To each his own but fruit doesn't belong in beer

[redalert]

Maybe I haven't tried enough fruit beers but the ones that I have tried always tasted like crap and/or gave me a serious headache. I mean if I want to drink a fruity alcohol beverage, I'll pick up a gallon of wine or some wine coolers. IMHO malt and fruit don't mix. If you think they do, drink some wine until you got a half decent buzz and then finish off with some beers until you're good and drunk. You will see what happens to you in the morning. No fruit in beers for this homebrewer.

 

[SteveM]

Fair enough.

 

[bbrim]

Great Divide brewery makes an incredible Raspberry Wheat. Unlike most fruit beers it is not overly sweet. It is a balanced wheat beer with nice tart raspberry notes. I recommend it. Also, lambic is tasty. These beers are not my favorites but their quality is hard to question IMO. That being said I'm not about to start brewing any fruit beers myself, they sound like a PITA and I'm not really that fond of them. I'm just saying, there are some good ones out there.

 

[Pilgarlic]

I agree. Fruit beers are at the bottom of by "to-brew" list, and I don't ever expect to get to the bottom of that list.

 

[jgourd]

I routinely (meaning once a year around the summer) brew a raspberry wheat that's quite nice and refreshing. It's mostly for the wife, but I do enjoy a dozen bottles or so before it's all gone.

 

[billc68]

To each their own, like you said. I can't stand wheat in beer either, but they are hugely popular. While I mostly agree with no fruit in beer, I do have to say, I like a Corona with lime on a hot sunny day. But I would never drink any of these new "lite lime" beers, (Bud, Moose, Etc) I have tasted them, but didn't think too much of them.
I am pretty happy with Water, Hops, Barley and Yeast. I have experimented with Chocolate and tried a Spruce beer recently (needs some aging still) but as a rule, the Germans had right.

 

[jgourd]

To each their own, like you said. I can't stand wheat in beer either, but they are hugely popular. While I mostly agree with no fruit in beer, I do have to say, I like a Corona with lime on a hot sunny day. But I would never drink any of these new "lite lime" beers, (Bud, Moose, Etc) I have tasted them, but didn't think too much of them.
I am pretty happy with Water, Hops, Barley and Yeast. I have experimented with Chocolate and tried a Spruce beer recently (needs some aging still) but as a rule, the Germans had right.

Oh yeah! I made a Clorona a few months ago. It lasted about two weeks. I need to make some more. Great thing is that you can have it without the skunk or have at it with the skunking to any level you want. I tried from 5 minutes in the sunlight to an hour. About 25 minutes was the best for me. But to be honest, no skunking at all was quite nice.

 

[passedpawn]

What, no orange zest in my wit? No can do.

 

[lunchbox]

I am pretty happy with Water, Hops, Barley and Yeast. I have experimented with Chocolate and tried a Spruce beer recently (needs some aging still) but as a rule, the Germans had right.

I find that the Reinheitsgebot law is extremely limiting. Belgian beers are all but out. Milk Stouts... gone. Lambics... roggenbier...saison...

 

[WaltStarr]

I had a cherry ale a while back I liked, but for the most part I agree.

 

[Edcculus]

I'm not going to begrudge anyone for fruiting a beer. I've never done it and don't exactly have plans to do one. For me, fruit beers (and rauchbier) are more of a "this would go good with...." beer than a session beer.

I must have my orange zest in witbier though!

 

[Beerrific]

What about fruit lambic?

 

[Edcculus]

The beer I agree with the OP's statement 100% is Magic Hat #9. A pretty decent beer ruined by that weird fake apricot taste. No thanks.

 

[Brew-boy]

Done right they can be a wonderful beer, Just ask a Belgian. But to slam them and put them down is not fair either Have you ever had a good Kriek?

 

[redalert]

What about fruit lambic?

I've never tried a fruit lambic and I'm not inclined to anytime soon. I don't have anything against lambics and fruit beers per se. They have their place. For women maybe. I just think beer is born from grains and that's what makes it beer while wine is made from fruit and that's what makes it wine. Mixing the two just seems wrong; like breaking some unwritten natural law. Like I said, to each his own but no fruit in my beer.

