I have some wild grapes from this fall I would like to get out of the freezer. Most years we make a wild grape pyment but we still have quite a bit left from the past two years so I think we’ll skip this year.
So I’m thinking of trying some in a beer. Wild grape flavor is pretty intense so it won’t go with just anything. My first thought is in a saison. Also I’m thinking of squeezing/pressing the juice out of them and adding them in primary after several days.
So a few questions or invitations for comment: Do I need to boil the grapes even though they have been frozen to prevent an infection (in which case I would add pectic enzyme)? Any other ideas for beer styles? Does the method sound OK?
I’m thinking that unlike most fruits in brewing, a little may go a long way.
I think these would make a perfect addition for a lambic. If they have been washed and frozen, you do NOT need to boil them. Brew your beer and let it ferment out properly in primary. Thaw your grapes, add them to a secondary, and rack your beer on top. Be sure to give a bit of headspace for the renewed fermentation.
Your saison idea also sounds wonderful…
Nice idea
local fathead makes a blueberry honey ale. i could see a concord or such in the same-sounds tasty.
will wild yeast survive being frozen? not an issue for lambic perhaps but other ales???
just curious.
I think most light colored Belgian style could be really tasty. How about a golden strong?
I did a crabapple blond that turned out really well. I suppose it was more tart than sweet like grapes but if you can get it to finish dry it should complement the fruit more I think.
The wild grapes I have a pretty tart.
The crabapples I used were not quite ripe so they were very tart as well. I cleaned, quartered, and froze 3.75# and added to the fermenter after about a week. I only left them in a couple of days because I was worried I was going to overdo it. The beer was pretty tart when young but has mellowed a lot. It’s funny because it tastes a lot like my graff which is currently on as well.
Another idea would be to juice the grapes and add straight to the primary.