Strawberry blonde with lactose. Thoughts?

[surgical_ass]

Posted this in general discussion thought it might generate a little more discussion over here.


Going to brew a 6 gal blonde ale with strawberries (they are in season locally) added at the end of primary fermentation. We are using roughly 1.5lbs per gallon frozen, smashed, and pasteurized.
I have brewed the recipe before with good results, but I would like to see some of the tartness rounded out a little. We thought about adding .25LB lactose at the end of the boil. We are not looking to make it overly sweet just a very subtle sweet/smoothness. Any thoughts or experience on doing this?

Mash 152*
89% pilsner
9% Crystal 20
2% lactose

1.060 og
1.013 fg

Thanks!

 

[PortersPub]

That's a great idea. I make a similar Strawberry Blonde and I'll have to try this. I just killed my keg, so it will have to wait, but I'd like to know how it comes out

 

[dmtaylor]

Lactose is not very sweet. I'd recommend about 0.75 lb in 6 gallons. Cheers.

 

[Schwabizzle]

I'm kegging up my strawberry blonde tomorrow and wish I had seen this. Maybe I'll try it next time . Interested to see how it turns out for ya .

 

[sfrisby]

I do the same thing. Blonde w/ strawberries and lactose. But I also add vanilla beans.

 

[TGFV]

I've done a strawberry brown with a lb of lactose and it was a little too much.

I would recommend .5-.75 and second the vanilla bean.

 

[TGFV]

I've done a strawberry brown with a lb of lactose and it was a little too much.

I would recommend .5-.75 and second the vanilla bean.

 

[surgical_ass]

Lactose is not very sweet. I'd recommend about 0.75 lb in 6 gallons. Cheers.

I'm really contemplating bumping the lactose up a little I'm just afraid it will make it too sweet. I'm hoping to just balance the tartness rather than than impart sweetness. I know .25LB is really not much at all in 6 gal so I may try .5LB.

 

[Miraculix]

Posted this in general discussion thought it might generate a little more discussion over here.


Going to brew a 6 gal blonde ale with strawberries (they are in season locally) added at the end of primary fermentation. We are using roughly 1.5lbs per gallon frozen, smashed, and pasteurized.
I have brewed the recipe before with good results, but I would like to see some of the tartness rounded out a little. We thought about adding .25LB lactose at the end of the boil. We are not looking to make it overly sweet just a very subtle sweet/smoothness. Any thoughts or experience on doing this?

Mash 152*
89% pilsner
9% Crystal 20
2% lactose

1.060 og
1.013 fg

Thanks!

Great idea, will copy this for my girlfriend. She doesn't like beer...

 

[Miraculix]

I'm really contemplating bumping the lactose up a little I'm just afraid it will make it too sweet. I'm hoping to just balance the tartness rather than than impart sweetness. I know .25LB is really not much at all in 6 gal so I may try .5LB.

Have you considered using a yeast that leaves more residual sweetness behind like Windsor for example? This with mashing really high could also do the job, instead of the lactose.

 

[surgical_ass]

I do the same thing. Blonde w/ strawberries and lactose. But I also add vanilla beans.

How much lactose do you add? Is your recipe similar?

 

[brew703]

Posted this in general discussion thought it might generate a little more discussion over here.


Going to brew a 6 gal blonde ale with strawberries (they are in season locally) added at the end of primary fermentation. We are using roughly 1.5lbs per gallon frozen, smashed, and pasteurized.
I have brewed the recipe before with good results, but I would like to see some of the tartness rounded out a little. We thought about adding .25LB lactose at the end of the boil. We are not looking to make it overly sweet just a very subtle sweet/smoothness. Any thoughts or experience on doing this?

Mash 152*
89% pilsner
9% Crystal 20
2% lactose

1.060 og
1.013 fg

Thanks!

Are you using fresh strawberries that you froze? if so how are you pasteurizing them?
I was considering using Braufessor's blonde ale recipe and racking on top of strawberries for a week or two (in secondary). Eventually gave up on the idea for now.

 

[surgical_ass]

Are you using fresh strawberries that you froze? if so how are you pasteurizing them?
I was considering using Braufessor's blonde ale recipe and racking on top of strawberries for a week or two (in secondary). Eventually gave up on the idea for now.

Yea I bought the berries fresh from a local farm then washed and topped them. I put them in the freezer. Then they will be thawed smashed and put in a double boiler to 160*f for a very short time then cooled to around 70*f. I'll put them in a sanitized 5 gal paint strainer bag and let them sit on the beer for a week or two. The berries will be added about a week into fermentation or right when the beer hits fg. We are using a speidel to ferment in so the big top helps with the fruit addition.

