Cheap'n'Easy Light Wit (Hoegaarden-ish)

[subfaction]

do I need to add the protofloc as normal (15mins before end of boil)

I didn't bother and it turned out great

[greenxpaddy]

Hi John

What did it taste like?

I know - raspberries!

Cheers

Hi greenxpaddy

You're right
Quite dry with nice acidity and loads of raspberry flavour.

For the next one I've done a Belgian style Abbey Single (5%) brewed out then syrup added to secondary.
I reduced raspberry to 1 bottle syrup per demijohn.
Not sure final AV, probably 6-7%.
Bottled now and conditioning I'll post an update when I try one.

ATB John

Morning John

I'm ready to try the raspberry thing. Here's my plan. I'm going to make a raspberry syrup from frozen raspberries. I'll then check the sugar content using a dilution factor and hydro reading. I'm planning to add a pasteurised quantity to the chilling wort at 85 degrees C. Then I will also prime with it.

My main question is .... to get that nice rich pink colour how much raspberry syrup did you add to what size batch?

[rossi74]

going to give this a go as my first atempt at a wit

[jmc]

Hi John

What did it taste like?

I know - raspberries!

Cheers

Hi greenxpaddy

You're right
Quite dry with nice acidity and loads of raspberry flavour.

For the next one I've done a Belgian style Abbey Single (5%) brewed out then syrup added to secondary.
I reduced raspberry to 1 bottle syrup per demijohn.
Not sure final AV, probably 6-7%.
Bottled now and conditioning I'll post an update when I try one.

ATB John

Morning John

I'm ready to try the raspberry thing. Here's my plan. I'm going to make a raspberry syrup from frozen raspberries. I'll then check the sugar content using a dilution factor and hydro reading. I'm planning to add a pasteurised quantity to the chilling wort at 85 degrees C. Then I will also prime with it.

My main question is .... to get that nice rich pink colour how much raspberry syrup did you add to what size batch?

Hi greenxpaddy

My best result with 1.5 bottles Raspberry fruit syrup to a demijohn and topping up to a gallon with wheat beer.

..more info from Adding Fruit To A Beer Recipe

Best result was adding 1.5 bottles Raspberry fruit syrup to a demijohn and topping up to a gallon with wheat beer at a stage when it was ready for bottling.
I didn't bottle it then but left it to slowly ferment for another month. (Balance of AG wheat beer to a cornie)

It was an experimental gallon and proved lovely. Loads of raspberry flavour and it also retained some sweetness which I think is the hardest thing to achieve without resorting to sweetners or pasturising...

I had last bottle this week 13 months since AG started and it was lovely. Still tasting like a summer raspberry brew with lovely colour, fruit and acidity and a touch of sweetness.

I tried a couple of subsequent brews
* An Abbey single with raspberry at secondary
* A pale ale with raspberry addeded at flame out
Unfortunately both these proved disapointing as initial raspberry flavour seemed to disapear after a couple of months leaving an odd sort of artificial taste behind. Its drinkable but not something I'd be proud to give my mates.

Cherry versions of above 2 were worse with artificial taste starting earlier.

[smbenn]

Fantastic recipe and produced an extremely drinkable tasty beer! Only question is, after about 6 weeks in the bottle, it's starting to clear(!) and I'm sure the flavour isn't quite as good as it was after 2 weeks.

So: do weiss have a short shelf life?!

[jmc]

Fantastic recipe and produced an extremely drinkable tasty beer! Only question is, after about 6 weeks in the bottle, it's starting to clear(!) and I'm sure the flavour isn't quite as good as it was after 2 weeks.

So: do weiss have a short shelf life?!

+1
Given enough time some of mine go crystal clear.

Most wheat beers are best served fresh

[subfaction]

Same here, just swirl the yeast back onto suspension after poring out 3/4... Mmm

[greenxpaddy]

Just had a massacre in the kitchen trying to make a raspberry syrup from frozen raspberries. Main reason was I wanted maximum raspberry flavour without any added glucose or sucrose.

