Raspberry Wheat

[S.F.B.]

The wife has finally talked me into it. She wants a fruity wheat beer and requested raspberries. I pesonally don't care for fruited, or wheat brews, for that matter. I just have to wait for the berries out here to be ready(she wants fresh). I figure it wouldn't be worth doing with frozen berries or ones that have been on a slow truck from who knows where :confused: .

[Tom C]

actually you may want to reconsider the frozen rasberries. Frozen Rasberries cell walls are broken down due to the freezing and is better in the secondary than fresh. Also fresh rasberries will cost you much more than frozen. You can also consider rasberry concentrate that can be bought at your lhbs. One bottle per 5 gallon batch should due and is technically real rasberry just in concentrate form.

Tom C

[paul84043]

Our Raspberry Wheat is just now getting ready...It's really good.
I bought the RML Wheat kit from Annapolishomebrew.com It came with a 44oz can of "Oregon" brand sterile raspberry puree.
I like the puree because I think that you get maximim results from the raspberries that way.
It's added to the primary after 5 days and resulted in the need for the blowoff tube for a day or so...

Well worth it, my wife is already bugging me to get another one going.

[S.F.B.]

I have considered the frozen for that reason. I am going to stick with the fresh. I will do all the home work so that I can get the best out of them. Being in Oregon, it is sacrilege to use frozen. You can't find decent quality frozen berries in my neighborhood. The only ones I have found are frozen in a heavy sugar syrup.

Thanks for the input.

[paul84043]

Even if you do use fresh, freeze them completely several days before use because of the previously posted reason, it really will make a big difference as to how much "raspberry" gets into your beer, this is pretty standard and should not degrade the quality or flavor at all.

[batkins]

Don't you just love all the that fresh NW produce?! MMMMMM, rasberries!

[Fast_Eddy]

Just out of curiousity since I've never made a fruit beer....

Wouldn't pureeing the berries make the whole freezing thing a moot point?

[S.F.B.]

Originally posted by batkins
Don't you just love all the that fresh NW produce?! MMMMMM, rasberries!

Yep! It's too bad the wife didn't ask for strawberry. I could be doing that one already. The fruit stands went up 2 days ago. I love fresh berries.

[S.F.B.]

Originally posted by paul84043
Even if you do use fresh, freeze them completely several days before use because of the previously posted reason, it really will make a big difference as to how much "raspberry" gets into your beer, this is pretty standard and should not degrade the quality or flavor at all.

That was my plan, Paul. Thanks. I just can't get decent frozen ones around here.

[S.F.B.]

Originally posted by Fast_Eddy
Just out of curiousity since I've never made a fruit beer....

Wouldn't pureeing the berries make the whole freezing thing a moot point?

You may be right. Maybe if she cons me into another one I'll try that to see the difference.

[BenP78]

what about making a raspberry reduction from fresh berries? my girlfriend made a rasp-wheat and we used the concentrate stuff at the brew shop and it came out decent, but she's going to try doing a reduction for her next batch.

[paul84043]

Yes, freezing would negate the purpose behind a puree.

I don't really care for the "extracts" either, they give me heartburn...
Puree, or fresh frozen IMHO is the way to go.

[S.F.B.]

I brewed this one last night after putting it off for a month. Used fresh berries from my back yard. I picked them in the last of June and beginning of July and had them in the freezer. All went well. My wife even took part in this batch. First time she has sat thru the whole process. I hope it turns out well.

[paul84043]

What was your base beer?
How much did you use and when did you add them?

Hope it turns out as good as ours did.

[S.F.B.]

3.3lbs American 2 row
.5lbs 10L Crystal
Mash at 155 degrees F for 60 minutes
3lbs dry wheat extract
1.5oz Hallertau hops 60 min.
.5oz Hallertau hops 5 min.
Irish moss in the last 15 minutes of boil
4-5(?) lbs raspberries
I brought 1 gallon of water to boil. Turned off the heat and steeped the berries while the wort cooled. Then added just before I pitched the yeast.

It was a very basic recipe. I think the wife will enjoy it.

[Brownbeard]

As far as fruit beer is concerned, I really like Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat. Why? Because it is not sweet.

[paul84043]

I made a Cherry Imperial Stout, but it was with Cherry Extract, it's still a little overpowering after 2 months...maybe by the middle of winter it will have mellowed out.