Comments on: Brewing Recipe: Watermelon Wheat http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/ Tips and Recipies in the quest to brew the perfect beer Thu, 19 May 2011 20:48:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Scott http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/comment-page-1/#comment-8700 Scott Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:56:04 +0000 http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/#comment-8700 +1 on the hot alcohol being the result of ferment temps, which can be 5-10 degrees over ambient even when using swamp cooling methods. As it happens, I helped my wife brew this last night, her first batch. I used the recipe in Beersmith, scaled it for a 4 gallon batch with a 1.8 gallon boil. It's bubbling now, and I'll bring it to a colder room. Will be adding the watermellon this Friday, as I'm in a hurry (this beer needs to be ready for a party in 10 more days, will keg CO2 it) +1 on the hot alcohol being the result of ferment temps, which can be 5-10 degrees over ambient even when using swamp cooling methods.

As it happens, I helped my wife brew this last night, her first batch. I used the recipe in Beersmith, scaled it for a 4 gallon batch with a 1.8 gallon boil. It’s bubbling now, and I’ll bring it to a colder room. Will be adding the watermellon this Friday, as I’m in a hurry (this beer needs to be ready for a party in 10 more days, will keg CO2 it)

]]> By: Jimmy http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/comment-page-1/#comment-8688 Jimmy Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:35:43 +0000 http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/#comment-8688 Hey Dan, Usually if it's a hot alcohol flavor, it's related to fermentation temperature - too warm. You could calculate how many gravity points the watermelon added if you still have some, or can get another one. You already know how many pounds you added and the batch size, and that it all fermented out. So all you need is a small sample of melon to get a potential sugar reading. I made some notes on doing those calculations here: http://hopwild.com/2009/04/14/case-put-mms-homebrew-recipe/ Also, once the beer is carbonated and chilled the alcohol might be a little less noticeable. Hope that helps Jimmy Hey Dan,

Usually if it’s a hot alcohol flavor, it’s related to fermentation temperature – too warm. You could calculate how many gravity points the watermelon added if you still have some, or can get another one. You already know how many pounds you added and the batch size, and that it all fermented out. So all you need is a small sample of melon to get a potential sugar reading. I made some notes on doing those calculations here: http://hopwild.com/2009/04/14/case-put-mms-homebrew-recipe/

Also, once the beer is carbonated and chilled the alcohol might be a little less noticeable.

Hope that helps

Jimmy

]]> By: Dan http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/comment-page-1/#comment-8665 Dan Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:39:23 +0000 http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/#comment-8665 Just bottled 10 gallons of this. Had a wonderful aroma and subtle taste. The only concern is the alcohol content. There clearly was a bit of "heat" to the flat beer. I got an OG of 1.058 and fermented to 1.008 before adding the watermelon. Like you said, there is quite a bit of sugar in watermelon. After 2 weeks fermenting with the watermelon the gravity was back to 1.008. You wouldn't happen to know what 8 lbs of watermelon would add to ABV of a 10 gallon batch? Just bottled 10 gallons of this. Had a wonderful aroma and subtle taste. The only concern is the alcohol content. There clearly was a bit of “heat” to the flat beer. I got an OG of 1.058 and fermented to 1.008 before adding the watermelon. Like you said, there is quite a bit of sugar in watermelon. After 2 weeks fermenting with the watermelon the gravity was back to 1.008. You wouldn’t happen to know what 8 lbs of watermelon would add to ABV of a 10 gallon batch?

]]> By: Jimmy http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/comment-page-1/#comment-7951 Jimmy Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:31:48 +0000 http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/#comment-7951 Good to know. It's a pretty delicate flavor I guess. Let us know how it turns out and if you have any trouble with the sanitation. Jimmy Good to know. It’s a pretty delicate flavor I guess. Let us know how it turns out and if you have any trouble with the sanitation.

Jimmy

]]> By: Dan http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/comment-page-1/#comment-7949 Dan Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:37:13 +0000 http://hopwild.com/2008/06/19/brewing-recipe-watermelon-wheat/#comment-7949 I am about to add the watermelon puree to the fermenter. I decided to stick with unheated watermelon for the beer. I came to this decision after having brought watermelon puree up to a temperature of 170 degrees. It seemed to have lost all things that make watermelon a desirable fruit. No watermelon aroma or taste. Maybe I did it wrong, but I doubt it. Just wondering if anyone has tried it and succeeded. I am about to add the watermelon puree to the fermenter. I decided to stick with unheated watermelon for the beer. I came to this decision after having brought watermelon puree up to a temperature of 170 degrees. It seemed to have lost all things that make watermelon a desirable fruit. No watermelon aroma or taste. Maybe I did it wrong, but I doubt it. Just wondering if anyone has tried it and succeeded.

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