Started with 3.6 kilos of frozen raspberries.

Heated slowly in a pan, once runny blended smooth with a hand blender, then heated to 82c to pasteurise.

Then passed through a sieve to try to extract as much of the water and sugars leaving as much of the protein and fibre behind. The pulp amounted to 0.8 kg. The raspberry puree - looking nothing like syrup! - amounted to 2.1kg. That means I lost a fair bit to the pans but probably most to evaporation.

The sugar content of the raspberries on the packet was 4.9%. So should be at least 100g of sugars in the puree. Anyone know fermentable the sugars are?

I'll test the gravity of the puree at the time of use but it may be inaccurate given the presence of the pectin and fibre etc still in it

[jmc]

.....

The sugar content of the raspberries on the packet was 4.9%. So should be at least 100g of sugars in the puree. Anyone know fermentable the sugars are?
...

This article has a handy table with % fructose & glucose in fruits including raspberry. I believe both fructose & glucose are very fermentable.

There may be other sugars in the fruit as these are not included in the table
Eg for fresh apples table lists 8% but this article implied apples have 11-18%

Content in gram / 100g product
Fructose (F) Glucose (G) Ratio F / G
Dried fruit:
Apple 29 10 2.9
Date 25 25 1.0
Fig 24 26 0.9
Plum 9 16 0.6
Raisin 32 31 1.0

Apple, fresh 6 2 2.8
Apple, jam / jelly 27 26 1.0
Apple, juice 6 2 2.7
Apple, sauce 8 4 1.8
Banana 3 4 1
Blackberries, fresh 3 3 1.1
Blackberries, jam 20 22 0.9
Blueberries, can 2 2 1.4
Blueberries, fresh 3 2 1.4
Blueberry, jam 20 22 0.9
Cherries, sour 4 5 0.8
Cherries, sweet 6 7 0.9
Cherry, jam 22 28 0.8
Cranberries, can 21 21 1
Cranberries, fresh 3 3 1
Cranberry, jam 20 22 0.9
Currants, black fresh 3 3 1
Currants, red fresh 2 2 1.2
Gooseberry, fresh 3 3 1.1
Grape, juice 8 8 1
Grapefruit, fresh 2 2 0.9
Grapefruit, juice fresh 2 2 1
Grapes, fresh 7 7 1
Honey 39 34 1.1
Kiwi 5 4 1.1
Lemon 1 1 1
Lemon, juice 1 1 1
Litchi 3 5 0.6
Mandarins, fresh 1 2 0.8
Mandarins, juice 3 2 2
Mango, fresh 3 1 3.1
Melon, honey 1 1 2.1
Melon, water 4 2 2
Orange 3 2 1.1
Orange, juice fresh 3 3 1.2
Orange, marmalade 15 17 0.9
Papaya 0.3 1 0.3
Peach, can 4 4 0.9
Peach, fresh 1 1 1.2
Pineapple, can 5 5 1
Pineapple, fresh 2 2 1.2
Pineapple, juice 3 3 1
Plum, fresh 2 3 0.6
Pumpkin 1 2 0.9
Raspberries, can 7 6 1
Raspberries, fresh 2 2 1.2
Raspberry, jam 14 17 0.8
Rose hip 7 7 1
Star fruit 8 7 1.1
Strawberry, fresh 2 2 1.1
Strawberry, jam 19 22 0.9
Tomato, fresh 1 1 1.3
Tomato, juice 2 1 1.3

[greenxpaddy]

.....

The sugar content of the raspberries on the packet was 4.9%. So should be at least 100g of sugars in the puree. Anyone know fermentable the sugars are?
...

This article has a handy table with % fructose & glucose in fruits including raspberry. I believe both fructose & glucose are very fermentable.

