulkavitch]

The yeast is probably a good idea. Like a california ale yeast.. At this time it is all systems go so 3944 belgian wit will have to do this go round.

 

[hulkavitch]

I guess people just dont want to talk about raspberry wheat

 

[rhamilton]

You can go either way; couple days into primary or wait for secondary. You can also add some fresh orange zest with it for a touch of citrus, which I think really rounds out the raspberry flavors.

I personally wait for secondary so I can taste the beer and get a feel for where it is at before adding the fruit.

 

[pentachris]

Good thought, rhamilton. Consider using little if any of the bitter orange peel and make up for it with sweet orange zest.

 

[hulkavitch]

I brewed without any corriander or bitter orange. I think i will add the puree to secondary and see how that goes. Lhbs told me that this would start another fermentation? Also thinking about adding the sweet orange zest but may just do one thing at a time and experiment in the future.

With the sweet orange, wod you zest an orange and the soak the zests in vodka?

 

[pentachris]

The puree will definitley start another round of fermentation. And from what I've heard, it can be pretty vigorous. Might want to consider using a blowoff tube.

Add the zest (no vodka) to the boil 5 minutes before flameout.

 

[david_42]

He already brewed it, so the vodka route is best. Toss in the vodka as well.

McMenamins boils the raspberry. It produces a signature pectin haze in their Ruby ale.

 

[pentachris]

He already brewed it, so the vodka route is best. Toss in the vodka as well.

With this batch, true. I was keeping his "but may just do one thing [add raspberries] at a time and experiment in the future" statement in mind.

 

[hulkavitch]

What is the general concensus on orange zest. One orange, two, a bag...

 

[gtmaus]

nice thread. Starting my raspberry wheat tomorrow. I'm planning dialing back the puree a bit and adding it in a secondary

Like the idea of adding zest

 

[hulkavitch]

3lbs of puree and 6 oz of honey (wanted half a pound but ran out)..Waited until primary fermentation complete and racked on to both. Stirred up a little yeast from the bottom during the transfer.

 

[pentachris]

Color looks good, and the yeast are obviously alive & kicking!

 

[Slipgate]

The recipes I have seen all put the puree in the secondary. The zest I would add at flameout.

 

[teeotee]

I have an NB wheat that went into primary yesterday. I'm planning to add some raspberries to a secondary.
Could i go to a store and buy frozen or would it be better to get fresh then freeze, OR fresh and make a puree?

So many options!

 

[hulkavitch]

I have an NB wheat that went into primary yesterday. I'm planning to add some raspberries to a secondary.
Could i go to a store and buy frozen or would it be better to get fresh then freeze, OR fresh and make a puree?

So many options!

There is a really good podcast by Jamil Z. About fruit beers. Convinced me puree is best

 

[teeotee]

There is a really good podcast by Jamil Z. About fruit beers. Convinced me puree is best

So i listened to that, and changed my recipe a little.

A local grocery store was running a special on fresh strawberries $5.00 for 4lbs. So it ended up being a strawberry wheat .

It was bottled this last weekend and tasted freaking awesome. Here's what i done.
Added 1lb of raspberry honey and zest of two oranges 5 minutes from end of boil.
Made my own puree out of the strawberries by cutting them up, into a pan on the stove, added a cup of sugar, then heated gently till 160f. Then hit it with a blender. Put that in fridge overnight.
Added that to secondary the next day and racked on top of it making sure i got some of the yeast cake. Had a pretty good secondary fermentation.

OG - 1.045
FG out of primary - 1.012
Reading after racking to secondary - 1.016
FG - 1.006

Like i said, it tasted really good at bottling. Will see how it is after a few weeks in the bottle.

 

[hulkavitch]

Update on my rasp wit. 3 lbs of puree in secondary. Bottled a week ago and left the bottle upstairs at 76-78 degrees. Strong rasp character and nose, very tart however.

On a side note i have always moved my bottles into the basement after bottling (65-68 degrees) and they take at least 3 wks to bottle. This is alreDy carbed up in a week in my upstairs. Does it create any off flavors from the yeast carbonating at higher temps?

 

[pentachris]

I asked the carbing temp question in a sideways sort of way a few days ago, and was told "at least 70 degrees." Of course, I think you'd be pushing your luck at 90 or more, but I think you're fine on the upper 70s.

 

[pentachris]

I found my post. My question:

"Is upper 70s to warm to carb beer? How much in the way of off-flavors are likely to be introduced during the carbing phase? We don't mind warm weather, so we don't keep the air blowing in our house. I've got a fermentation chamber, but not a "bottling chamber."

Revvy's response:

"As to the bottling temperature, we want above 70 degrees for 3 weeks at least."

 

[hulkavitch]

Awesome