Rigel Raspberry Wheat Ale

TYPE: Raspberry Wheat Beer (6 gal)

INGREDIENTS: 6.6 POUNDS MUNTON AND FISON WHEAT MALT EXTRACT (45% BARLEY 55% WHEAT); 1.4 POUNDS ALEXANDER WHEAT “KICKER”; 3 POUNDS RASPBERRY PUREE; 7.7 HBU PERLE HOPS; 6.0 HBU SAAZ HOPS; 8 WHOLE CLOVES; ˝ TSP. IRISH MOSS; ˝ TSP GELATIN FININGS; 1 ˝ CUPS DRY MALT EXTRACT (CONDITIONING); WYEAST WEITZEN LIQUID YEAST.



DESCRIPTION OF BREW PROCESS: PRE-START YEAST THE PRIOR EVENING IN 16 OZ OF WATER AND 5 TBL. OF DRY MALT EXTRACT (HOWEVER, WITH THIS BATCH I USED A SPECIAL HIGH POTENCY SMACK PAK THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A PRE-START). BRING 4 GAL WATER TO BOIL, ADD MALT EXTRACT AND RETURN TO BOIL. AFTER 5 MIN BOIL ADD PERLE HOPS AND BOIL FOR 30 MIN.. ADD ONE HALF OF SAAZ HOPS AND THE CLOVES. BOIL FOR 30 MIN.. ADD IRISH MOSS, AND REMAINING SAAZ AND BOIL FOR 30 MIN. PLACE BREW POT INTO ICE IMMERSION TO BRING TEMP DOWN. POUR 2 GAL COLD AEREATED WATER IN FERMENTER. POUR WARM WORT INTO FERMENTER AND STRAIN HOPS WITH ENOUGH COLD WATER TO BRING FERMENTER TO PROPER LEVEL (6 GAL). COOL WORT, ADD RASPBERRY PUREE AND PITCH YEAST AT 70-75 DEGREES. AFTER 3-5 DAYS ADD FININGS. PRIME AND BOTTLE IN ABOUT 14 DAYS.





DATE BREWED: 7-4-04

START SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.046

DATE BOTTLED: 7-18-04 GRAVITY : 1.010

END SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.010


COMMENTS: This ferment actually started with 6.5 gallons. This batch really took off after 24 hours… it almost blew the top off of the fermenter. The blow-off hose tended to plug and required much vigilance. Once things settled down it had a long slow ferment. My initial impression at bottling was that it looked reasonably clear with minimal fruit fallout. This promises to be a good batch and my hopes are up. Put up 31 22oz bottles.


DATE: July 4, 2004

JUDGE: Peter M. Schloss

FLAVOR PROFILE: 50 POINT SCALE


BEER NAME/TYPE: RASPBERRY WHEAT BEER

a: HEAD RETENTION AND APPEARANCE: 1-6 PTS: 5
COLOR (2)
CLARITY (2)
HEAD RETENTION (2)

b: AROMA AND BOUQUET: (ACCORDING TO STYLE) 1-10 PTS: 10
MALT (3)
HOPS (3)
OTHER FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS (4)

c: FLAVOR: (ACCORDING TO STYLE) 1-19 PTS: 18
MALT (4)
HOPS (4)
BALANCE (5)
CONDITIONING/CARBONATION (3)
AFTERTASTE (3)

d: BODY (ACCORDING TO STYLE) 1-5 PTS: 5

e: OVERALL IMPRESSION & DRINKABILITY: 1-10 PTS: 10

TOTAL POINTS: 48
(scale: excellent 40-50; very good 30-39; good 25-29;
drinkable 20-24)

COMMENTS: BY FAR THE BEST OF THE FRUIT BEER EFFORTS SO FAR. INITIAL TASTING ONE WEEK AFTER BOTTLING PRESENTS A CLEAN, CRISP, FRUIT BEER THAT IS WELL BALANCED… A BIT “ZIPPY” BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT A BIT OF AGING WILL MELLOW THAT. A BEER WITH FRUIT PRESENCE, NOT FRUIT WITH BEER PRESENCE. THE HOPS ARE NOTICEABLE AND VERY APPROPRIATE, WITH SLIGHT HOP BITTERNESS. THE AROMA IS RASPBERRY WITH A BIT OF SPICE (THE CLOVES OR THE HOPS?). THE APPEARANCE IS CLEAR WITHOUT THE FRUIT RESIDUE IN THE PRIOR EFFORTS. I ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE ABILITY TO DRAIN OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE FERMENTER. I WOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BEER… (WELL, AS SOON AS I SAY THAT I THINK THAT MAYBE NEXT TIME I WILL ADD THE FRUIT AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF INITIAL FERMENT.) THE RECIPE IS A DEFINITE “KEEPER”.

Brewer:	Peter Schloss		Email:	pmslaw@kc.rr.com
Beer:	Rigel Raspberry Wheat Ale		Style:	Weizen/Weissbier
Type:	Extract		Size:	6 gallons
Color:	3 HCU (~3 SRM)		Bitterness:	34 IBU
OG:	1.050		FG:	1.010
Alcohol:	5.1% v/v (4.0% w/w)
Boil:	minutes	SG 1.074	4 gallons
	8 lb. Wheat extract
Hops:	1 oz. Perle (8% AA, 60 min.) 1 oz. Saaz (3.75% AA, 60 min.) 1 oz. Saaz (3.75% AA, 30 min.)
Carbonation:	2.5 volumes	Dried Malt Extract: 9.40 oz. for 6 gallons @ 72°F

Recipe posted 07/27/04.