There may be other sugars in the fruit as these are not included in the table
Eg for fresh apples table lists 8% but this article implied apples have 11-18%

Content in gram / 100g product
Fructose (F) Glucose (G) Ratio F / G
Dried fruit:
Apple 29 10 2.9
Date 25 25 1.0
Fig 24 26 0.9
Plum 9 16 0.6
Raisin 32 31 1.0

Apple, fresh 6 2 2.8
Apple, jam / jelly 27 26 1.0
Apple, juice 6 2 2.7
Apple, sauce 8 4 1.8
Banana 3 4 1
Blackberries, fresh 3 3 1.1
Blackberries, jam 20 22 0.9
Blueberries, can 2 2 1.4
Blueberries, fresh 3 2 1.4
Blueberry, jam 20 22 0.9
Cherries, sour 4 5 0.8
Cherries, sweet 6 7 0.9
Cherry, jam 22 28 0.8
Cranberries, can 21 21 1
Cranberries, fresh 3 3 1
Cranberry, jam 20 22 0.9
Currants, black fresh 3 3 1
Currants, red fresh 2 2 1.2
Gooseberry, fresh 3 3 1.1
Grape, juice 8 8 1
Grapefruit, fresh 2 2 0.9
Grapefruit, juice fresh 2 2 1
Grapes, fresh 7 7 1
Honey 39 34 1.1
Kiwi 5 4 1.1
Lemon 1 1 1
Lemon, juice 1 1 1
Litchi 3 5 0.6
Mandarins, fresh 1 2 0.8
Mandarins, juice 3 2 2
Mango, fresh 3 1 3.1
Melon, honey 1 1 2.1
Melon, water 4 2 2
Orange 3 2 1.1
Orange, juice fresh 3 3 1.2
Orange, marmalade 15 17 0.9
Papaya 0.3 1 0.3
Peach, can 4 4 0.9
Peach, fresh 1 1 1.2
Pineapple, can 5 5 1
Pineapple, fresh 2 2 1.2
Pineapple, juice 3 3 1
Plum, fresh 2 3 0.6
Pumpkin 1 2 0.9
Raspberries, can 7 6 1
Raspberries, fresh 2 2 1.2
Raspberry, jam 14 17 0.8
Rose hip 7 7 1
Star fruit 8 7 1.1
Strawberry, fresh 2 2 1.1
Strawberry, jam 19 22 0.9
Tomato, fresh 1 1 1.3
Tomato, juice 2 1 1.3

Thanks, the puree did not taste very sweet but really tart. Thinking I may mash at 69 ish to retain some sweetness to balance with the raspberry

[jmc]

I'm planning on trying an experiment with some of my next batch of wheat beer.
This time just add raspberry syrup at the bottling stage.

I did an experiment with some cider a couple of months ago where I used (Polish) blackcurrent syrup as source of conditioning sugar. The bottles list sugar g/100g so its not too difficult to work out how much to add to the bottling bucket.

I was really pleased with result and would be interested to see if this worked in a wheat beer with raspberry syrup.

[mattybabsy]

enjoying this beer as my first AG ever. for me, its closer to blue moon than hoe. Next time might try no or only one orange. Used wlp 400 yeast. took quite a long time to get going, but did a good job in the end. nice and drinkable, with a great nose. thx for the recipe!

[greenxpaddy]

I was going to do this next week but the urge got me tonight

Raspy Wit


Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Bohemian Pils Malt 4 EBC 2 lbs. 3.3 oz 1000 grams 22.8%
Dingemans Pils Malt 2.8 EBC 2 lbs. 10.3 oz 1200 grams 27.4%
Flaked Wheat 0 EBC 3 lbs. 8.4 oz 1600 grams 36.5%
Flaked Oats 0 EBC 0 lbs. 14.0 oz 400 grams 9.1%
Caramunich III 90 EBC 0 lbs. 2.8 oz 130 grams 1.8%
Raspberry Syrup
made from blended sieved frozen raspberries add at 85 deg C (@ 80% sugar content) 0 lbs. 3.5 oz 100 grams 2.3%
Oat husks 300g to prevent stuck mash


The blended raspberries are not 80% sugar - I tried a hydro reading in diluted puree and the calculation came out at 1.045. But there is so much unsievable gunk I am sure the reading is flawed I will base the sugar content on the raspberry packaging. Which calculated means my puree is 8% sugar. I will therefore need 10 times the amount above i.e 1kg of syrup