 

[Edcculus]

I don't have anything against lambics and fruit beers per se. They have their place. For women maybe.

Don't knock it till you try it. I think that comment is a little misguided. Fruit Lambics are great beers. The pasteurized uber sweetened Lindeman's doesn't count. Whats so unfortunate about Lindeman's is that you can taste a great lambic under all that sweetness.

 

[944play]

DFH Aprihop is the best argument to be made in favor of fruit beer. If you haven't had the pleasure, I can see where you might think they're wrong.

 

[ChshreCat]

Don't knock it till you try it. I think that comment is a little misguided. Fruit Lambics are great beers. The pasteurized uber sweetened Lindeman's doesn't count. Whats so unfortunate about Lindeman's is that you can taste a great lambic under all that sweetness.

I agree, but I have to find a way to clone Lindeman's. My daughter wants a batch done for her for her 21st birthday.

 

[redalert]

Don't knock it till you try it. I think that comment is a little misguided. Fruit Lambics are great beers. The pasteurized uber sweetened Lindeman's doesn't count. Whats so unfortunate about Lindeman's is that you can taste a great lambic under all that sweetness.

Firstly, I wouldn't even categorize lambic as beer. It's a sort of hermaphrodite. Some cross-breed between beer and wine. Secondly, I'm not knocking it. It has it's place among high society (how much does a bottle go for?) and women I'm sure. I also think there's a time and place to drink it. Just not for me. Beer is beer and wine is wine and mixing the two is distasteful to me as a beer lover and homebrewer. Again this is just my opinion. It's not right or wrong it's just what I believe.

 

[passedpawn]

Firstly, I wouldn't even categorize lambic as beer. It's a sort of hermaphrodite. Some cross-breed between beer and wine. Secondly, I'm not knocking it. It has it's place among high society (how much does a bottle go for?) and women I'm sure. I also think there's a time and place to drink it. Just not for me. Beer is beer and wine is wine and mixing the two is distasteful to me as a beer lover and homebrewer. Again this is just my opinion. It's not right or wrong it's just what I believe.

I think it is funny that you keep on commenting on lambics after admitting that you've never had one.

It's also funny you categorize them as a women's drink (but hey you're not "knocking" it).

You are a funny guy.

 

[Bobby_M]

I have a Kriek on tap right now that I would drink over almost any other beer I've brewed.

 

[McKBrew]

I have a Kriek on tap right now that I would drink over almost any other beer I've brewed.

You must be a chick then, right?

 

[Edcculus]

Firstly, I wouldn't even categorize lambic as beer. It's a sort of hermaphrodite. Some cross-breed between beer and wine. Secondly, I'm not knocking it. It has it's place among high society (how much does a bottle go for?) and women I'm sure. I also think there's a time and place to drink it. Just not for me. Beer is beer and wine is wine and mixing the two is distasteful to me as a beer lover and homebrewer. Again this is just my opinion. It's not right or wrong it's just what I believe.

Ah, not really true. Lambic IS beer. Malted grains are mashed, the resulting wort is boiled with hops then inoculated with yeast. The only deviation is that the yeast is mostly wild yeast and there is some bacteria in there too. Brewers probably started adding fruit to straight lambics because of the extreme tartness that can result in older brews. Also, since you aren't really getting any significant percentage of fermentables from fruit, its not exactly spanning the gap between wine and beer. Just saying. Lambics, fruit lambics and gueuze can get expensive because 1 - its usually imported, 2 - it must be aged, sometimes for years (a significant investment) and 3 - it is typically made in smaller batches.

 

[lunchbox]

Firstly, I wouldn't even categorize lambic as beer. It's a sort of hermaphrodite. Some cross-breed between beer and wine. Secondly, I'm not knocking it. It has it's place among high society (how much does a bottle go for?) and women I'm sure. I also think there's a time and place to drink it. Just not for me. Beer is beer and wine is wine and mixing the two is distasteful to me as a beer lover and homebrewer. Again this is just my opinion. It's not right or wrong it's just what I believe.

Not sure why you don't categorize it as beer. The rest of the world does, including BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program), which is the go-to for beer categories.

