Riesling Wheat

[The Blow Leprechaun]

Thanks again to McKbrew and The Blow...

Hey, I was just psyched to get to try it.

When I went to try it, somebody had moved the bottle on me and I almost had a heart attack thinking someone had drank it without knowing what it was... that would have been a disaster after all the trouble you went through!

All thanks go to you, man.

 

[Jilaman]

I read an article recently about the riesling beer produced at the brewery near me. In the article they say they use 10% riesling.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080708/LIVING/807080305/1032

Another nearby Rochesterian?

 

[nyer]

I'm over by Geneva.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

After reading the article (that was the initial inspiration for the beer. Check out my first post.) I'm thinking I may also try a batch that has the wort racked onto the juice right from the kettle. Thoughts on that?

 

[McKBrew]

After reading the article (that was the initial inspiration for the beer. Check out my first post.) I'm thinking I may also try a batch that has the wort racked onto the juice right from the kettle. Thoughts on that?

Very big blow off tube or large fermenter required. :cross: Thanks again for letting me try it.

Edit: It would be cool to get a bottle of the commercial stuff for a comparison.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Yeah, may need one of Forrest's 8.5 gal carboys. I'm interested in the NY version as well. Doesn't sound like they really bottle it though.

I'm wondering how much more I should really be talking to you guys about this. The folks at work were first wanting to get something released this year!

 

[nyer]

Yeah, may need one of Forrest's 8.5 gal carboys. I'm interested in the NY version as well. Doesn't sound like they really bottle it though.

I'm wondering how much more I should really be talking to you guys about this. The folks at work were first wanting to get something released this year!

I've had the NY version several times and I have never been able to taste the riesling. It tastes like a light wheat beer to me. You aren't missing much. They do seem to sell alot of growlers though. It seems to me that the less serious beer drinkers like it and buy it. I have a friend who buys 2 growlers a week and he thinks it's the greatest beer on earth. Prior to that he loved yuengling though. They are really starting to market this one here and they claim it is the first and only riesling beer in the country. They are supposed to bottle in the future. It is a great gimmic for a winery, especially since this area is known for riesling wines.

 

[CBBaron]

Sorry just saw this thread.
I brewed a beer I called Grape Braggot using a can of Alexanders Chenin Blanc and 5# of honey.
I my case I added the honey and grape concentrate to the wort after it had cooled before pitching the yeast. The "beer" ended up with a FG of 1.013 and and ABV of 10.5%. The wine character was more noticeable than the mead but all 3 flavors (wine, mead, beer) come through. This did require alot more aging than my usual beers. It was 2 months in the secondary just to clear.

In beersmith I entered the concentrate as an extract with the appropriate gravity.

Good luck. It does look interesting and I think it will be even better with fresh grapes though the process will be somewhat complicated.

Craig

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Good luck. It does look interesting and I think it will be even better with fresh grapes though the process will be somewhat complicated.

Craig

Getting juice will be no problem. I work for a winery that is 95% Riesling and have already been promised juice from this years harvest.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Folks, quick question...if you were to enter this in a competition, would you enter it as a fruit beer or an American Wheat?

 

[noisy123]

New Glarus brewery is selling a special edition Berliner Weiss which is brewed with grapes. Its quite nice. Is it to style to include grapes in a Berliner Weiss? If so, perhaps it can be classified that way...

 

[McKBrew]

Hard call. Because of the fruit content, I'd definately say not American Wheat. Since the Riesling is actually fermentable, and not just and added fruit flavoring, you might consider Category #23 (Specialty Beer).

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Good call on the Specialty Jess!

 

[EvilTOJ]

Aw man, I completely forgot about this thread! Oh well, I snooze I lose. I also vote on putting it in the specialty category.

 

[Chriso]

Hmmm. I personally would enter as a Wheat, but I know that some, not all, competitions are huge sticklers about adjuncts. For our State Fair competition, if there was any fruit product in it at all, excluding zest/peel, it had to be in Fruit Beer. YMMV depending on the competition it's going into.

I think that since the fruit character is not as evident as the Wheat character, I'd select wheat.

Edit: Whoops. Page numbers tricked me again. +1 to Specialty Beer, I guess.

 

[shagington]

Hey i just saw this and was like whoa dejavu. I was up in the Seneca Lake region of New York, outside Watkins Glenn, just two weeks ago visiting my Aunt and Uncle. There is a brewery up there, Three Wineries and a Brewery, that makes a Riesling Pale Ale. The owner said they tried to make it and add the Riesling grape concentrate during the secondary phase, but it came out too sweet. The final version they went with was during the primary phase, but the Riesling flavor blew off during the vigorous fermentation. My thought lies in the idea of adding the Riesling after it has been made into a wine during the secondary fermentation phase, or at bottling. Any suggestions? My thought on this is that the Riesling wine flavor might shine through. Also, Riesling is a ta sweeter of a grape variety too. Let me know what you think about my addition ideas, because I AM VERY INTERESTED.

 

[McKBrew]

Version 2.0

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden yellow with a 1/2" white quickly dissipating head. Random lace patterns cling to the sides.

Aroma: Wheat, floral hops, and tart grape notes. Grape aroma becomes more predominant as it warms.

Taste: Reminiscint of an American wheat, the grape tartness again becomes more noticeable as it warms, tart winey taste at the back of the throat. Hints of banana. Subdued floral hops complement the beer.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation and a slight numbing tartness at the back of the throat.

Overall: I have no major issues with this beer. I personally feel that the traditional wheat/mild banana flavors mask the grapes a little too much. I don't know what the solution is here. Maybe a more neutral yeast and a bit less wheat (more 2 row). Honestly though, without a commercial example to compare it to, I can only base my opinion on expecting more of a tart/winey flavor than is there.

I'd still give this beer an B+ overall and if you didn't make any further changes I'd happily drink these all day long. Both of your versions have kicked a$$ in my book and I look forward to making it back down there to try some of your other brews.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Hey thanks Jess. Glad you enjoyed it, and glad you finally got a chance to try it out. We just killed the last keg of this about a week ago, and I'll be honest, I'm happy it's gone. 3 batches was a lot for me on this one, and a wheat is a summer drink to me. It ain't summer no more.

 

[McKBrew]

I hear ya Brian. I've got some a wheat beer in a keg, and while I like it, it's just not that time of year. I've been drinking a lot of commercial seasonal beers as of late and have a brown ale in primary.

The Riesling is definately a great summer beer.