Bock Basics

Bockbier began in Einbeck as top-fermented wheat and barley beer, was later brewed in Bavaria with dark malts and bottom-fermentation, and eventually made stronger by Paulaner monks for Lent fasting to become doppelbock. Maibock and Helles Bock evolved as a strong version of Munich Helles, and Eisbock is rumored to have been serendipitously produced by a feckless journeyman who allowed his precious cargo to freeze. Common among them is an unwavering commitment to juicy malt character, a supportive hop presence, medium-to-full body, and refined, well-rounded flavor. The key to brewing them is a relatively simple malt bill and proper malt selection. Extract brewers have available products made from authentic Pilsner and Munich malts. Judicious use of character malts, such as crystal/caramel, aromatic and chocolate, fills out the palette. Hops, though generally reserved, need not be an afterthought entirely. Subtle hoppy aromatics can greatly enhance dark bock, and a more assertive noble bouquet accents pale bocks exquisitely. As for the yeast, I prefer the malt-enhancing Bavarian and Munich strains (Wyeast 2206, 2308 or Whitelabs 830,838), but Czech and Bohemian Lager yeasts can be used for a crisper finish without compromising malt. Whitelabs WLP833 is a bock-specific strain. California Lager yeast is suitable in a pinch if temperature control is an issue, and Fermentis Saflager 34/70 dried yeast is an excellent no-fuss option. As always, visit the yeast suppliers’ websites for the fermentation and profile specs. For successful fermentation, vigorous aeration is an absolute must, as is a healthy, high cell count yeast starter. Always perform a diacetyl rest, and cold-condition (6 to 8 weeks or more) as best as possible since bocks as much as any beer will benefit proper lagering.

Helles Bock and Maibock (Pale Bock)

As the names suggest, this group of bocks is fairly light-colored and/or brewed for late spring. Color ranges from bright, full gold to light amber. Helles Bock (gold) and Maibock (light amber) can be segregated by color, and brewers will generally follow this rule when naming them. For all grain brewers, blends of Pilsner, Vienna and Munich can be used without any character malt, leaving the body lean, and the malty flavor polished and clean. My favorite combinations are half Pilsner and half Vienna for full gold color and lightly kilned flavor and aroma. Pilsner/Munich and Vienna/Munich blends enrich the color, offer fuller body and greatly enhance spicy, toasted maltiness. SMaSM brewers can use either Pilsner or Vienna malt alone. Mash in the low 150s F, and you’ll have enough body to back up the gravity. Extract brewers are best served with combinations of Pilsner- and Munich-based extract, the latter comprising 10 to 25 percent of the total, augmented with light crystal or Carapils for body. Original gravity should be 1.064 or more. Hop up to 35 IBU, with a firm aromatic addition.

Traditional Bock

If the Helles Bock can be thought of as a strong Munich Helles, then traditional bock could be thought of as a buffed up Munich Dunkel. These were the original bocks of Bavaria, local interpretations of the Einbecker model, and the template for big brother Doppelbock. Still rather modest by “strong” beer standards at OG 1.064 and above, Traditional Bocks will test your mettle in homebrewing extra-malty beers. Use aromatic malts (must be mashed) to accentuate this malt component on top of toasty, well-kilned base malts. Once again, combinations of Pilsner, Vienna and Munich types can be used as the base, but this is a real chance to showcase Munich malt. My preference is 50/50 Vienna and Munich at about 90 percent of the grist, with the remainder Special B, Aromatic and Caramunich III, and sometimes chocolate. The color should be medium to mahogany brown. Mash at 154 to 155º F to get maximum mouthfeel. Extract brewers can follow the same strategy, with Pilsner and Munich extracts, the latter being up to 100 percent of the extract component. Add complexity and depth with Caramunich, medium to dark crystal and perhaps a small measure of Special B or chocolate as steeping grains. Melanoidins from kettle reactions should be a primary component. A prolonged boil or vigorous boiling of the initial runoff can greatly aid the richness of Traditional Bock. Hop rates are low to mid 20 IBUs.