Second, if you have never had something, it's hard to have an opinion of it. Or more accurately, it's hard to have an EDUCATED opinion of it.

Third, an opinion can be wrong when it's based off of misinformation. You keep referring to fruit beers as wines, or more correctly a hybrid of both beer and wine, when it's simply not the case.

 

[Hellfish76]

I dislike soap boxes, but have no idea how to protest them...

What an interesting thread clearly made to stir the pot.

 

[Beerrific]

I've never tried a fruit lambic and I'm not inclined to anytime soon. I don't have anything against lambics and fruit beers per se. They have their place. For women maybe.

Ha ha ha ha. Oh poor soul. Framboise, kriek, peche. Ha ha ha. More for me.

Firstly, I wouldn't even categorize lambic as beer. It's a sort of hermaphrodite. Some cross-breed between beer and wine.

Ok, now you are just pissing me off. You don't even know what a lambic is (really, look it up). When your family has been brewing one of the most regionally specialized, beautiful styles of beer in the world for generations, then you can come in here and call it a cross-breed. (Not to say mine has, but someone's family has.) Blah. GTFO, I'm done. Respect beer.

EDIT: Russian River Consecration. Bah!

 

[redalert]

Not sure why you don't categorize it as beer. The rest of the world does, including BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program), which is the go-to for beer categories.

Second, if you have never had something, it's hard to have an opinion of it. Or more accurately, it's hard to have an EDUCATED opinion of it.

Third, an opinion can be wrong when it's based off of misinformation. You keep referring to fruit beers as wines, or more correctly a hybrid of both beer and wine, when it's simply not the case.

To be honest, you guys are right I shouldn't knock lambics. Especially since I have never tried one. I'll be sure to pick one up next time I'm at the liquor store. I have read that brewing a lambic takes extreme patience and skill and I applaud the wild fermenatation. I was merely referring to beers, if you could call them that, where the fruit overpowers the malt, water, and yeast to the degree that you cannot in good faith call it a beer. I am strictly speaking from the few commercial fruit beers that I have tried. To my taste buds, they tasted awful. Perhaps it's the examples I have tried and they're not representative of the style. I hope in the future I can walk into a a liquor store and reluctantly pick up some blueberry lager and fall madly in love with it to the point that it will be my "go to beer". Will this happen? I doubt it. I was merely saying that I don't care for fruit in my beer. Not fruity undertones that certain yeast exhibit during fermentation. ie. Belgians. But that fruit juice taste that's overpowering.

 

[mullenite]

To be honest, you guys are right I shouldn't knock lambics. Especially since I have never tried one. I'll be sure to pick one up next time I'm at the liquor store. I have read that brewing a lambic takes extreme patience and skill and I applaud the wild fermenatation. I was merely referring to beers, if you could call them that, where the fruit overpowers the malt, water, and yeast to the degree that you cannot in good faith call it a beer. I am strictly speaking from the few commercial fruit beers that I have tried. To my taste buds, they tasted awful. Perhaps it's the examples I have tried and they're not representative of the style. I hope in the future I can walk into a a liquor store and reluctantly pick up some blueberry lager and fall madly in love with it to the point that it will be my "go to beer". Will this happen? I doubt it. I was merely saying that I don't care for fruit in my beer. Not fruity undertones that certain yeast exhibit during fermentation. ie. Belgians. But that fruit juice taste that's overpowering.

Buy a Cantillion 100% Kriek. One of the best fruit beers in the world, by far.

Skip the Lindemans/St. Louis lambics.

 

[artyboy]

I like fruity beers. I also like big, chewy stouts, liquid hop bombs and horse piss. If it's classified as beer and it's good enough that someone was willing to spend money on it and put it on tap/on their shelf then I'll probably be able to appreciate it. I've run across some exceptions but they're few and far between.

 

[Idlehanz]

In regards to the initial post, I have no problems drinking or making a beer with fruit. I love trying different beers, and now that I'm homebrewing, I love trying new things. I got into homebrewing to make my own beers, and experiment. If it tastes good, I'll drink it and try to make my own, better version of it.

 

[chumprock]

Grabs a Fruli and subscribes to thread...

