Thinking about customizing an extract batch. Please help! Opinions welcome!

[S2005]

So, I'm still brand new. I haven't even bottled my first batch (though it is fermenting in my Mr. Beer as I type this).

I have been reading a ton on this forum, and I want to order some carboys/better bottles and get started on a 5 gallon batch of something... well, something different!

I love strange new beers. Every time my wife and I go out to eat, I look for strange things that I've never tried before. A local grocery store just started a "pick your own 6 pack" and I'm a big fan.

Now I want to create.

I don't just want to buy a DME or LME and toss it in a bucket with yeast and call it a day. I want to customize a little.

I like Sam Adams Cherry Stout, Sweetwater Blue, and a few other flavored "fruity" beers. I'd love to try to make one!

Is it as simple as buying the LME/DME and then mixing the fruit puree with it and the yeast?

I understand I need a primary, and secondary so I'm putting together a small list of things I need to buy.

Ok, so the shopping list thus far is:

Auto-siphon $9.95
5 Gallon Plastic Carboy $24.00
Carboy Handle $5.50
Carboy Lid $2.75
2 Foodgrade Bucket Lids $3.90
Fermometer $3.50
2 US-05 Yeast Packs $5.98 ($2.99ea)
Blueberry Flavoring $4.95
American Wheat Extract $25.75

Totaling $86.28

I already own a few items, I listed here in this thread.

I also need to figure out what goes good together...

Would a Blueberry Wheat beer be good?

If I were to buy THIS and then puree some blueberries into the fermentor, would they work well together? How many pounds of blueberries would be sufficient?

 

[dcocch]

I'm a new brewer as well and I'm sure someone will chime in on this with a lot more knowledge than me, BUT...
From what I have read on here, it seems like you don't add any fruit until the beer is in your secondary. I assume it has to do with not wanting the fruit to actually ferment (like wine), but just take some flavor from the fruit.

 

[zzARzz]

As far as equipment I would jut get a single 6 or 6.5 gallon carboy, drilled stopper and airlock unless you re planning to have more than one brew going at the same time. I still use my plastic carboy for "quick" brews, but have been increasingly liking my glass ones, especially if I'm keeping my brews in the secondary for a month or longer. The glass ones aren't gas permiable and are easier to clean in my opinion. If you decide to go the glass carboy route, just be sure to get something like a "Brew Hauler" to carry it around while it's full because they can be really dangerous when they break (i.e. severed body parts).

BYO has an excellent article on adding fruit to beers here that covers fruit selection and different techniques for adding it to your brews. It's been very handy for me in the past.

 

[reverendj1]

From my understanding, fruit is added to secondary because during initial fermentation, it can basically push all of your fruit flavors out of the airlock. It really all depends on the fruit though.

Second, yes we all want to create great and exciting beers, but you may be better off doing something more basic for your first few batches. You start painting with paint by number kits, before you start making Rembrandts. You really want to nail in your basics (sanitation, process, etc.), before you add too many variables. Fruit can add possibilities for infection, off-flavors, etc. Do whatever you want to do, but that's just my $0.02.

 

[S2005]

Edited original post with new shopping list.

From what I read, there are fruit flavors you can add just before bottling. Don't have to worry with real fruit.

Gonna try that. It seems a lot simpler, and I want to stay simple until I get the hang of it a lot better.

I've got sanitation down pat. Its part of my real job at work (I'm in the food service industry). The process is another story. That is something I will need practice with. That's why I'm happy with my Mr. Beer. It teaches the basics

 

[reverendj1]

Ah, yes using fruit extracts does simplify it and it is an easy way to jump right in to fruit. My LHBS probably has dozens. A blueberry wheat sounds delicious. Sounds like you are on the right path.

A couple things about your equipment, you don't really NEED a carboy or to do secondaries. Most people on here don't, but it's a personal preference. You will be fine just using buckets. I see you have two buckets, a fermenter and a bottling bucket. You do not need a lid for the bottling bucket. Also, you may want to buy a lid like this instead that is pre-drilled and has the grommet.

Welcome to this very addicting hobby.

 

[zeg]

I agree with the above suggestion to get a 6 gallon carboy. The only exception would be if you are going to do fermentations that need a secondary (wine, mead, some ciders, lagers, very big beers). In that case having a 5 gallon one is nice so your 5.5 gallon batch totally fills it after trub losses.

You don't strictly need lids for bottling buckets, but I like to have one to set on top to keep stuff from falling in. They're cheap enough it's worth having an extra on hand.

If you're sure you want to go the fruity route on your first try, the extract sounds like a good idea. That way you can make the beer and test whether you like the combination at the last minute. (Dilute the extract in a carefully measured amount of water and use a measured amount of that to flavor a glass of your fermented beer. If you like it, scale the quantity to account for dilution and total volume.)

You can also just throw a bag of fruit into a bucket for secondary and let it sit for a week or two. The issue there is that it increases the chances for infections, and until you know you have your sanitation down, it's useful to keep things simple so that you can identify where any problems occurred.

 

[S2005]

Thanks guys for your responses!!! I love this forum.

Blueberry wheat sounding delicious are my thoughts exactly! At least, I hope it turns out delicious!

I ordered a 6 Gallon carboy just now. Its already on its way.

Can I pick up a lid for the bucket at my local Home Depot and drill a hole in it and grommet it myself?

 

[reverendj1]

I don't think the Homer lids are food safe. You'd only save a couple bucks (if that) doing it that way anyway. I'd just buy the premade ones, or at least the brew bucket lids and drill/grommet them yourself. It's weird that morebeer.com doesn't sell the grommeted lids, and they use a stopper on them. I have not seen that before (granted I am fairly new to brewing), but that would work too. To clarify, morebeer.com has the pre-drilled buckets and stoppers.

 

[eyebrau]

Another reason not to use fruit in primary is because it all floats at the top and can create a thick "cap" of sorts. I the brew is still fermenting all that carbonation trapped under it can get explosive. The only real need for a "regular" beer to be put in secondary is for clarity, and even that is debatable because you can cold crash in primary.

 

[S2005]

So, I found two lids at Walmart! They are food grade, and are HDPE (2)! Now I just gotta drill one, and find a grommet at home depot that works!

 

[zzARzz]

So, I found two lids at Walmart! They are food grade, and are HDPE (2)! Now I just gotta drill one, and find a grommet at home depot that works!

I found mine in the Specialty Fasteners section in the same aisle as the regular fasteners. Any size you could want and cheap too.