Doppelbock

In this homebrewer’s opinion, a stellar Doppelbock is not only the ultimate beer style, but also one of the most rewarding beers to craft. Light lagers are probably harder to make, but Doppelbock embodies more of the artisan virtues than any other style. Patience, creativity and full command of brewing skills are needed. Most Doppels are full amber to deep reddish brown, but blonde doppelbocks also exist. The name itself can only be applied to lagers of minimum OG 1.072 in Germany, and rarely do they exceed 1.080. With these parameters in mind, this is truly a classic lager style that can be made entirely to the brewers whim. After all, Doppelbock was designed as liquid bread. Use the Pale Bock approach for Blonde Doppelbock, but mash high for mouthfeel and increase the gravity to at least 1.075. For amber Doppelbocks, use Vienna and Munich alone as the base and prolong the boil (always helps flavor development), or augment with Caramunich or medium caramel and/or aromatic malts for complexity. For darker color and even more depth, use Special B and chocolate malt for plum or raisin notes to go along with the sweetish, opulent malt and melanoidins. Hop in the low to mid 20 IBUs.

Mouthfeel can be from medium to full, the former partnering well with amber       Doppelbock and the latter a perfect match for dark, authentic historical renditions, shades of 17^th century Munich. The real challenge is to make this ultra-clean with impeccable and complete fermentation. Residuals should not be too sweet, but manifested in body and a big malty profile of aroma and flavor. Expect to ferment for a month and lager for at least 8 weeks. Never will a strong yeast starter, full aeration and proper diacetyl rest be more important. Bavarian, Munich and Bock yeasts are optimal.

Variations and
One-Off Bocks

About every fourth beer that I make has an “experimental” component to it, and bocks are not excluded from this. Try cocoa nibs, regular cocoa, chocolate syrup or chocolate at knockout, in the secondary or during aging. Another one to try is Black Bock or “Schwarzbock,” a variation that I have had great luck with. Add up to 5 percent Carafa of your choice and a touch of chocolate malt (up to 1# total in extract recipes per 5 gallons) for this roasty edge. It will remind you of Baltic Porter. Other malted grains, such as wheat or rye will add some creaminess, a bit more complexity and some flavor. Perhaps the best bock I’ve ever made, according to competition judges, was a Doppelbock made with malted rye (25%), Munich, Aromatic and Chocolate malt.

Now is the time to get that Doppelbock recipe together, since it will be ready right about Lent. And if all goes well, think about following that up with a Maibock, perfect for transitioning into summer.

Schwarzbock (extract)

5 gallons, OG 1.075, 25 IBU

Steep 1# Caramunich® III, 0.75# Carafa® I and 0.5# Special B for 20 minutes at 155º F

Rinse steeping grains and top up kettle to 5 gallons

Add 8# Munich LME and bring to a boil

Bittering hops: 1 oz Perle, 60 minutes

Flavor hops: 1 oz Tetnanger, 20 minutes

Aroma hops: 1 oz Tetnanger, 5 minutes

Ferment with standard lager procedures with one of the yeasts described above

Classic Doppelbock (partial mash)

5 gallons, OG 1.080, 25 IBU

Mash 1# aromatic malt, 1# Caramunich® III, 3# Munich malt and 3# Pilsner malt at 154º F for one hour

Collect 5.5 gallons of wort and dissolve 5# Munich malt extract in kettle

Bittering hops: 1.5 oz Hallertauer, 60 minutes

Flavor/Aroma hops: 0.5 Hallertauer, 10 minutes

Ferment with standard lager procedures with one of the yeasts described above

SMaSH Maibock (all-grain)

5 gallons, OG 1.070, 33 IBU

Mash 14# Vienna malt at 153º F for one hour

Bittering hops: 2 oz Hallertauer Mittelfruh, 60 minutes

Flavor hops: 1 oz Hallertauer Mittelfruh, 20 minutes

Aroma hops: 1 oz Hallertauer Mittelfruh, 0 minutes

Ferment with standard lager procedures with one of the yeasts described above

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OG 1.050, 36 IBU, 5 gallons
10# German Vienna (Wiener) malt
Mash at 150F for one hour
Select a German noble hop and add 8 Alpha Acid Units (36 IBU) to the kettle, boil for 60 minutes and add one ounce of the same hop variety at knockout. Dry hop with 1 oz. the same hop if desired.
I brew this as a top-fermenter with Wyeast 1007 or 1010, or White Labs WLP036 or WLP003 for a unique summer beer that comes out somewhere between kölsch and altbier.

