Dark Raspberry Wheat

Classification: wheat beer, barleywine, raspberry wheat, extract

Source: Ian Russell Ollmann (iano@scripps.edu), HBD Issue #1603, 12/13/94

In my enthusiastic college days, we put together a wonderful brew, which I have never been able to drink more than three of in an evening due to extreme intoxication (I'm a 185 lb. male.) At age of only 2.5 weeks, it won 2nd in the Dixie Cup fruit beer competition behind a blueberry ale from Brassoria County, Texas. It, however, probably cannot be called a true beer to you purists out there, due to its raspberry content and strong wine flavors. I hesistate to call it a beer myself. It's not a wine either, so let us put it down as a scrumptious synthesis of the two. Just made some this month and the recipe still works despite a few years in the back of my head. I highly recommend everything about it, except cost per bottle (.80 - $1.00).

Ingredients:

3-4.5 lbs Laaglander dark powdered malt extract
3 lbs. dry or canned wheat extract
11 12oz. cans Knudsens frozen Raspberry Nectar concentrate (Avail. in whole foods stores)
1.25 oz Hallertauer Hops (boiling)
0.25 oz Hallertauer Hops (finshing)
0.5 oz Saaz Hops (finishing)
1 tsp North Sea Irish Moss
1 pkg Munton and Fison Ale yeast

Procedure:

Be careful with this recipe. At all stages prior to bottling, it it quite eager to escape from whatever container it is placed in including the wort pot. Combine grain extracts in your largest pot along with enough water to fill it 2/3 full (No more than 3 1/2 gals.) and boil for 45 mins. 30 mins before end of boil, add boiling hops and Irish moss. Add finishing hops 5 mins. before end of boil. Upon completion, place in primary fermentation container, add water to 4-4.25 gals. and allow to cool to 150 deg F. Add six cans of the Raspberry Nectar, cover and allow to cool to body temp before pitching yeast. After a couple of days, when the head subsides, add the other five cans of raspberry concentrate. (It really likes to go out the top at this stage.) In two or three more days, the head should again subside, at which time it should be racked into a glass carbouy with a minimum of head space. Follow the progress of fermentation. When the ring of bubbles dissappears at the neck of the carbouy, it is time to bottle. Rack and combine with 3/4 cup of corn sugar (dissolved in a minimum of boiling water) and bottle. It should be ready in three to four weeks from bottling time, which makes it the fastest wine that I've ever made, if it can be said to be such. Personally, I think it's the best too.

Dark Raspberry Wheat

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