Award-Winning Fruit Beers
History
According to Randy Mosher’s book Radical Brewing, fruit beer is both an ancient and modern 20th century invention. He notes that ancient Egyptians referred to the use of dates and pomegranates, and some Scottish ales used gooseberries and elderberries, but references can be found for fruit in intervening years until the 1930s. Many of the most famous Belgian fruit beers like kriek emerged at that time, with framboise to follow 20 years later.
While the use of fruit does predate the use of hops, it was more widely used in wines and liquors due both to the added expense of fruit and the fact that fruit enhances rather than reduces the sweetness of malt. Fruit beers, like many styles, have enjoyed a resurgence with the craft brewing explosion over the last few decades in the United States. Craft breweries have led the way, often blending or designing beers around the unique flavors that their favorite fruit provides, and wheat-based fruit beers, in particular, have even been adopted by major US breweries.
Designing a Fruit Beer
Homebrewing beer with fruit involves a little bit of art and a bit of science. Fruit beers are frequently formulated to be light tasting, light bodied, and also lightly hopped. The reason for this is simple; Most fruits lose a lot of their sweet flavor during fermentation. The sugars we taste in fruit is easily fermented into alcohol, leaving little in the way of residual sweetness or body. A strong malt or hop flavor can overpower the subtle fruit flavors, making the fruit undetectable in the finished beer. A wide variety of beer styles can use fruit, however — even stout!
For hops, I recommend low alpha bittering hops, often with a single boil addition. This minimizes hop aroma and flavor which allows the fruit aroma and flavor to shine through. Noble hops are often a good choice. Use whirlpool or dry hops sparingly. For yeast, I’ve had the greatest success with clean finishing, high attenuating yeasts. This is not to say you could not try a more complex yeast, but strains that are low flocculating as well as low attenuating yeasts generally take longer to fully ferment the sugars in the fruit. The complex flavors of the yeast don’t always complement the fruit flavor itself. Also, the low flocculating yeasts create more clarity problems — which is already an issue with most fruit beers.
Keep in mind that many fruits carry some wild bacteria and wild yeast with them, which can often add some sourness or complexity to your fruit beer. This is also the reason why many fruit beers take additional time to reach full maturation.
Another factor to consider when brewing with fruit is that most fruits have a substantial amount of simple sugars in them. Most of these sugars ferment directly into alcohol. If you are adding 1–3 lbs. (0.45 to 1.4 kg) of fruit per gallon (3.8 L), this will drive up the alcohol content of your beer almost as much as adding an equivalent amount of malt extract. Fruit will not add any maltiness to your beer, however, just alcohol. The flavor and aroma of fruit is also often fermented away, so if you brew a beer with a lot of fruit and not much malt in attempt to keep the gravity under control you will end up with a thin beer. Similarly, if you start with too much malt you will end up with a malty beer with too much alcoholic warmth that can mask the fruit flavor. Finding the right balance between fruit, malt and hop flavors can be a real challenge and sometimes will take more than one attempt to perfect.
The Fruits to Use in Beer
Not all fruit flavors hold up well to fermentation. Some fruits fair much better in beer than others. Fruits like uncooked blueberry, strawberry, and peach tend to lose much of their flavor when fermented out. Others, like apricot and raspberry, hold up well, while fruits like cherry are somewhere in the middle, but often require extensive aging. Here are a few popular fruits to consider for fruit beer:
Apple – Apples in beer produce only a mild flavoring. Apples are (generally) best used with meads and hard cider as they tend to be acidic in flavor and don’t provide a strong profile. Apple can be added as either fruit pulp or as cider/juice. If using fresh fruit start with about 2 lbs. per gallon (0.9 kg per 3.8 L) and experiment.
Apricot – Apricot works much better in beer than peach, and it produces a peach-like flavor in the finished beer. If you want peach flavor, use apricots at a rate of 1.5-4 lbs. per gallon (0.6–1.8 kg per 3.8 L). Apricot extract also produces good results.
Blackberry – Blackberry, like raspberry, is another great fruit to use in beer. However, they do not come through as intensely as raspberry, requiring a larger usage rate of 1-3+ pounds per gallon (0.45–1.4+ kg per 3.8 L). The color also carries over well to the finished beer.
Blueberry – Another fruit that does not hold up well in beer. Some brewers claim that cooked blueberry holds up better than uncooked, but fermented blueberries are a very
subtle flavoring. Use 2 lbs. per gallon (0.9 kg per 3.8 L)
Cherry – Traditionally used in many Belgian beers. Ripe, sour cherries are best as they blend well with the malt flavors. Cherries should be pitted as the seed contains cyanide compounds. Generally a lot of cherries are needed, as much as 1–3 lbs. (0.45–1.3 kg) per gallon (3.8 L) of beer, which is why many cherry-based Belgian beers are expensive.