English Barley Wine

OG 1.090, 60 IBU, 5 gallons
20# English pale ale malt (such as Maris Otter)
Mash at 153F for one hour
Collect 2 gallons of wort and begin to boil vigorously while collecting the rest of the sweet wort, or alternatively, collect 8 gallons of wort and boil down to 5.5 gallons. Duration of boil should be at least 2 hours
Add 24 AAU (60 IBU) of high alpha acid UK hops such as Target, Northdown, Phoenix or Pioneer to the kettle 60 minutes before the end of the boil. Add 2 oz. East Kent Goldings hops 5 minutes before the end of the boil.
Ferment with your favorite English ale yeast such as Wyeast 1028 or 1098, or White Labs WLP007 or WLP013

Saison

OG 1.060, 36 IBU, 5 gallons
12# German or Belgian Pilsner malt (Vienna malt is an excellent alternative)
Mash at 151F for one hour
8 AAU (32 IBU) East Kent or Styrian Goldings hops (or both), 60 min
1 oz. East Kent or Styrian Goldings hops, 15 min
1 oz. Czech Saaz hops, 0 min
Dry hop with an ounce of Saaz if desired
Ferment with a Belgian or French Saison yeast such as Wyeast 3724 or 3711 or White Labs WLP565 or WLP566

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American Ale, Belgian Pale, English Pale Ale and Mild Ale Malt (2.0 to 3.5°L):
American or English Bitters, Milds, Scottish Ale, Wee Heavy, Pale Ale, IPA, Double IPA, Barleywine.

American 2-row (1.5 to 2.0°L):
Golden Ale, Pale Ale, Light Lagers.

Rauch Malt (1.5 to 2.5°L):
Rauchbier, Rauch Maibock

Vienna Malt (3.0 to 4.0°L):
Vienna Lager, Oktoberfest/Marzen, American Pale Ale, American IPA and Double IPA, Maibock, Doppelbock, Eisbock, Belgian IPA.

Munich Malt (5.0 to 10.0°L):
American Amber Ale, Munich Dunkel, Bock, Doppelbock, Altbier.

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Why Single Malt?

Single malt brewing is not only a challenging and enlightening way to brew, but also has a direct connection to anachronistic ancient brewing practices. Professionals more often than not make historical beer styles as they present a safe perspective and tangible reference point, but most of the brews are based on styles that emerged after the advent of the specialty malts. Single malts capitalize on the properties of a particular malted barley, but also harken to a time when many brews were made from one type of malt. Those from Continental Europe were even given the name of the city in which they were developed, but also came to represent the signature style or characteristics of that city’s beer.

Pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts are examples, all of which are synonymous with the 19th century brews that were developed in each city, each beer bearing a distinctive color. Porters of the 18th and 19th centuries were often made from a single kilning, bringing their dark brown color and rough-hewn character to the brew. The rauchbiers of Bamberg are made with various measures of smoked malt, but some are single malt brews, made to the specifications of the brewery, often in-house.

English pale ale, American pale and mild ale malts are designed to provide a firm backbone in traditional ale recipes, but have plenty of delicate malty flavor to use without augmentation. Of course, from a pure technical point of view, brewing single malts allows the brewer a chance to examine the unique characteristics of the selected base malt while learning to shift the expression of that malt through further manipulation of mash and kettle.

The Mash

Anyone who does all-grain brewing knows the effect that mash temperature has on the mouthfeel and fermentability of the wort and, ultimately, the balance and texture of the beer. This is especially important with single malts because there are no bodybuilding specialty grains to fall back on. The ratio and interplay of alpha (dextrin) and beta (maltose and other fermentables) amylase is dependent upon the temperature of the mash, and is, next to the malt type, the most crucial brewing decision. Single malt kölsch versus single malt Munich helles may have mash temperature as its only prefermentation variable, with a difference of 4 or 5 degrees Fahrenheit between the two.

The Kettle

Of the many conditions that can affect the color and flavor of wort post-mash, the way in which the boil is executed can have the greatest influence. Degree of caramelization and melanoidin formation can be controlled rather expertly in the kettle by the duration, intensity and timing of the boil. Malliard reactions are a convoluted series of chemical changes in the presence of heat that causes browning and the combination of sugars and amino acids into melanoidin complexes. During this process, there are hundreds of compounds created that have flavor attributes different from the original components. Baked and roasted foods are examples of important culinary transformations. Vienna and Munich malts can do the same thing during the toasty kilning.

