Raspberry lager

Hi,

I am hoping to get a raspberry lager made in the next few weeks. When is the best time to add the raspberry flavour?

(I am going to use raspberry juice - http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/raspberry-juice.html).

I see some add this when you bottle and some add in the second fermenting stage.

Cheers,
John

We just had a strawberry lager make it to the BOS round, and it was sickeningly strawberry-like. 

So I'd recommend a modest amount in the boil and fermentation stages, and then check it at packaging, and dose it to your taste then.  If you over-do it earlier, you can't get it out. 

Remember, the raspberry juice has sugars in it, so I don't think adding it at bottling is such a good idea.  Raspberry flavoring added at bottling, that doesn't have sugars in it would be what I'd add, if you're adding it at bottling.

I've done quite a few fruit beers in my time using fruit juices.  I add them near the end of the boil when I add my Irish Moss.  I use the juices from Knudsen, because they have quite a few preservative free, all natural juices that are bursting with flavor. 

I was turned onto them by my brother who is the plant manager of the Knudsen Juice Plant in Maryland.  I was telling him about using fresh fruits in some of my beers and he asked why I didn't use juice.  I explained that some preservatives in many juices are not healthy for the yeast and possibly deadly to the yeast, so I steer clear of them.  He told me about a Microbrewery in Maryland someplace that uses their Cranberry Juice the pallet loads.

You can get Knudsen Juices in health food stores, Whole Foods, World Market, etc. types of stores.  Not all of their juices are preservative free, but many of them are.  Just read the label carefully.  If the name of the flavor is "Just Cherry" or "Just Cranberry" or similar, it's perservative free.

Thanks for the replies, I will use a modest amount as Maltlicker says as I don't want it to be sickly.
I am going to add this at the secondary stage but will try a few drops with water to see how strong I want then work out how much I need for my batch.

I take on point about the natural juices as well thanks.

Cheers,