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Author Topic: Fruit Beer  (Read 5420 times)

Offline BeerSmith

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Fruit Beer
« on: February 21, 2005, 03:44:05 AM »
This is one I've been struggling with lately...

I like the taste of many fruit beers, but I have not had as much luck duplicating them.  I made a nice cherry beer last year from eally cherries, but it took a very long time to smooth out.

Has anyone had good luck with fruit extracts?  I've tried them once or twice but usually the flavor gets lost in the beer.

Any advice?

Brad
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Offline brownbeard

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Re: Fruit Beer
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2005, 04:39:05 AM »
I have attempted three cherry wheat beers.  None of them turned out good.  The cherry flavor was not even noticable.  My wife absolutely loves Sam Adams Cherry Wheat.  I would love to duplicate it, but cannot.  I used extracts each time, I will give it another shot this summer, using cherry juice.
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EODGman

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Re: Fruit Beer
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2005, 08:16:33 AM »
Our house favorite is Apricot Ale.  Either extract or all grain they all turn out great.  We have used Oregon Fruit Products with great success but they are pricey.  We have used the flavor extracts with great success also.  We only use 2 oz. in 5 gals after it comes out of the secondary.  Have used in the primary too and it only had a mild hint.  Overall success.  We have been making the Magic Hat #9 clone for some time and love it.

 We have made several raspberry and cherry wheat beers and they were better than the Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat.  Had to use real fruit though (Oregan Fruit again).  Use an entire can (3.3 pounds) in the secondary.  Move the beer at the end of the third day of active fermentation and it will literally restart.  Wait 7 to 10 days and transfer to secondary.   Do not filter this one!
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Offline BeerSmith

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Re: Fruit Beer
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2005, 10:50:44 AM »
I tried an apricot beer recently - a simple light ale, with mild hops to bring out the apricot sweetness and then added 4 oz of apricot extract.

Net result - a good tasting  beer but the apricot flavor and smell was barely noticable.  It was totally masked by the beer flavor.

I would appreciate recipes from those who have been most successful!

Brad
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Offline bonjour

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Re: Fruit Beer
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2005, 05:20:36 PM »
A local brewpub makes a great Cherry beer.  I think the key is to leave the cherries in the secondary a very long time.

Fred
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hornbrau

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Re: Fruit Beer
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2005, 04:03:21 AM »
Brad,

You've got the right idea, a light low ibu beer with the extract added at bottling time is the only way I've ever been able to get any flavor in the finished product.  I made a strawberry blonde once with the strawberry purree added to the secondary and it tasted OK but took months to clear.  I think adding the extract is much easier and gives a much more consistant result.  4oz is usually enough to give just a hint of the fruit flavor which is what I want YMMV.
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