Caramelization is the darkening, and consequential flavoring effect that heat has on sugar, and can also be enhanced in the kettle. Caramel and melanoidin formation occur during any boil to some degree, but the key is to either minimize (pale beer) or maximize the formation (dark beer) for the desired effect. The best way to maximize is to intensely boil the first couple of gallons of wort until a noticeable darkening occurs. I like to do this for about 15 minutes before continuing the runoff. The first runnings are the strongest, increasing the interaction of the sugars and amino acids. Alternatively you can darken and concentrate the wort with a longer or more intense boil or both. For bocks and barley wines, start your boil after collecting two gallons of wort. Boil during the entire running of the wort, and another l hour during the hop additions. This prolonged boil of 2 to 3 hours will move your light-colored beers towards amber and your amber beers towards brown. It will contribute a host of flavors and complexity, and make efficient use of your malt.

The Recipe

The versatility of base malts will come as quite a surprise to those who haven’t contemplated making single malt brews before. The variety of these malts combined with the dozens of hop cultivars and yeasts and paired with deft mash and kettle technique leads to a virtual explosion of possibilities. Even within the realm of classic styles, the types of beers that can be made from Pilsner malt, for example, are extraordinarily broad. Of course, some combinations of the three base ingredients are seemingly made for each other. English pale ale malt, East Kent goldings hops and a characterful English yeast is a sublimely simplistic trinity. Likewise, Vienna malt, Halletauer or Tettnang hops and Bavarian bottom-fermenting yeast will make any lover of amber lagers swoon. SMASH beers such as these are the zenith of single malt brewing, but single malts are also an excellent way to demonstrate hop profiles or yeast imprint. Below are a few suggestions using the common base malts and classic beer styles that can be made from each. All of the base malts mentioned below are equipped with enough diastatic power to convert themselves over the course of a normal mash period of one hour (Lovibond specs are approximate). Even malted wheat (2.0 to 3.0°L) offers the opportunity for a single malt beer, but go heavy on the rice hulls in the mash to aid lautering.

The post Single-Malt Brewing first appeared on All About Beer.

Mash 4 lb American 2-row malt, 16.0 oz roasted barley, 8.0 oz chocolate malt, 8.0 oz 80º L crystal malt for 1 hour at 153º F

Collect wort and add 3 lb amber malt extract and 1 ½ cup dark molasses or treacle

Hop schedule:
1 oz Perle, 60 minutes
1 oz Cascade hops, 10 minutes

Ferment with a fairly neutral yeast like Wyeast 1056, White Labs WLP001 or Safale US-05

The post George’s Best – American Sweet Stout first appeared on All About Beer.

Steep 4.0 oz chocolate malt, 8.0 oz 120º L crystal, and 1.0 lb 40º L crystal for 20 minutes, then add:
6 lb amber malt extract and 1.5 lb turbinado, demarara, jaggery, or piloncillo sugar

Hop schedule:
1.5 oz East Kent Golding or Fuggles, 60 minutes
0.5 oz East Kent Goldings or Fuggles, 10 minutes

Ferment with an estery English ale yeast like Wyeast 1028 or White Labs WLP013 or similar dried ale yeast

The post Olde Stranger – Old Ale first appeared on All About Beer.

Mash 13# Pilsner malt at 151º F for 1 hour

Hop schedule:
2.0 oz East Kent Goldings, 60 minutes
1.0 oz Styrian Goldings, 20 minutes
1.5 oz Saaz, 5 minutes

Dissolve 1.5 lb corn or table sugar in wort during the last 10 minutes of the boil.

