Solo Cherry Wheat!

[Cpt_Kirks]

I racked a 10 day old wheat beer onto 5 pounds of cherries yesterday. The activity in the primary had dropped to about nothing.

Even though the cherries were unsweetened, there must have been enough sugar to wake the yeasties up. It is back to steadily bubbling now.

This is my first "all my own" brew. No kit, no using somebody else's recipe. I call it "Solo Cherry Wheat". Due to adding the cherries and juice at secondary, I made it high gravity. It was 1.066 at OG and 1.011 at secondary. The gallon of cherries and juice should water that down a bit, I guess.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

You are gonna end up with a higher SG and higher overall AlC% with the fermentables the cherries provided.


Its gonna be a great brew!

 

[desertbronze]

Congrats! Looks tasty!

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

You are gonna end up with a higher SG and higher overall AlC% with the fermentables the cherries provided.


Its gonna be a great brew!

HIGHER ABV?

It already clocks in at over 7%.

Hell, I got a little buzz just drinking out of the sample tube! It was pretty tasty, already.

I might have to water it down in the keg with a taste of the hefe I'm starting next week.

Or not...

 

[syd138]

could you post the recipe?

I was thinking of brewing a cherry wheat this weekend.. I was only going to use about 4-5 lbs of cherries though

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

1.5lb 2-row American
1.0lb White Wheat
0.5lb Pale Wheat
.25lb Roasted 2-row American

6lb LME (65% Wheat, 35% Barley)
1.5 lb Corn Sugar

Danstar Munich German Wheat Beer Yeast (Added to 1 pint boiled, cooled to 80* water 1 hour before pitching)

1oz Hallertau Pellets (3.9%) 60 min.

Malt mashed for 60 min. at 152*F.

LME and Sugar added at 50 min.

10 days in the primary (ale pail).

Took 2 cans of Kroger Tart Cherries, 2 cans of Oregon Fruit Tart Cherries, and two pounds of thawed frozen black cherries (5lb total) and mashed them with potato masher. Then, heated them to 170*. Let cherry mash cool, then added to 6 gallon better bottle. Racked wheat beer on top.

 

[UnaBonger]

That's a tasty looking brew you got there

 

[Christian]

Man that looks like it's going to be good.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I wonder when I should keg it?

It was 10 days old when I racked it onto the cherries. Should I give it a week, or 10 days before I keg?

 

[billey100]

Cpt_Kirk how well did the fermenting go after you racked to the secondary? I am in the same boat with a cherry wheat I am making. According to the directions from the kit I was supposed to rack to the secondary after 3 days to keep a good fermentation going. I missed that window and I am now at about 9 days in the primary. So I can either leave it and put concentrate in when I keg it or move it to the secondary now and put the puree in? I am down to a bubble a minute or less on the primary now.

By the way that looks really good...

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Cpt_Kirk how well did the fermenting go after you racked to the secondary? I am in the same boat with a cherry wheat I am making. According to the directions from the kit I was supposed to rack to the secondary after 3 days to keep a good fermentation going. I missed that window and I am now at about 9 days in the primary. So I can either leave it and put concentrate in when I keg it or move it to the secondary now and put the puree in? I am down to a bubble a minute or less on the primary now.

By the way that looks really good...

Thanks, it looks about done, I am not seeing much activity now, the new foam is gone.

First batch of cherry wheat I did was a midwest kit with cherry extract. I mixed the 4oz of extract with about the same amount of vodka in a measuring cup and added it to the keg as I was racking in the wheat beer.

If you are using puree, just go ahead and rack it to secondary on top of it. You are more worried about getting cherry taste and aroma than more fermenting at this point.

 

[billey100]

So it doesnt need a certain amount of fermenting left to actually get the puree to do what its supposed to do? I guess I am confused of the chemistry part of adding the puree and what it does in the secondary then. I thought the reason they wanted me to rack to the secondary so early is so that the last part of fermnetation had enough left to do something it needed to do with puree? Is that not the case at all and no matter when you add the puree even if its been 3 weeks it will still add the flavor? Or is it just that after 10 days there will still be enought fermentation to make the puree work? Also what happens to the puree itself in the secondary? I know its a noob question but does it settle out, completely dissolve, or just sit there?

I have both the concentrate and the puree standing by not sure which way I am going yet. If I rack it and add the puree I will probably do it tonight. If not I will let it sit another week or two and add the concentrate as I am racking it the keg? It's my first time keggin as well so i am doing a lot of firsts.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

You really don't want much fermentation of the fruit.

The purpose of the fruit is to add fruit flavor and aroma. Fermentation will reduce the fruit flavor to a degree.

If you are going to use the puree, put it in a secondary vessel and rack the beer on top of it for a week or ten days.

If you are going to use the concentrate, don't bother with a secondary. Just add the concentrate at kegging.

BTW, I just sniffed the airlock. I smell beer and cherries. This is liable to be a very nice batch.

 

[billey100]

Nice, now I am pissed I am stuck at work and cant get to racking... I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the help.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Kegged the Solo Cherry Wheat just now.

ABV came to 7.5%.

It has a good taste. STRONG, but good. I have a 2 liter bottle of it chilling and carbing for tonight.

 

[billey100]

Nice, cant wait to try it huh? I am holding off on racking till I find an auto siphon. Just need to find one locally or have it shipped within the next few days. Shouldn't take long and if it does I will try the concentrate.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I always take a 2 liter sample at kegging. I guess you could say I can NEVER wait.

Had some issues with cherry bits getting in the auto siphon. Hopefully, they won't clog the dip tube.