Sam Adams Cherry Wheat clone

[ekjohns]

So i am new to brewing have only 2 under my belt but i want to try and all grain just for fun. I am finishing up a sunset wheatish clone and will have the yeast ready for another wheat beer. I would like to do a cherry wheat clone but dont have the experience making recipies. Sooo... after some research all i got so far is 1 can of cherry puree in fermentor, and maybe 2 oz of cherry extract before bottling. Any recommendations on hops and malts? I am aiming for a cheaper beer since im just experimenting

One additional ? i have is i dont do secondarys yet. could i just add the puree to the primary? if so do i add it right away or should i add it after a week or 2?

pre-thanks

 

[Hokie]

My guess is that the Sam Adams version is a basic American Wheat beer with cherry extract added before bottling. There really is no cherry color to the Sam Adams version and the flavor seems pretty artificial (not to put it down, I like nearly anything cherry flavored). I'm also pretty sure there isn't much in the way of anything besides a bittering addition as far as hops go. Malt, I'd keep simple and make it 50% wheat malt, 45% 2-row, and...maybe a little bit (.5 lbs) of 10L crystal too. Good luck!

 

[fastricky]

I think Hokie's got it right. Funny enough I hadn't had SA CW in a while and on a whim just picked up a sixer remembering that I used to like it. My take on it now is the cherry flavor is not very natural... Still a decent beer.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Have you had Sam Adams Cherry Wheat? I enjoy 99% of Sam Adams beer. SACW being that 1%. It's honestly one of the worst beers I've ever tasted. I cannot stand it. And I LOVE CHERRIES!

 

[PuckX]

Have you had Sam Adams Cherry Wheat? I enjoy 99% of Sam Adams beer. SACW being that 1%. It's honestly one of the worst beers I've ever tasted. I cannot stand it. And I LOVE CHERRIES!

Not the worse beer I have ever had, but I can't help but think it would've been better with real cherries vs the fake cherry flavoring.

 

[Oldsock]

Their website gives most of the details,

2 row, wheat malt, and munich to 13 P.

Hopped with Tett

"Cherries are added at two different points during the brewing process. Once during the mash and again during finishing."

"Michigan cherries as well as a touch of honey. "

Adding cherries during the mash is odd. They don't mention it on the site, but it sounds like they also add cherry extract to boost the cherry flavor.

 

[Mirilis]

I would just use 45/45/10 - 2row/wheat/munich
maybe a 60 minute addition of Tett.. target 12ish IBUs
Then in the secondary I would add a couple pounds of fresh cherries/or frozen if thats all you can find. Leave it in there for a week or two then bottle it.

Wont be the same but the cherry flavor should be more pleasant.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

If they are using real cherries, how do they make it taste like cough syrup?

I'm going to make another batch of Cherry Wheat soon, the old keg has about kicked.

5lbs Pale Wheat Malt
5lbs Pilsner Malt
2lbs Flaked Wheat

US-05 and Magnum for bittering.

4lbs of tart cherries in the chilled secondary for a week (chilled).
Trying for as little yeast and secondary fermentation as possible this time.

 

[ekjohns]

thanks all

 

[Ryno]

If they are using real cherries, how do they make it taste like cough syrup?

I'm going to make another batch of Cherry Wheat soon, the old keg has about kicked.

5lbs Pale Wheat Malt
5lbs Pilsner Malt
2lbs Flaked Wheat

US-05 and Magnum for bittering.

4lbs of tart cherries in the chilled secondary for a week (chilled).
Trying for as little yeast and secondary fermentation as possible this time.

That looks like a good recipe. I thought about doing something similiar and maybe adding some cherry concentrate. Need to find SWMBO something besides that Sutter Home White Zin crap she's been drinking.
King Orchards Montmorency Tart Cherry Products: Cherry Juice Concentrate I've used this in a apple cider and it came out great. Not sure how much I'd use in a Cherry Wheat. Maybe 16 oz.???

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

That looks like a good recipe. I thought about doing something similiar and maybe adding some cherry concentrate. Need to find SWMBO something besides that Sutter Home White Zin crap she's been drinking.
King Orchards Montmorency Tart Cherry Products: Cherry Juice Concentrate I've used this in a apple cider and it came out great. Not sure how much I'd use in a Cherry Wheat. Maybe 16 oz.???

You know, I have considered adding cherry juice concentrate straight into the keg. I wonder how many pounds of cherries 16oz of concentrate would equal?

If you do try this, please post and let us know how it comes out.

 

[Stuntman]

Well I consider myself NOT killing this thread (3 months plus a few).
This is the ingredients that I have, I am going this route, I ain't a Brew master yet (just making beer)
Appreciate pointers, but this is happening in two days.

1 hour boil,
10 gallon batch:

10 lbs pale 6 row
10 pounds wheat
1 pound crystal malt
2 oz bittering (Tettnager) in at first boil
16 oz. Clover honey
15 lbs fresh, pitted, frozen, pureed, sauteed at 170 degrees cherries (introduced after filtered wort goes into primary)
4 small bottles of Maraschino Cherries (pureed, with syrup) going into secondary (I don't have one handy, I think they would be 8 oz. each).


Researched, and found out that in the boil it doesn't add flavor of fruit very well. 170 degrees to sautee will, sanitize, and keep the sweet, but not let undesireables in.

Also I learned that introducing into secondary (as long as alcohol is in abundance to kill any bacteria of fresh fruit) you get a whole lot of aroma and flavor...the Maraschino Cherries are already preserved.

I know that it is an expensive way to go, I just drank 5- 12 oz. bottles (for the first time) Samuel Adams cherry wheat....didn't like the last two. Loved it at first, but agree that I feel like I gulped a couple of doses of cough syrup (it is closer to Nyquil, IMO).

 

[BillBrews]

Most of the recipes on the thread seem to have great ideas for the brew, but to be simple I would go with a basic american wheat. As far as the Cherries go, they should go in after primary fermentation has stopped. make a simple cherry Puree and add. Fermentation will start again (mild) let it go another week and bottle or keg.

 

[MisterTipsy]

Sam Adams Cherry Wheat uses 8oz. of Sucrets Lozenges for the cherry flavor.

 

[Rackham]

Everyone knows when it comes to cherry flavor, Ludens is the way to go!

 

[LovesIPA]

I used to LOVE this beer but that's when I first started drinking beer. I haven't had it much since then but the last time was about 5 years ago. I wonder if my tastes have changed since then. I need to try a sixer and see if I want to brew something like it.

 

[SLRSLY]

I used to LOVE this beer but that's when I first started drinking beer. I haven't had it much since then but the last time was about 5 years ago. I wonder if my tastes have changed since then. I need to try a sixer and see if I want to brew something like it.

Pretty much the same here. I used to love cherry wheat. Had it from the keg about a year ago and remembered loving it. Recently picked up a 6 pack. I HATED it and ended up leaving it at the party I was at. I guess my tastebuds have changed since I started brewing my own.

 

[SLRSLY]

And I recently made a cherry wheat clone that was a recipe from my LHBS. They recommended using a cherry puree during primary. I followed the recipe but later learned that fruit in the primary was pretty much eaten up. Ended up with zero cherry taste. So I added half a can of blackberry puree in the secondary. The beer came out a little thick (almost creamy) and it was my first attempt at kegging. But after a couple weeks in the keg it ended up tasting pretty damn good. Cherry Berry Wheat!