Ferment with Wyeast 1388 or White Labs WLP570

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The many shades and flavors of sugars are dependent upon their botanical origin, method of production, and degree of refinement. Sugarcane and beets are the source for most granulated and syrup sugars, but honey, agave and sorghum also provide delicious raw materials, as do maple, date and palm trees. There are dozens of different varietal honeys. Maple syrup and agave nectar are unique enough to give lighter brews a special touch. Plain dextrose (corn sugar) is invaluable in some recipe applications. Belgian candi sugar, be it blonde, amber, dark, rock, granulated, or syrup, is a homebrew shop staple. Molasses, a malt substitute, coloring and flavoring agent in American Colonial times, offers some potent flavors and comes in at least three shades. Golden syrup (light treacle) and dark treacle are quite similar to light and dark molasses. Rice syrup (brown or white) and rice syrup solids and can be purchased in homebrew shops or elsewhere. Lactose, used mostly in milk stout for residual sweetness, is yet another specialized homebrewing product. The humble brown sugar (white sugar mixed with a bit of molasses) is also a useful brewing ingredient.

The real fun starts with the peculiar raw sugars found in ethnic and natural groceries. Granulated types like turbinado, demerara, and muscovado (Barbados) are only partially refined, leaving the impurities intact within the granular matrix. These impurities contain “molasses” flavor normally removed via centrifugation. Turbinado and demerara are blonde-brown, and muscovado is dark brown. Other, more exotic sugars include jaggery (southeast Asia), date syrup or sugar (mostly Mediterranean), and piloncillo (Mexico, Central and South America). Jaggery and piloncillo are marginally refined and pressed into solid, molded shapes. They also contain the natural impurities of the other raw sugars mentioned above. Jaggery is made from palm tree saps or sugar cane, while piloncillo is exclusively made from cane sugar. Date syrup is either processed, macerated whole dates or extracted sugars made to the consistency of honey. Its flavor is similar to those dried dark fruit, vanilla and rummy notes that come from dark malts. Date sugar is a refined, crystallized version, with a lighter flavor than date syrup.

Now that the brewing gears are churning in your head, we’ll have to figure out how to use them. As a rule of thumb, don’t exceed 20 percent of the fermentables (classic Belgian ales rarely do, so I will gladly defer to them). Ten to 20 percent seems to be about the right amount to get some lightening effect and/or discernible flavor. Of course, the lightest of them will contribute little to no flavor. Savvy use of specialty malts can counter undesirable thinning if you are looking to add a lot of flavor from the sugar without compromising the mouthfeel.

As always,  because brewing is a measure of one’s ability to volley the ingredients off one another, here are a few other considerations. For extra kettle influence of caramelization and melanoidin formation, add your sugar to the first runnings and boil for 10 minutes before continuing the runoff. If using expensive items, such as agave nectar or maple syrup, think about splitting a batch and fermenting 1 to 3 gallons separately to maximize their contribution without breaking the bank. Those, as well as honey, are best added in the primary or secondary to maintain delicate aromatics. A pound of any sugar will contribute between 1.036 and 1.046 gravity points per gallon of liquid, or 1.007 to 1.009 per 5 gallons. The difference of 0.002 between the two is negligible. Most sugar syrups have an OG of about 1.400 to 1.500, so 1 cup will equal approximately 12 oz.

It is difficult to make sweeping recommendations, or to classify the many sugars and potential applications, but below is an attempt based on my own experience. Some are quite versatile (honey, dextrose and turbinado), while others can easily be overdone (molasses, dark treacle). Jaggery and Piloncillo come in assorted shades depending on the extent they are processed and will have more or less “dark” flavor dependent upon this. Use your best judgment and match the sugar and the beer to start (light sugar and light beer, medium to medium, etc.). My basic thoughts are followed by a trio of recipes that have served me well lo these many years. Go with your instincts, the permutations of playing with these sugars and beer recipes are virtually infinite. Have at it.

Dextrose, table sugar, Belgian light candi sugar and blonde syrup, corn syrup, rice syrup: Lighten body and boost alcohol with minimal flavor, can be used in virtually any beer. Golden strong ale, Belgian blonde, tripel, cream ale, light adjunct lager are best.

Honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, golden syrup, brown rice syrup: Some subtle character, may be overwhelmed in very dark beer. Varietal honeys can be soft- (sourwood, clover), medium- or strong-flavored (buckwheat, avocado). Best in light- to brown-colored beers of modest strength, but can flavor any beer. Wheat beers, lighter Belgian ales, pale, amber and brown ale.