Hop Variety Type Alpha Time lb: oz grams Ratio
Golding Whole 5.7 % 60 mins 0 lbs. 0.5 oz 15 grams 42.9%
Golding Whole 5.7 % 15 mins 0 lbs. 0.4 oz 10 grams 28.6%
Saaz Whole 3.8 % 5 mins 0 lbs. 0.4 oz 10 grams 28.6%
(Fresh grated orange zest Whole 0 % 5 mins 0 lbs. 0.0 oz 35 grams 0%) not added
Crushed Coriander Seeds Whole 0 % 5 mins 0 lbs. 0.0 oz 10 grams 0%

Sweet pale ale (g)
Gyp 5.5
Cacl 5.5
Epsom 3.3
Nacl 1.4
Chalk 0

Mash at 69.5 degrees C to retain body and sweetness to combat the raspiness.

I did a two stage mash. Half the grist in to protein rest at 50 c then added boiling water and the rest of the grist to get to 69.5c. Reason for this is it means you don't need to decoct to get to the next stage or mash too dry at the protein rest stage. Plus the water heats up quick so the protein rest is only 15 mins. Otherwise you tend to find you don't get a persistent head, head retention suffers. Which is also why only protein rest half. The mash initially was 5.9ph so added another 10g of gypsum and 5g of epsom and got it down to 5.4 but it had risen to 5.6 again by the end of the 100 min mash. Plus lost a bit of temp with the mash tun half full so the temp had dipped to 66c. Hopefully still get some good sweetness remaining.

I have decided not to add orange peel. I think the raspberries will add enough tartness themselves.

Final Volume: 15 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.062
Final Gravity: 1.013
Alcohol Content: 6.4% ABV
Total Liquor: 23.1 Litres
Mash Liquor: 10.7 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 75 %
Bitterness: 17 EBU
Colour: 18 EBC

Prime with raspberry syrup to 2.8 vols CO2

Just waiting to get to the boil

Wy3944 Belgian Wit

will chill to 14c and then let temp rise slowly with fermentation

Just checked preboil gravity and its crap. 1.036. Very poor conversion....The malts are bit old I suppose and I did add 2L extra liqour for increased evaporation on this smaller vol. I am likely to get a lot of evaporation with the buffalo only half full. Could be 1.050 starting...With a big prime we might still get thereabouts!

[greenxpaddy]

1.048 18 litres. Didn't need to add that extra 2L!

Rather pea soup with all that pectin

[greenxpaddy]

Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Flaked Wheat 0 EBC 8 lbs. 13.0 oz 4000 grams 50.3%
Flaked Oats 0 EBC 0 lbs. 14.0 oz 400 grams 5%
Belgian Aromatic Malt 50 EBC 0 lbs. 5.6 oz 160 grams 2%
Dingemans Pils Malt 2.8 EBC 4 lbs. 3.0 oz 1900 grams 23.9%
Bohemian Pils Malt 4 EBC 1 lbs. 8.6 oz 700 grams 8.8%
Wheat Malt 3.5 EBC 1 lbs. 12.1 oz 800 grams 10.1%
Oat hulls 0 EBC 1 lbs. 6 oz 625 grams 0%

That looks a wicked recipe... anychance the .rec file?

Looks like a right tw@ to me (at least for a single Infusion Mash, maybe OK if you are Herms or Rims), not anywhere near 50% of a sensible Base Malt Like 'Lager Malt' or 'Pale Malt' I had to mash for over 2 hours to get full conversion with a 50% lager malt to 50% Flaked wheat. So I'd guess that the Stated 85% mash efficiency is not achievable.

Hey pdtnc, I have just checked the Lintner value for this recipe and it came in at average 35 degrees L. Which is about at the very minimum you can have I suppose so maybe if it was mashed really long, hit perfect mash ph of 5.3, had a protein rest and was decocted to break down the wheat membranes perhaps it might just be a possibility.