Cranberry – Cranberries add a dry tartness and color to a beer, but unfortunately do not contribute much flavor. Freeze and purée them before adding them to the secondary. Use Use 1.5-4 lbs. per gallon (0.6–1.8 kg per 3.8 L).
Lemon or Lime – Both of these citrus fruits have very strong flavor additions that are acidic as well. These should be used sparingly as they can easily overpower the flavor of a beer. If using fresh juice, add the juice of 10 or so lemons or limes per 5 gallon (19 L) batch.
Peach – Peach is a fruit that fades when used in beer, though its sugar will add alcohol. Apricot is a good substitute that creates a flavor similar to peach in the finished beer. Peach flavoring is also a possibility. Use 1.5-4 lbs. per gallon (0.6–1.8 kg per 3.8 L).
Pear – Like apples, pears are more widely used in ciders and meads. They only provide a subtle flavor to the beer, but can be a refreshing addition. Like apples, pear juice/perry can be added or you can use fresh fruit. If using fresh fruit target about 2 lbs. per gallon (0.9 kg per 3.8 L).
Pineapple – This tropical fruit provides a very subtle, acidic flavoring. Requires 2+ pounds per gallon (0.9+ kg per 3.8 L) to generate any significant flavor in the finished beer.
Plum – Plums are a great addition to a variety of beer styles, including many darker styles. Use 0.5–2 lbs. per gallon (0.23–0.9 kg per 3.8 L).
Raspberry – Raspberry is one of the best fruits for brewing. The flavor and aroma hold up well to fermentation, and come through well in the finished beer. The flavor is strong even at a rate of 0.5–1 lb. per gallon (0.23–0.45 kg per 3.8 L), making raspberry a favorite fruit choice of brewers.
Strawberry – Strawberry is generally a poor choice. The flavor and color fade quickly in beer and the aroma is very subtle. If you are going to use strawberry in a beer you need to use fully ripe berries, you must use a lot of them (2–5 lbs./0.9–2.3 kg per gallon), and you must drink the beer as young as possible as the flavor and aroma will be gone before you know it.
Watermelon – Watermelon provides a subtle creamy flavor to beer, though it takes quite a bit of watermelon to get any pronounced flavor. Ripe or overripe watermelon works best, and you can use as much as 3–5 lbs. per gallon (1.4–2.3 kg per 3.8 L). Adding watermelon rind to the beer will sour it.
Other fruits – A variety of other fruits are less commonly used in beers and meads, such as dates, bananas, mangos, pomegranate, etc. Most of these fruits produce only a mild flavor and aroma, though they add considerable fermentable sugars.
Homebrewing with Fruits
Freeze whole fruit once and thaw it before adding it to the beer. Freezing fruit breaks open the cell walls, allowing more flavor and aroma to permeate the beer. Thaw the fruit before use and bring it up to room temperature before adding it to your beer, however, to avoid shocking the yeast.
Add the fruit to the secondary fermenter if at all possible. Since whole fruit in particular contains a lot of microbes and bacteria, adding fruit too early in the fermentation process can lead to infection. By the time your beer is in the secondary fermenter, it has a higher alcoholic content, is more acidic and also nutrient depleted but yeast rich, all of which serve as a guard against potential infection.
One cautionary note when working with glass carboys as a secondary fermenter: Adding fruit to your beer will cause rapid and vigorous fermentation, which requires several gallons or liters of headspace above the beer. Be sure you have adequate headspace and ventilation in your fermenter to prevent the bubbling trub from blocking your airlock, which could make a bomb out of a glass carboy. Juices, concentrates, and aseptic fruit pureés can also be used much like whole fruit — adding them to the secondary. Adjustments must be made for concentration however — concentrated fruit juice contains more flavor/fermentables than natural juice.
Beer clarity can be a significant problem when brewing with fruits. Most fruits contain pectins, carbohydrates and proteins that contribute to haze or cloudiness in the finished beer. If you boil your fruit, in particular, you may see a pectic haze unless you use a pectic enzyme to reduce it (for more on using pectic enzyme, visit https://byo.com/story1602). I recommend using a fining agent when brewing with fruit, and best results may be achieved using a combination of methods to achieve better clarity.
Aging is another issue when working with fruit beers. Fruits contain many wild yeasts that can that secrete enzymes that breakdown malt dextrins and lead to more fermentation. For bottle-conditioned beers this can be a significant problem as the bottle that was perfectly carbonated a month or two after bottling may be an overcarbonated gusher a month or two later.
The second aging issue is that the flavor profile of fruit beer will inevitably change over time. Young fruit beers may have a poor flavor profile due to unfermentables, as well as the pectins, proteins and other complex fruit materials in the beer. At some point the flavor of the beer will definitely peak, but for some fruit beers this can take six months to even a year or more. Finally, as the fruit continues to change you may see a drop in quality once the beer is past its peak. Many brewers also blend fruit beers with other beers or fruit extract before bottling. Many Belgian styles like lambic are blended beers using a combination of well-aged and younger brews. Craft breweries also blend fruit-heavy beers with a lighter brew to balance the flavor. It’s also not uncommon to add fruit extract to a fruit beer to either enhance the fruit flavor or complement it by adding another flavor.