Turbinado, demarara, light brown sugar, Belgian amber candi syrup: Light “molasses,” buttery or caramelized notes, though fairly subtle. Quite versatile. Belgian dubbel and quadruple, pale and amber American ales, barleywine, IPA or Imperial IPA.

Palm sugar, jaggery, piloncillo, date sugar, date syrup: Unusual character, flavorful and “raw.” More robust, but similar, to those immediately above (turbinado, et al). Toffee, candy flavor, hints of dark fruit, vanilla and rum. Old ale, dubbel or quadruple, brown ale, Belgian black ale, doppelbock, Baltic porter.

Muscovado, dark brown sugar, Belgian dark candi sugar and syrup: Fairly aggressive flavor. Muscovado and dark brown sugar bring dark fruit, molasses and rummy flavors and aromas. Hints of anise and licorice. The Belgian sugars have clean, toffee highlights and dark fruit. Dark Belgian ales, old ale, Imperial brown ale, porter, stout, doppelbock, barleywine and Baltic porter.

Molasses, treacle, sorghum syrup: Big effect even in small amounts. Cloying flavor if overdone. A perfect measure offers complex flavors that few other ingredients can. Sorghum syrup is the least bitter. Married with dark caramel malts, molasses, sorghum syrup and treacle seem to enhance the rummy and dark fruit character of those grains, as well as lend a black licorice and spicy anise hint. Start with about 1 ¼ cups (15 oz) in a 5-gallon batch in robust porter or strong/Imperial stout and a little less in Baltic porter or old ale.

The post Brewing With Sugar first appeared on All About Beer.

(extract, 5 gallons) OG 1.055, 20 IBU

Steep 1.0 lb Carapils® malt, then add:
5.0 lb wheat malt extract

Bring to a boil and add 1.0 oz Mt. Hood hop, AA 5.0%

Boil for one hour, add 0.5 oz of aroma hop like Saaz or Fuggles (optional), cool and pitch a neutral yeast like American ale or American wheat

After primary fermentation, add one can of raspberry fruit puree or 4.0 lb sanitized raspberries. Allow complete fermentation, rack to secondary for one week, then bottle or keg as normal.

Apricot Amber

(partial mash, 5 gallons) OG 1.065, 30 IBU

Mash:
1.0 lb Crystal 60 or Caramunich III
2.0 lb Munich malt
2.0 lb Pale ale, pilsner, or American 2-row malt
Collect wort and add 3.0 lb light DME

Hop schedule:
1.0 oz Perle, AA 8.0%, 60 minutes
1.0 oz Willamette, AA 5.0%, 5 minutes

Ferment with American ale yeast
Add 4.0 lbs fresh apricots to secondary, ferment to completion and bottle or keg

Dubbel Date

(all-grain, 5 gallons) OG 1.070, 25 IBU

0.25 lb Special B
0.5 lb Aromatic malt
1.0 lb Crystal 60 or Caramunich III
4.0 lb Munich malt
7.0 lb pilsner malt
3 lb chopped dates
Mash all of the above at 153 degrees F for 1 hour

Hop schedule:
1.5 oz East Kent Goldings, AA 5.0%, 60 minutes
1.0 oz Saaz, AA 3.5%, 10 minutes

Ferment with your favorite Belgian yeast, I prefer Wyeast 1762 or White Labs WLP540
Optional: Add the zest of two tangerines with the Saaz hops

The post Fruitful Fermentation first appeared on All About Beer.

Handling Fruit

Much like varietal honey, aroma is much of the charm of using fruit in brewing, and it is best to add it when primary fermentation is finished or waning. Those wonderful, estery aromatics are flighty and fickle, and will be scrubbed away by CO2 during vigorous fermentation. I use a bucket for fermentation with lots of headspace and add the fruit at the end of primary. Crush larger fruits to allow the flavor and sugars to seep into the fermenting beer. This will kick start another fermentation. (Note: Suspending the fruit in a mesh bag will minimize pulpy sediment.) When this has run its course, rack to a carboy, being very patient with this secondary fermentation since the fruit sugars may ferment lazily. This is especially important if your beer is destined for bottles and the possibility of bottle bombs. If you fear contamination, pasteurize the fruit by heating to 145 degrees F for 30 minutes (potential pectin formation), or use campden tablets to sanitize the fruit. Fully fermented beer is less likely to become contaminated than unfermented wort, but some rogue organisms are still at home under those conditions.