 

[sborz22]

Have you considered using a yeast that leaves more residual sweetness behind like Windsor for example? This with mashing really high could also do the job, instead of the lactose.

Wouldn’t the higher mash temp just lower the abv? I have seen in a few places that the long chain sugars created by the alpha amylase are not sweet.

Also wouldn’t the lactose would provide a creaminess that the malt alone couldn’t?

 

[Miraculix]

Wouldn’t the higher mash temp just lower the abv? I have seen in a few places that the long chain sugars created by the alpha amylase are not sweet.

Also wouldn’t the lactose would provide a creaminess that the malt alone couldn’t?

That is a good question. In the German forum, the guys say that the initial long chain sugars are not sweet but those sugars will be cut down by alpha even further and those results then are sweet, according to them.

Personally, I have not checked this in detail but had some results that could point in both directions.

I am not sure myself.

 

[sborz22]

Also, I had a similar beer last weekend at a local brewfest. The brewery called it a strawberry milkshake and it was a hit with both guys and girls alike!

Can’t wait to hear how this one turns out!

 

[sborz22]

That is a good question. In the German forum, the guys say that the initial long chain sugars are not sweet but those sugars will be cut down by alpha even further and those results then are sweet, according to them.

Personally, I have not checked this in detail but had some results that could point in both directions.

I am not sure myself.

That’s interesting. So would a step mash downward towards a lower temp be used?

I have to admit that Palmer is my cornerstone,like many, and I remember something in his “How to Brew” book about the alpha and beta being limited in the sense that they exhausted themselves out at higher temps in their range so I figured the higher mash temp would mean that the alpha enzyme would not be able to, as Palmer puts it, chop up the longer chains.

Interesting topic for sure.

 

[surgical_ass]

Brewing this tomorrow. Decide to bump the lactose up 2oz (6 oz total) hopefully it will turn out like we hope. Ill keep things updated as I go.

 

[Calaeb]

Post back on what you end up with! Ive been wanting to brew beirmunchers blonde again and this would be a great way to do it.

 

[Miraculix]

That’s interesting. So would a step mash downward towards a lower temp be used?

I have to admit that Palmer is my cornerstone,like many, and I remember something in his “How to Brew” book about the alpha and beta being limited in the sense that they exhausted themselves out at higher temps in their range so I figured the higher mash temp would mean that the alpha enzyme would not be able to, as Palmer puts it, chop up the longer chains.

Interesting topic for sure.

No, not stepping down. The beta works best at around 61c and denatures really quickly at 72c, where alpha works best. So stepping down from alpha temperature wouldn't make much sense as the beta would be already gone. But also alpha denatures at 72c, however not as quickly as beta. Beta should be gone within a few minutes at this temperature.

The German guys say that first doing a test at around 62 for 20 minutes followed by a long alpha rest at 70 should result in sweet beer, as the alpha chops the huge pieces further down into just "big" pieces. But I do not know if this is just wishful thinking or actually true. Have not tested it myself.

 

[sfrisby]

How much lactose do you add? Is your recipe similar?

I add 12oz per 5 gal. But that's just my taste preference. My base malt is 2 row with honey malt. I also add a lb of carapils to aid in body and head retention.

 

[surgical_ass]

Update
6 gal
1.052
1.011
24 ibu
88% pilsner
9% crystal 10
2% lactose (4oz)
1.7oz fuggles 60 min
Wyeast 1056
Mash at 152*f
10lb fresh strawberries topped frozen pasteurized to 160*f pitched after primary fermentation complete. Secondary for 1 week then keg

Taste notes
Base beer is perfect. Well balanced with the hop and crystal. Lactose is just right for my taste. Not too tart not too sweet. Balances nicely (not creamy). One thing we will try next time is cold crashing secondary around day 2. I believe the yeast scrubbed out a lot of berry flavor and smell. Other than that I think it was the right amount of berries it comes through nicely I feel it could be even better with a crash

I have water profile if anyone is interested

 

[Calaeb]

Wheres the pic for proof?! Water profile would also be nice too. look forward to a respone

 

[surgical_ass]

Has more of a red color than the pic shows.
Ca- 70
Mg- 6
Na- 7
cl- 40
So4- 44
Mash ph 5.4

Add salts (gypsum, cacl) to boil. the rest are just what's in my tap water . Acidify mash with phosphoric acid