 

[Photopilot]

As a rule I am not a fan of wheat beers. But I think they are better with some fruit in them. I guess it just appeals to my feminine side. Not that I would choose a fruity wheat very often with a Hop Bomb or Stout as an option.

I just made an Apricot Wheat that I find is a nice summer brew. I have some apricot left over I may have to make a Apricot IPA. I can always give it away but I think I might like it. I already have more beer than I know what to do with.

 

[bigolbigbelly]

Samuel Smith's Organic Cherry is an old ale with sour cherries added after fermentation. I tried it and could not believe how good it was.

 

[RKW]

What's that old saying: I never met a beer I didn't like.

I was merely referring to beers, if you could call them that, where the fruit overpowers the malt, water, and yeast to the degree that you cannot in good faith call it a beer.

Well if you would have started there I think you wouldn't have devided the crowd so much. TBH the initial post seemed sort of combative for no reason. I think, as most of the posters have pointed out, there are good fruit beers out there and there are beers that are so fruity that they are only beer in the strictest sense of definition. Oh well, everyone is entitled.... I hope you do go and try some other fruit beers and if you still don't like them I hope at least you decide that those of us who have found good taste in those bottles aren't as effeminate as you once believed.

 

[AnOldUR]

Once got food poisoning at a Mexican restaurant. Couldn’t even look at Mexican for a couple of years without feeling nauseous. A Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat (the best I could do at the airport) did the same thing to me with fruit beers. Well, I’m back to loving Mexician food, but still have mixed feeling about anything other than grain and hops in my wheat beers. I know it’s a mental thing. Just kegged my second batch of an American Wheat that has a really nice citrusy, apricot nose and finish. Wonderful beer that made it to the second round of NHC. For now, just don’t list the words fruit and beer on the same label and I’ll be fine.

Thanks Sam






edit:

I have a Kriek on tap right now that I would drink over almost any other beer I've brewed.

Hate to admit my ignorance, but had to Google "Kriek." Now that sounds tasty. I may be back sooner then I thought.

 

[GRHunter]

I am no fan of fruit beers either. But my wife is ... so every third batch I brew is a fruit beer. They are a pain in the arse to brew, and they're expensive too. I just chalk it up to the price of peaceful brewing in my house.

 

[SteveM]

I once had a Belgian raspberry beer that a friend had brought back from there. I didn't bother to save the can so I don't know what it was, but it was more like a raspberry soda, no more beer-like than a Mike's Hard Lemonade.

But I've also had really good raspberry ales. Manayunk Brewery makes an exceptional black raspberry ale (only available on tap there, and not all year) that got me trying to come up with something like that.

The raspberry gives a sort of a sharp sweetness that is a nice counterpoint to the hoppy bitterness of the beer. If you are curious, try my recipe, but be warned - it took me a few tries to get it just right, and it's so much work that mostly I don't bother any more.

 

[snowveil]

Has no one in here ever had weyerbacher's Raspberry Imperial Stout?

That beer is phenominal....the raspberry flavor does nothing but compliment the otherwise solid stout behind it.

I don't think anyone should restrict their brewing to just four ingredients....just because the fruit beers you've had have been mass-produced recipes designed for people who don't generally like beer doesn't mean there aren't tons of valid uses for fruit in your own brewing.

Homebrewing is all about experimentation IMHO...brew what you like and have fun with it. Those steenkin' Germans and their Reinheitsgebot have got nothing on me! (said 4 hours before I start brewing a Rye Pumpkin Stout)

 

[ndsgr]

Redalert, mission accomplished. I am officially intimidated by your masculinity. I bow to your prowess.

Maybe the thread should have been titled: "I have huge man parts! I swear! I will prove it by calling anyone who likes fruit beer a woman." Well, I guess that might have been too long.

At least us "women" don't get headaches because of a little fruit in the beer...

 

[billc68]

Seems like Raspberry, is THE fruit to use. We have a raspberry Zinfandel bottled righ tnow and I am making a raspberry mead when they berries are ripe. I may save some of the juice and try it in a glass of chocolate stout, I already have on tap and see what it is like... YES I said a chocolate stout, I am no COMPLETELY against trying something different.