AG 31 Forest Fruit Mild

[GrowlingDogBeer]

For my next brew, whilst running very low on ingredients I thought I'd make use of some of the Blackberries I grew this year.

I would welcome any opinions, particularly on the amount of Blackberries I am putting in, do you think it will be enough? Or is it too much?

Thanks

Blackberry Mild

Original Gravity (OG): 1.051 (°P): 12.6
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (°P): 3.3
Alcohol (ABV): 5.01 %
Colour (SRM): 19.6 (EBC): 38.6
Bitterness (IBU): 26.6 (Average)

70.71% Maris Otter Malt
25.25% Caramalt
4.04% Chocolate

1.3 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

6.7 g/L Blackberries @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

[GrowlingDogBeer]

Well, SWMBO said there was no way I was putting all of the Blackberries in the beer, she has other plans for them

So I had a dig around the Freezer, I have some blueberries, some raspberries, some redcurrants and some Blackberries.

We are now going for a Forest Fruit Mild, with a bit less fruit than I would like but hopefully with the Bramling Cross as well it should be reasonable. P.S. I'm using Lager Malt as it's all I have left.

Forest Fruit Mild (Fruit Beer)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.052 (°P): 12.9
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (°P): 3.3
Alcohol (ABV): 5.11 %
Colour (SRM): 17.3 (EBC): 34.1
Bitterness (IBU): 25.0 (Average)

62.96% Lager Malt
18.52% Caramalt
7.41% Oat Malt
7.41% Wheat Malt
3.7% Chocolate

1.3 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil)
0.7 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)

37.5 g/L Mixed Fruits @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

[Manx Guy]

Hi Steve!

Interesting sounding brew!
I'd be interested to know how it turns out...
Will you add any fruit in secondary - as the Belgians do with their fruit beers?


Guy

[Lugsy]

My only experience is putting about a kilo of raspberries in the secondary with a gallon of beer thinking it might come out like a Framboise but to be honest it ruined a good beer by making it far too thin and cider-like. However that is over 200g/litre, I would imagine you'd be fine with the amount's you're looking at but I have no idea how much flavour they'll impart.

Let us know how it turns out

[Spud395]

No help again Steve, but I've 500g of Blackberries in the freezer as well.
Take the hit for the team and report back

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I've sourced another 2 Kg of Blackberries today

So there will be a total of 4.5 Kg of fruit going in. It's all going in the boil, none in the fermenter as I don't want to risk introducing an infection.

This will also be pushing the brewery to the max, and I expect a boil over, as I am targetting a 60 L brew length in a 70 Litre copper which is going to be fun

[dave-o]

4.5k is much more like it. You really need a lot of fruit to have any effect.

[GrowlingDogBeer]

The brewday report is here.

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=46222

[dedken]

Steve,

I've just done version two of my "Fruits of the Forest Stout", (23l brewlength) in which I used 824g blackberries, 170g raspberries and 1 jar blackcurrant jam. Scored 46/60 at the recent London and Southeast Craft Brewing competition, although I got marks knocked off for it not being fruity enough (entered into fruit beer category), which was annoying as I deliberately toned down the fruit to make a balanced beer. The was no other category I could have entered it into unfortunately, the meer presence of fruit would have disqualified it from the 'stout' section (BJCP rules).

Anyway it has a good fruityness in my opinion (I too used Bramling cross - goes so well in stouts, yum!). Depends what you're aiming for as well - if you're going for a proper fruit beer you're going the right way about it! My previous version contained another 400g fruit plus a jar of bramble jelly, but I thought it ended up a touch thin (all that jam sugar).... hang about just reading your brewday report....

I see 4.5kg for 60l brewlength - could turn out pretty nice although I have a slight doubt about a mild being the best showcase for the fruit. I guess we'll have to wait and see!

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I didn't have the ingredients to do a Stout and wanted to get a brew done, hence why it was a Mild, it's quite a strong one though so will hopefully be able to carry it off.

There are some marvellous smells coming out of the fermenters today.

[dave-o]

I thought it ended up a touch thin (all that jam sugar

I was planning to add extra Flaked Barley to replace some of that body. How much did you use in your fruit stout?

And did you use any sweetening grains or adjuncts? My feeling is that you need more unfermentable sugars in a fruit beer to counteract some of that dryness from the fruit sugars, and because fruit tastes seem to require some sweetness.

This is all theory at the moment, so i'd love to hear more about your recipe and how you'd do it differently next time.