Watermelon Ale

[Bluehaze]

That is what makes these types of forums the best. nutty_gnome and others take an idea and run with it, improve it, and share it.

I have to try the peach next spring, but for now it is time for me to start brewing my smokehouse porter, hazelnut brown ale, and getting ready for the double stout and scotch ales.

Cheers.

 

[nutty_gnome]

So, in the end, when I put FBOUS #1 in the two carboys I totalled about 8.25 gals of usable wort. I expect to get about 8 gallons into bottles from that. 5 days into the fermentation I added the strawberry and peach flavoring (1 dram bottles). The ferment had reached its apex and activity appears to be on downslope. I wanted to add the oils when the beer was still being 'stirred' or 'moved' by the yeast but not when it was so vigorous that I'd lose some aromatics. Anyway, I'll let you know what happens. Bottling will be around Nov. 2 or 3. Probably crack a few at thanksgiving to see how they taste.

 

[nutty_gnome]

I wonder if you can add these flavorings to inexpensive vodka and get a decent flavored vodka for use in mixers.....

 

[Bluehaze]

I wonder if you can add these flavorings to inexpensive vodka and get a decent flavored vodka for use in mixers.....

What's the worst that could happen?

 

[nutty_gnome]

Hey! I sent out a bottle of the watermelon ale brewed with the Lorann flavoring to another HBT'er as part of a Halloween beer swap. His favorable thoughts on the beer are here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f88/trick-treat-beer-swap-198290/index14.html#post2377354

Also, a strawberry and a peach ale are going to get bottled this week. They look great!

 

[molsonG]

cant view those unless your premium supporter

 

[sfrisby]

Also, a strawberry and a peach ale are going to get bottled this week. They look great![/QUOTE]

Nutty Gnome- how did Strawberry and Peach turn out?

 

[sfrisby]

Has anyone used combined flavors in a brew? If we just assume 1 dram per 5 gallons, and assume that provided the desire flavor, if I wanted to combine 2 flavors, would I want to use 2 drams, or 1/2 of each dram? My debate is 1 dram of each brings the appropriate flavor of each dispersed among 5 gallons, or the combination will bring to much of an artificial taste and no more than 1 dram total is what is needed.

Thanks.

 

[nutty_gnome]

Also, a strawberry and a peach ale are going to get bottled this week. They look great!

Nutty Gnome- how did Strawberry and Peach turn out?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, not so well. This brew is the only one I have ever brewed outside during daylight. I think it was 8 gallons of relatively low grav wort split into two fermenters. One got the strawberry, the other peach.

The beer had a skunked hops flavor that persisted for quite some time. That flavor is now, months and months later, gone.

Alas, the flavoring oil did not come through as I would have liked. There is some peach or strawberry in the nose. The peach is the better tasting beer only because the strawberry has a strawberry flavor which just apparently isn't something I like. The peach has more of a peach smell but not much of a peach taste.... So in the end it is a blonde ale with a peach nose.

Also the strawberry one is overcarbed all the heck and I don't know why. The peach is fine and both had the same bottling procedure.

My efforts with watermelon were all far better than the strawberry or peach. Since I did those last two, I haven't played with flavored beer again.

 

[allaboutduncan]

nutty_gnome - I did an extract version of your Watermelon recipe about 6 weeks back and tasted it this past weekend. Wow!

My wife wanted me to make this and I was hesitant, but I'm so glad I did. I used the LD Carlson Watermelon flavoring. I made a 3G batch and bottled 6 as a plain Hefe - added the extract to taste at bottling. Used about 1.5oz for 2.5G

This finished product was great. Had a very fragrant watermelon aroma. Initial taste is almost like an additional bittering with a slightly watermelon finish. This was the most popular beer I made at a party the other night. Thanks for the great recipe.

 

[nutty_gnome]

I'm happy to hear that it worked out for you!

 

[Hulud]

hey i just started this on Friday.

i did a little adjustments to it so i cant wait to see how bad i screwed it up LOL

but instead of 12 oz of honey i used 8
and instead of extract I had bought a full watermelon and juiced it so i wonder what will happen, hope its still good.


i am really excited to see how this turns out

 

[mlstarbuck]

I just ordered an American Wheat Extract kit from morebeer.com, and one dram of watermelon flavor from LorAnn Oils. I plan on adding the watermelon when I rack to secondary. Any issues with doing this?

Also, the estimated alcohol percentage is 3.9%. Is there a fairly simple way that I could bump this up by approximately 1%?

 

[sfrisby]

I just ordered an American Wheat Extract kit from morebeer.com, and one dram of watermelon flavor from LorAnn Oils. I plan on adding the watermelon when I rack to secondary. Any issues with doing this?

Also, the estimated alcohol percentage is 3.9%. Is there a fairly simple way that I could bump this up by approximately 1%?

Add more grains or more extract.

 

[allaboutduncan]

I just ordered an American Wheat Extract kit from morebeer.com, and one dram of watermelon flavor from LorAnn Oils. I plan on adding the watermelon when I rack to secondary. Any issues with doing this?

Also, the estimated alcohol percentage is 3.9%. Is there a fairly simple way that I could bump this up by approximately 1%?

Adding 1 lb. of table sugar would do it as well, without changing the flavor too much.

Should be any issue adding the watermelon at secondary. However, easiest way to do it would be ferment to finish in primary and add flavoring in the bottling bucket.

 

[mlstarbuck]

Adding 1 lb. of table sugar would do it as well, without changing the flavor too much.

Should be any issue adding the watermelon at secondary. However, easiest way to do it would be ferment to finish in primary and add flavoring in the bottling bucket.

Ok, thanks. I might try the sugar approach. Do you think that 1 lb will make the mouthfeel much more watery?

 

[allaboutduncan]

It should all ferment out, but sugar can sometimes add a "hot" taste. So try to ferment low and give it an extra week in the carboy/bucket.

 

[Hulud]

well it is a big hit among my friends and family.

i am thinking i am gonna try a peach pale ale from this recipe but use real peaches so i will be debating on how much to use over the next couple of days

 

[HarkinBanks]

I made this one again for the third time and swapped pils for 2-row from the recipe I posted earlier, used notty yeast and added the loran oil to the primary instead of the secondary. One month primary and straight to keg. Just tapped the keg tonight and this is just about perfect for me. Thanks again for posting the original recipe, this is just awesome. My wife wants this on tap year round.

Also made an aprihop clone with the apricot flavoring. It's waiting to be kegged, I will report back if it is any good.

 

[redliner]

just ordered

5lbs dme
2 oz citra
1 dram watermelon
wyeast 1272

ready to give it a try next weekend hope it comes out good

wish yu could find amarillo but no were to be found.