Fruit Beer Watermelon Wheat

[Powers]

i'm actually making a belgian blonde right now

 

[DubbelDach]

I think I might have confused myself, ok so I need half extra light dme and half wheat dme, I think that's what I read that dubbel said. How much is half, and would I just bring 2gallons of water to a boil and add my extract and bring that to a boil and add my hops then set my timer blah blah then top off to 5gal. In my fermenter?

Sounds about right for the process for an extract batch, yes.

 

[BrewsClues]

K thanks, so how many pounds of the dme will I need?

 

[BrewsClues]

I guess I'm just going to throw caution in the wind and use a 5gal Carboy for a 5 gal batch since it will be secondary and ill probably lose a little

 

[BrewsClues]

Just brewed my first AG batch last night of watermelon wheat and its bubbling away right now. Everything went smooth besides the fact that my mash temp. Was a little low. After I put the grains in and stirred good it was 145*. So I added hot water and got it to about 150*. I guess it should still be ok. Any thoughts?

 

[xsists]

DD, are you sparging or just collecting after the 60 minutes?

 

[DubbelDach]

DD, are you sparging or just collecting after the 60 minutes?

I batch sparge.

All: Being that this is in the Recipe forum, let's get this back on topic with recipe-oriented discussion, variants, results, etc... A lot of the other questions can probably go here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ Thanks!

 

[BrewsClues]

Alright this is recipe related, I'm going to do two secondary fermentations one with watermelon and one without, the one without I want to dry hop what type of hop would you prefer and how much?

 

[DubbelDach]

Alright this is recipe related, I'm going to do two secondary fermentations one with watermelon and one without, the one without I want to dry hop what type of hop would you prefer and how much?

In a wheat beer.... I might try Sorachi Ace for a lemony finish... Or some Citra. Something on the citrusy side of things.

(Didn't mean to be a ****, guys!)

 

[BrewsClues]

So I took a gravity reading after a week in primary and it was at 1.010. I forgot to take an sg but it is watery looking and tasting. I'm guessing this is the result of my low mash temps.

 

[DubbelDach]

So I took a gravity reading after a week in primary and it was at 1.010. I forgot to take an sg but it is watery looking and tasting. I'm guessing this is the result of my low mash temps.

What was OG?

 

[BrewsClues]

What's the diff. Between og and sg? And I forgot to take a reading before fermentation(it was really late lol)

 

[DubbelDach]

What's the diff. Between og and sg? And I forgot to take a reading before fermentation(it was really late lol)

Original grav and starting grav... same thing. The difference between that and your FG final grav would tell me if somethings off. But we can't say for sure now...

I'd say keep it fermenting though... 1.010 is sligtly high I think...

 

[BrewsClues]

Ya well I guess that will be a next time thing. After two days the gravity didn't change so I went to secondary. The one on the left is the watermelon(obviously) and the right is dry hopped with a 1/2oz of citra. As you can see its very light, but I hope they turn out. Is all the head space going to hurt anything?

 

[rferguson61]

The one on the right is what mine looked like when I tried this recipe. My gravity was low though 1.035 ish. I think something was wrong... Dach?

 

[BrewsClues]

I know mine was too I just don't know how low. My mash temps. Were too low so that is my problem. I'm hoping once its carbed up it will taste good because there is a big void in the flavor its like wheat water. But that was before the dryhopping and watermelon.

 

[DubbelDach]

My efficiency is around 68%... If yours was lower, you'd have to up the amounts a bit. Any recipe I find online, I always plug into Beertools and check that first when I adjust for my own efficiency.

 

[BrewsClues]

Ya so this was my first ag batch so I have no clue what my eff. Is or how to figure it out I know it has something to do with how much you extract from the grains so you would probably figure it up by using your grain weight and your sg...

 

[Powers]

efficiency is easiest to determine using something like promash or brewswith. each type of grain has a maximum yield of malt sugar. depending on how efficient your mash is, you can get up into the 80% range, but you can never get 100%. alot of brewers are between 60-70%. my newest setup is kind of low, around 60-65, so i make up for it with more grain in the mash!

 

[psusoccer21]

DD,

I know v1.4 is set but.....I'm unsure if someone mentioned this. Have you tried Carapils for head retention? I would suggest 1 - 1.25 lbs for a 5.5 gallon batch.

By definition carapils/Dextrine malt adds body and improves head retention, but does not change the color or flavor.

 

[BrewsClues]

So I put mine in my buddies 1920's GE fridge to cold crash for a couple days. I'm hoping my dry hopped one tastes similar to sweetwater's schweat. The flower pic was an accident and idk how to erase it lol.

 

[DubbelDach]

DD,

I know v1.4 is set but.....I'm unsure if someone mentioned this. Have you tried Carapils for head retention? I would suggest 1 - 1.25 lbs for a 5.5 gallon batch.

By definition carapils/Dextrine malt adds body and improves head retention, but does not change the color or flavor.

That sounds like a solid plan... I may very well try that!

 

[kingmatt]

Just wanted to post an update as I cracked my first bottle of this tonight (only been in the bottle a week so far) and I am really impressed.

This was my first all-grain brew and it turned out awesome!

