Morrisons Strawberry Flavouring

[mdex]

Morning,

I have bought a little bottle of strawberry flavouring to add to my next cider brew. At which stage should it be added and at what ratio?

[mshergold]

I'd say at the start, but there are several things you need to consider:

1. What are the ingredients? If it contains preservatives and other chemicals, it will need to be boiled to drive them off (cordials are boiled for around 20-30 minutes).
2. How much strawberry flavour do you want and what is the product actually intended for? If it's to make drinks, take a cider you already have (or buy one) and mix the amount stated into it and see how it tastes, or if you don't want just a hint of flavour, mix maybe half and then step up until you have the desired flavour. It's probably best to boil the flavouring first as I'd imagine this would also concentrate the flavour.
3. If the product is not for making drinks, then boil (if needed) and taste it and follow 2.

Hope this helps. I've never used such a product, so the above is only what I'd do, so wait to see if anyone else offers advice first though.

[second2none]

If it is actual "strawberry flavouring" the kind you use in baking instead of strawbery cordial they you shouldnt really use it,
I tried and it doesnt mix into ur brew and leaves like a jelly/goo in the bottom of ur bottles even with boiling.

Strawberry is a very difficult flavour to get right, like you never get a strawberry juice drink that tastes like fresh strawberries,
and might might ur TC taste chemically.
I saw a post a few weeks ago people just chucking a hand full of raspberryies into the TC... i think they were happy with the outcome!
Anyway just trying to help ... experiment you might be onto a winner! Either way we'd love to hear how it turns out, Good luck

[mdex]

Yeah its just Srawberry flavouring from the bakery aisle. Will give it a go anyway. What the worst that could happen........

I'll boil it up with some AJ, let it cool down then add just before bottling. Must try and remember to come back and post how it went.

[mdex]

Finally got round to doing this.

I ended up boiling about 20ml of flavlouring in some apple juice then letting it cool before adding to the demijohn before bottling.

Finished with 9 500ml bottles so another 4 weeks and we'll know how this actually tastes

[mdex]

I didn't wait 4 weeks.......

Don't bother trying this, complete waste of time. No strawberry taste at all.

[second2none]

Boooo!
Sorry to hear that, but thanks for the feedback
Better luck next time

[jmc]

Shame it didn't work out.

Maybe this would have a better chance
Lowicz Syrup Strawberry (440ml) - £1.47 - Asda



I think its very hard to get strawberry right.

I must admit I haven't tried above Strawberry but I've used the Raspberry (very good) and Cherry (OK but tastes a bit artificial at the moment)
Lowicz Cherry / Raspberry / Strawberry at ASDA
I tried them in a Belgian-blonde style ale in secondary so that aroma not blown away.

I think Tesco only do Raspberry.

ATB
John

[mdex]

Thanks jmc.

[Kevin]

Hi jmc,

I've got a wheat beer kit and I'm interested in making some raspberry beer... I wondered if you could please tell me how much of the syrop you used and to what size batch? Did you get an obvious raspberry flavour? I plan to use spray malt as recommended on the kit, if that makes any difference...?

So after fermenting, I add the syrup with the priming sugar before I bottle? Is that right?

Cheers,

Kevin

[second2none]

Remember that there is plently of sugar in the syrup,
I would add the syrup at the start so that ur bottles dont become over primed at the end.
and as for how much it depends on how much of a strawberry taste u want,
I use a 440ml bottle per 5L for a cider/ raspberryade, I think this ratio would work well for your beer if you are trying to make like a Kriek lambic style brew, thou this would make a very distinctive fruit flavour if you want more suttle hints of strawberry I'd stick 2 in 25L FB.

I hope it turns out well for you what ever you choose!

[Kevin]

I think I will try 2 in the 25l fb and see what happens! Would you adjust the sugar for the kit or just sling these in as an addition?

Cheers

[jmc]

Hi Kevin

It makes lovely Raspberry Wheat beer.
I'll have a sample of one later and try to take a pic for you.
*** EDIT **. Good excuse to have a taster.
Very tasty. SWMBO loves it too. Not sweet at all



Don't add it to when bottling as the amount you need will have too much sugar and you'll have bottle bombs.

On my brew I did a 5 gal Wheat brew length and brewed to completion (steady FG). I added syrup at this stage to make sure aroma not blown away by a vigourous initial fermentation.

I did some tasting and thought about 10-15% Raspberry syrup would be good (to my palate)

I used 2 demijohns and split 3 bottles of Raspberry syrup between the 2 demijohns then topped up with ale and placed fermentation trap on top. Balance ~ 3gals bottled as plain (but nice) wheat beer

Second fermatation was not as vigourous as I thought it would be. It took about a month or so to stop bubbling, then I bottled it.

Taste was very intense Raspberry and not too sweet as Raspberry sharpness still there but most of sugar is gone.

I'm doing an experiment again with Raspberry and Cherry syrup with a Belgian Abbey Single.
For this I've just used 1 bottle of syrup per demijohn.
This has taken 4 weeks or so to complete demijohn phase and its ready to bottle now.
I'll probably add some Chimay yeast when bottling.

ATB John

[second2none]

I wouldnt bother changing the amount of sugar in the brew it will only add like 1% to ur brew
but that amount of sugar would make ur beer fizz over ...

[GSMunn]

So would adding from the begining work out well? Im tempted (Once i've ploughed through my IPA) to do a coopers wheat, 2 bottles of raspberry syrup and probably BKE or spraymalt, would chucking all this into the primary at once work? Or would it be better to do it JMC's way by adding to a secondry?