Page 1 of 1

Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:06 pm
by Mcmurdo Mike
I started a 24L batch of Wheat Beer 2 days ago. I followed Mr Beers recipe for Raspberry Wheat and added the raspberriy Puree prior to pitching the yeast.
As expected, there was lots of solids in the wort.
This morning when I checked it to make sure it was working, I was suprised to see the solids looked like they were at a rolling boil. :wow:
Temp was 74 F.
I'm in the process of cooling it down to around 70 F. :freeze:

My Apricot Wheat, in the LBK is doing the same thing.

Does anyone know if this is normal?

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:09 pm
by RickBeer
Temp is too high. Cool the wort (not the air) down to mid to high 60s and it will slow down.

In the future, ferment a week, then add the fruit and go 2 more weeks.

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 9:39 pm
by HerbMeowing
Normal (under the circumstances): yes
Good: not so much

Chances are this batch will be a drain pour b/c fusels from elevated fermentation temperature; however ... you never know for sure until you pop the top.

I've been brewing raspberry wheats going on ten years.
It's a fairly straight forward two-step process.
1) Ferment cool (low-to-mid 60s) for two weeks with a wheat appropriate yeast. I get good results w/Safbrew wheat (WB-06). Early trials w/WLP320 overpowered the fruit flavor.

2) Rack quietly into 2ndary onto _bagged_ crushed fresh fruit (frozen fruit or puree ... just thaw and bag).
Failure to bag the fruit will clog the bottling wand.
Rest one week.
Package.

One more thing.
Fruit beers take time to mature.
Best flavor comes with seven to 11 weeks in the bottle.

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 10:00 pm
by bpgreen
I haven't brewed a lot of wheat beers, but from what I've read, temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s can be appropriate, depending on what esters you want to produce.

According to how to brew fusel alcohol is produced at temperatures above 80. So you may be ok.

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 10:13 pm
by HerbMeowing
If his temp was m-70s then the wort was at least 5 higher and maybe 8.

Wheat w/high ferment temp gets you banana
Banana raspberry ... thank you no thanks

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 10:49 pm
by John Sand
I haven't brewed that, or anything like it.
But give it time, it may be fine. I have had other yeasts get too warm. Some are bad, others good. Let us know how it turns out.

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:15 am
by mashani
The good news is that most dry yeast strains make pretty much jack in the way of Banana. IE the only way to get really noticeable Banana with WB-06 is to ferment 78-80 degrees. Which is technically "out of spec" however some commercial breweries do use that strain and then do a controlled 78 degree fermentation on purpose to get that character if they want it.

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:55 am
by Mcmurdo Mike
I got the fermenter temp down to about 65.
I'm using a Fluke infrared thermometer and measured the Fermenter on all sides, and at several levels.
I'd like to get an immersion thermometer, but that is the best I have right now!

The movement has subsided substantially, it is still active. But not like it was.

I think that it will be alright. Caught it early enough.

Thanks for everything! :urock:

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:20 pm
by Mcmurdo Mike
Bottled the Raspberry Wheat Sunday.
It tasted really good and had a good raspberry flavor. :fillup

OG was 1.050 @ 70 F
FG was 1.004 @ 74 F

Re: Raspberry Wheat

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:46 pm
by Kealia
Wow, that got down low.

Glad it is working out for you.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk