Attempting my first fruit added beer and I’d like your input on the recipe.
5 lbs Wheat Malt
4 lbs Pilsner Malt
Mash @155 for 60
1 oz Hallertau @60
WLP300 w/1.7l starter
7lbs of frozen/thawed strawberries in secondary for approx. 10 days after primary.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Looks good to me. Everything I’ve ever been told or read regarding the addition of strawberries advised to use a LOT of them.
In general 1 to 2lbs of fruit per gallon of beer is fine however strawberry is a very mild fruit flavor. I suggest bumping it up to 2lbs per gallon in secondary and also NOT to use the 300 yeast because the yeast flavor will over power the fruit flavor. I suggest using something like wyeast 1010 or even 1056/ safe ale 05 to help the fruit shine through. Also try to get fresh fruit and freeze it for a fews day prior and let thaw prior to adding followed by mashing it up with a sanitized masher to get more surface area for flavor. The fresh really adds a little bit something extra. O also mash for 90 min to help with conversion.
Thanks for the input. I was planning on getting fresh (or as fresh as possible) strawberries and freezing them a couple days prior, then thawing before adding to secondary.
For the yeast/flavor profile, I’m just looking for a hint of strawberry added to the typical estery hefe yeast- is 7lbs still too little for a 5 gallon batch?
i would say increase it to 10lbs. Strawberry is a Very very very subtle flavor and the hefe yeast will overpower it. I have tried it and yeast dominates but hell ya never know it may be the best beer you ever made its strictly personal choice. Would love to know the results.
Ok, that makes sense- I’ll up the amount of strawberries a bit. Thanks for the advice!
I would also go with 10 lbs. The flavor of many fruits is 99% sweetness and that is gone once the yeast eats the sugars.
Its going to depend on what strawberries you use. I grow sarian strawberries that have about 50X more flavor to them then the tasteless red “water bags” that you can buy in a store. Remember that the strawberries sold in a grocery store are genetically modified to last longer after being picked than what a “real” strawberry.
I’ve never made a strawberry beer so I can’t suggest an amount to use. If I were going to make one, I’d get the strawberries from a local farm where you pick them yourself.