Blueberry Lager

Classification: lager, fruit beer, blueberry lager, all-grain

Source: John Ferlan (ferlan@star.enet.dec.com), r.c.b., 1/12/95

This was my first attempt at a Lager - I had had a Blueberry Ale at a Brewshow in Portland, Me. and kind of got the fever for the flavor of.. well you know. I do have to give some credit to a recipe in the Cat's Meow 3 from Rick Gontarek for his BlueBeery Ale - it helped me decide on how to perform this trick of putting blueberries in and getting the flavor to come out. Unlike him, my blueberries weren't hand picked - rather store bought - however, next year - watch out, I know of a good blueberry patch in Maine that's going to get raided!

Anyways, this is a partial mash, and I suppose you could substitute 3 lbs of DME for the 2-Row lager.

Ingredients:

4 lbs 2-row Lager
3 lbs Amber DME
5 lb Cara-Pils
5 lb Crystal 40L
1 lb Honey
1 oz Tettnang - 60 mins (plugs)
1 oz Willamette - 10 mins (plugs)
1/2 ounce Saaz (finish)
1/2 ounce Saaz (dry hop)
2 packages European lager yeast (one for ferment, one at bottling)
4 pounds, frozen blueberries

Procedure:

Step infusion mash, 120 for 30 minutes, 150 for 10 minutes, 158 for 15 minutes. Sparge with 1-1/2 gallons water. Boil. Add hops as indicated above. Add blueberries and finishing Saaz after cooling. Pitch yeast.

After one week, Boil 1/2 gallon water. Remove from heat. Add 3 pounds blueberries. Rack to secondary and add blueberry water mix. Add 1/2 ounce Saaz. Keep at lower temperature (lager).

After 3 weeks, add 1-1/4 cup dry extract to 3 cups of water. Boil 20 minutes. Cool. Pour into bottling bucket and add other yeast pack. Siphon beer into bucket.

Specifics:

O.G.: 1.038