It is a very crisp and refreshing beer and tastes almost exactly like Hell or High Watermelon. I am getting a bready yeast in the nose but I am sure that will dissipate some with a little more aging. The watermelon flavor is in the background and perfect, not artifical at all.

I followed the latest version but did not add the artificial flavoring at bottling and just upped the fresh watermelon juice to 8 cups in the secondary.

Thanks again for this great recipe and I will most definitely be brewing it again this summer

 

[rferguson61]

Just wanted to post an update as I cracked my first bottle of this tonight (only been in the bottle a week so far) and I am really impressed.

This was my first all-grain brew and it turned out awesome!

It is a very crisp and refreshing beer and tastes almost exactly like Hell or High Watermelon. I am getting a bready yeast in the nose but I am sure that will dissipate some with a little more aging. The watermelon flavor is in the background and perfect, not artifical at all.

I followed the latest version but did not add the artificial flavoring at bottling and just upped the fresh watermelon juice to 8 cups in the secondary.

Thanks again for this great recipe and I will most definitely be brewing it again this summer

Was it the same watermelon presence as 21st or was there more? I know adjuncts aren't supposed to over power the beer....but I could barely taste the watermelon in hell or high watermelon

 

[kingmatt]

Was it the same watermelon presence as 21st or was there more? I know adjuncts aren't supposed to over power the beer....but I could barely taste the watermelon in hell or high watermelon

It was very similar to the 21st Amendement brew in that the watermelon was in the background but was definitely noticeable.

I personally really like the fact that the watermelon isn't "in your face" but rather lingers in the finish and makes you want to take another sip!

 

[BrewsClues]

Figured I'd try one of mine after not even a week of bottle conditioning and they are pretty good, not very wheaty but I know why that is, but my Gf and her friend liked it the chick even made the comment "id rather drink this than bud light" that just makes it all worth while

 

[kingmatt]

I'm brewing another batch of this on Friday because I am already down to half a case

this beer has been a huge hit with SWMBO and all our friends!! :rockin:

 

[psusoccer21]

I'm brewing another batch of this on Friday because I am already down to half a case

this beer has been a huge hit with SWMBO and all our friends!! :rockin:

Kingmatt,
Did you notice the head retention like DD did in post #26? I brewed this last weekend and added 1 lb of carapils to up the head retention.

 

[kingmatt]

Kingmatt,
Did you notice the head retention like DD did in post #26? I brewed this last weekend and added 1 lb of carapils to up the head retention.

No, I had very good head retention with mine. I didn't adjust the recipe at all (except to add even more watermelon juice) and bottled with 4oz of corn sugar and the head is perfect.

 

[psusoccer21]

When I transferred from primary to secondary there was a little sulfur smell. Looking on whitelabs page they mention that this yeast gives off a little sulfur taste/odor.

Did anyone else notice this? I am now at 1 week in primary and 1 week in secondary and there is still a small sulfur smell. Should I leave it 1 more week or not worry and bottle?

Thanks

 

[Powers]

i've had faint sulfur smells on the last few batches i've made with various belgian strains. but on each one, i had about 10 days in primary and 14 days in secondary before kegging. the beers were excellent within 5 days after kegging, with no sulfur.

 

[psusoccer21]

i've had faint sulfur smells on the last few batches i've made with various belgian strains. but on each one, i had about 10 days in primary and 14 days in secondary before kegging. the beers were excellent within 5 days after kegging, with no sulfur.

Thanks, I'll give it one more week.

 

[mixmasterob]

I added about 5 cups of watermelon juice to a kolsch yesterday. I racked the beer on top of the juice in secondary. Its been over 24 hours and I have no sings of fermentation. I thought it would have re-started rather quickly.... Hmmmm.

I guess just give it some time.

 

[xsists]

I used Wyeast American Wheat yeast and I had quite a sulfury smell.. When I racked onto the watermelon it smelled a little sulfury still but I think after the recommended secondary it should fade.. I wouldn't worry..

 

[RandalG]

I've been getting requests for this one for some time now. How are the watermelons you guys are getting. I thought they weren't really in season for another month or so.

 

[BrewsClues]

Well when I made mine the watermelons I got were tiny but now I see normal watermelons being sold everywhere...

 

[BrewsClues]

I added about 5 cups of watermelon juice to a kolsch yesterday. I racked the beer on top of the juice in secondary. Its been over 24 hours and I have no sings of fermentation. I thought it would have re-started rather quickly.... Hmmmm.

I guess just give it some time.

Mine didn't do anything in secondary, the only thing different about mine is I used us 05

 

[Smburnette]

Just bottled mine today... The sample taste was a nice wheat that finished with a strong watermelon flavor... I can't wait until it's carbed up.. Going to be great!!

 

[RandalG]

I brewed my first ever 10 gallon batch of this yesterday. I have my daughters graduation party coming up at the end of July and SWMBO insisted I do 10 gallons. Things went well and both carboys are bubbling away as I type.
I wish I would have re read the thread first as I probably would have through in some Carapils for the heck of it. I think I'll add the extract on this batch to at least one of the kegs for a little taste test comparison.

 

[BrewsClues]

Ya this beer is a huge hit with the ladies ill be making it again, no doubt. That extract is some potent stuff it doesn't take much, but I'm sure u probably know that.