Fruit contains pectin, which can cause a slight turbidity, similar to chill or starch haze that is amplified with heat. You can avoid this with pectinase, an enzyme available at any homebrew shop. A little haze though, especially in a wheat-based brew, stout or porter, may not matter. If you want your beer crystal clear, pectinase might be the answer.

The amount of fruit needed to enhance beer is enormously variable, so consider a pilot test gallon first. Consider the effect that you want, subtle, average or forceful. This is entirely a trial-and-error endeavor and depends as much on the fruit as the beer style. It might be wise to make a base 5-gallon batch and ferment a gallon of that on the side with a measured amount of fruit to gauge the dosage.

Picking Fruit

Of course, the coolest way to use fruit is on a seasonal basis. Pick-your-own farms offer berries, stone fruit and apples through the spring and fall, but farmers markets and supermarkets always have good bargains at peak season. No fruit should be discounted if you think it will make a decent beer including watermelon, citrus, grapes and tropical fruit.

Dried fruit is an outstanding choice. Cranberries, apricots, papaya and mango can be found dried. Raisins and dates are nearly pure sugar, and I have used them in mashing or steeping since their aromatics and flavor are less likely to disappear during fermentation. The rummy sweetness marries perfectly with dark Belgian, English and American ales, and even dark lagers. Check dried fruit for surface treatment with antimicrobial agents.

Another route to explore is frozen fruit, quite convenient and always available. Freezing ruptures the cell walls of the fruit, releasing the juice and eliminating the need for crushing.

Fruit purees are available from homebrew shops, are quite popular with wine and mead makers and superb for beer. These purees are fully strained and sterile, and can be added directly to your beer without worry. Apricot, blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, cherry, plum, peach, raspberry and strawberry purees can be purchased. Inquire at your local homebrew shop.

Fruit juice and concentrated fruit juice are fine and ready to use. Natural juice is best as others may contain added sugar or even preservatives—read the labels carefully.

Ripe for Brewing

Though nearly any fruit can be used, and we are an experimental lot, some are much more effective than others. Often the taste of the fruit doesn’t carry over into the finished beer very well, degrades over time or simply can’t stand up to the relative overbearing flavors of malt. Cherries, raspberries, black currants, apricots, grapes, pomegranate, dates and apples always hold up quite well. Cherries (especially sour) and raspberries are particularly versatile, and even stand up to dark beers. Fruits that don’t retain their character as well would certainly benefit as a complimentary component, or used in beer designed to be served fresh. Watermelon, pears, blueberries and strawberries fit into that category. Peaches, blackberries, kiwi and elderberries are somewhere in between the two extremes.

Citrus fruits present a unique situation. Citrus juice can work, but citrus zest is usually the better option. Zest contains pure-tasting citrus oils and can be put into the kettle at the end of the boil. In this case, zest is more spice than fruit, and orange and tangerine especially add a fresh tart flavor to wheat-based, holiday spiced beer or stout. Lime or lemon is especially nice in wheat beer.

Styles and Pairings

Homebrewing is one of the most creative, personal and interpretive hobbies, but even as that maverick mentality is valued, it is overwhelmingly superseded by the desire to make a memorable beer. Here are a few of my observations on cobbling together fruit beers. Stouts and porters are great styles for cherry and raspberry, the fruit meshing well with the notes of chocolate (or actual chocolate) and playing off the roast perfectly. With cherries, add the pits along with the fruit. Dates and raisins are ideal for Belgian dubbel, old ale and malty lagers like Baltic porter. Wheat beers are gracious hosts, especially American versions, to nearly all fruit, and seem to carry subtle doses very well. Pomegranate, most berries, watermelon and citrus can add to this style, especially with neutral yeast and carefully selected hops. Amber lagers and ales and wheat beers love the company of apricot, especially with modest hop levels. Citrus and/or dates, especially in combination with flavorings like vanilla or anise, takes holiday ales to another level. Grapes, pomegranates and apples would be outstanding in beers that edge towards wine, braggot or cider-type malt beverages. Apples and slightly sweet (light crystal) and/or toasty (Munich or Vienna) malts marry harmoniously.

The post Fruitful Brewing first appeared on All About Beer.