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Author Topic: Peach Wheat  (Read 5086 times)

Offline fmader

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Peach Wheat
« on: July 11, 2013, 06:03:23 pm »
I've touched on this in the past, but I need some more information. I brewed a wheat beer with 5 lb of white wheat, 5 lb of 2 row, and 8 oz of honey malt last Thursday. It is still in the primary stage of fermenting. What I need to know is some advise on how much peach to use. I was informed several months ago that you need a lot of peaches due to the low acidity levels. I also have been recommended to add apricots. I really don't want to add apricots, because then it wouldn't be peach.

I have just under 5 pounds of pealed and pitted peaches that I picked from my two peach trees last year, shrink wrapped and froze. I want to use those just because of the novelty that I grew the peaches....lame, I know. I also picked up a 3 pound can of peach puree. I want a solid, recognizable peach flavor, but I don't want to be drinking peach juice. In your opinions, how much of the puree should I add in addition to the 5 pounds of peaches? Thanks!
Frank

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2013, 06:33:23 pm »
I've touched on this in the past, but I need some more information. I brewed a wheat beer with 5 lb of white wheat, 5 lb of 2 row, and 8 oz of honey malt last Thursday. It is still in the primary stage of fermenting. What I need to know is some advise on how much peach to use. I was informed several months ago that you need a lot of peaches due to the low acidity levels. I also have been recommended to add apricots. I really don't want to add apricots, because then it wouldn't be peach.

I have just under 5 pounds of pealed and pitted peaches that I picked from my two peach trees last year, shrink wrapped and froze. I want to use those just because of the novelty that I grew the peaches....lame, I know. I also picked up a 3 pound can of peach puree. I want a solid, recognizable peach flavor, but I don't want to be drinking peach juice. In your opinions, how much of the puree should I add in addition to the 5 pounds of peaches? Thanks!
Fruit beers are so much about preference in terms of fruit flavor.  You're right - you need to use more peach than you would a more assertive fruit like cherry or raspberry.  I've never used fresh peaches, but the first time I made a peach beer, I used a 49 oz can of Oregon peach puree and the peach was there, but fairly subtle (not a bad thing in my mind). So my wife begged, and the next time I made her a fruit beer I used 2 cans of the same.  Lots of peach character this time, but not "peach juice" by any means. I would try just the fresh peaches first as a baseline to judge from. Better to have a wheat beer that you think could use more peach than something you won't drink. 
Jon H.

Offline fmader

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2013, 06:56:53 pm »

 Better to have a wheat beer that you think could use more peach than something you won't drink.
[/quote]

I dunno... It's my first stab at an all grain wheat beer too lol

I had plans on brewing this back in March but got busy... Them I started back up, so it fell back the list.

I may try the peaches and maybe half the can of purée. But you said you used three pounds and it was subtle... Who knows
Frank

Offline ethalacker

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2013, 07:58:19 pm »
I make a peach hefe every summer.  I use 5 pounds of peaches in the secondary.  I do leave the peel on, I think it adds a little bit to the beer.
BoneHead Brewery
Mableton, GA

cornershot

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2013, 02:22:31 pm »
A friend brewed a peach wheat recently and used a 3# can of puree in secondary. The peach flavor was very subtle. 5# sounds good to me.

Offline thebigbaker

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2013, 02:30:33 pm »
I've brewed Dry Dock's Apricot ale and added a can of puree  (3lb) after about 4 days of fermentation.  When kegging, I added some apricot extract to help round out the flavor.  Beer came out great.  I'm sure you could do something similar with the peaches and peach extract and it will be great!
Jeremy Baker

"An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience." - Mitch Hedberg

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2013, 04:18:03 pm »
I've brewed Dry Dock's Apricot ale and added a can of puree  (3lb) after about 4 days of fermentation.  When kegging, I added some apricot extract to help round out the flavor.  Beer came out great.  I'm sure you could do something similar with the peaches and peach extract and it will be great!
+1.   I keg with the extract, not for flavor but for aroma that often gets driven out of the fruit during fermentation. Seems to enhance the overall fruit character.  Now my real goal is to wean my wife off of fruit beers ! But she's really supportive of my obsession and she prefers them. So it's a fair tradeoff.
Jon H.

cornershot

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2013, 02:23:03 pm »
I've brewed Dry Dock's Apricot ale and added a can of puree  (3lb) after about 4 days of fermentation.  When kegging, I added some apricot extract to help round out the flavor.  Beer came out great.  I'm sure you could do something similar with the peaches and peach extract and it will be great!
+1.   I keg with the extract, not for flavor but for aroma that often gets driven out of the fruit during fermentation. Seems to enhance the overall fruit character.  Now my real goal is to wean my wife off of fruit beers ! But she's really supportive of my obsession and she prefers them. So it's a fair tradeoff.

If your wife likes fruit beers, make 'em! Happy wife, happy life! And what's happier than beer?
My wife recently enjoyed a 5.3% 65 IBU(calculated) (I?)APA so much I wouldn't even drink it. Just let her have the keg. Gotta rebrew that one! Until then I just put 12# of strawberries into secondary of an American wheat. The Compleat Meadmaker has a nice chart I refer to for adding fruit. It says (for peaches in 5 gal. mead)  5-7# = mild fruit character; 8-12#= medium fruit; 13+# = strong fruit

Offline fmader

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Re: Peach Wheat
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2013, 02:31:12 pm »

If your wife likes fruit beers, make 'em! Happy wife, happy life! And what's happier than beer?
My wife recently enjoyed a 5.3% 65 IBU(calculated) (I?)APA so much I wouldn't even drink it. Just let her have the keg. Gotta rebrew that one! Until then I just put 12# of strawberries into secondary of an American wheat. The Compleat Meadmaker has a nice chart I refer to for adding fruit. It says (for peaches in 5 gal. mead)  5-7# = mild fruit character; 8-12#= medium fruit; 13+# = strong fruit
[/quote]

Good enough for me. I'll probably go with the 4lb 10oz of fruit and the whole 3 lb can of purée. See what happens. I'm racking tomorrow.
Frank