Brewing with fruit is a complex, challenging task that is not for the weak at heart! However a properly balanced fruit beer can be a refreshing reward for the adventurous brewer.
Recipes by Joe Vella
Dry Dock Brewing Company: Apricot Blonde clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.013
IBU = 8 SRM = 6 ABV = 4.9%
Winner of the 2014 Great American Beer Festival bronze medal in the American-Style Fruit Beer category. Original gravity is calculated prior to fruit addition while ABV is calculated post fruit addition.
Ingredients
8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg) Pilsner malt
0.38 lb. (0.17 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
3.1 lbs. (1.4 kg) Oregon Specialty Fruit apricot purée
1-4 oz. (28-113 g) apricot extract
2.3 AAU Cascade hops (60 min.) (0.33 oz./10 g at 7.1% alpha acids)
Fermentis Safale S-04 or Wyeast 1099 (Whitbread Ale) yeast
5/8 cup (125 g) dextrose (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mash in 3 gallons (11.3 L) of water at 150 °F (65 °C) for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until the runnings are clear and sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (75 °C) water to obtain a 6-gallon (23-L) pre-boil volume. Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated. After the boil, turn off the heat and chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C), transfer the wort to the fermenter, aerate well, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). On day three of primary fermentation add the apricot purée. Ferment for an additional seven days and rack to a secondary fermenter for additional clearing if desired. When fermentation and clearing is complete, transfer the beer to a bottling bucket or keg and add apricot extract 0.5 oz. (14 mL) at a time, gently stirring and tasting in between additions until the desired intensity of fruit flavor and aroma is obtained. Carbonate and package the beer as desired.
Extract with grains option:
Substitute the Pilsner malt in the all-grain recipe with 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract. Add 1.5 to 5 gallons (6 to 19 L) of water to the brew kettle (the more water the better). Crush the grain and steep at 150 °F (65 °C) for 30 minutes. Add malt extract while stirring, then boil the wort for 60 minutes. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.
Tips for success:
Fruit extracts are an easy and often effective way to add fruit flavor and aroma to a beer, though care should be taken to not overpower the beer by using too much. The intensity of flavor and aroma will vary from one brand of extract to the next, so some experimentation is necessary in order to obtain the correct balance. Try experimenting with a small amount of your beer and then scaling up when you find the right concentration.
Funkwerks, Inc.’s Raspberry Provincial clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all grain)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.012
IBU = 13 SRM = 3.5 ABV = 4.2%
2014 Great American Beer Festival – Gold (Belgian-Style Fruit Beer)
Ingredients
4.3 lbs. (1.9 kg) Pilsner malt
2.2 lbs. (1 kg) wheat malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Carapils® malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) flaked wheat
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) flaked oats
1.2 lb. (0.55 kg) acidulated malt (added in the last 20 minutes of mash)
25 oz. (0.74 L) Oregon Specialty Fruit raspberry purée (added atthe end of primary fermentation)
3.5 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 14% alpha acids)
0.75 AAU Styrian Golding hops (15 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 3% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP400 (Belgian Wit Ale) or Wyeast 3944 (Belgian Witbier) yeast
4 oz. (113 g) corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill grains and mash all the grains except the acidulated malt in 3.3 gallons (12.5 L) of water at 155 °F (68 °C) for 40 minutes. Then add the milled acidulated malt and continue mashing for an additional 20 minutes (60 minutes total mash time). Vorlauf until the runnings are clear and sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (75 °C) water to obtain a 6 gallon (23 L) pre-boil volume. Boil the wort for 60 minutes adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list.
After the boil, turn off the heat and chill the wort to about 65 °F (18 °C), transfer the wort to the fermenter, aerate, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for four days and add the raspberry purée. Ferment for an additional seven days, rack to a secondary fermenter for additional clearing if desired, and then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Funkwerks, Inc.’s Raspberry Provincial clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.012
IBU = 13 SRM = 3.5 ABV = 4.2%
Ingredients
2.7 lbs. (1.2 kg) wheat dried malt extract
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) Pilsner malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) flaked wheat
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) flaked oats
1.2 lb. (0.55 kg) acidulated malt (added in the last 20 minutes of mash)
25 oz. (0.74 L) Oregon Specialty Fruit raspberry purée (added at the end of primary fermentation)
3.5 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 14% alpha acids)
0.75 AAU Styrian Golding hops (15 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 3% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP400 (Belgian Wit Ale) or Wyeast 3944 (Belgian Witbier) yeast
4 oz. (113 g) corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mash all of the grains except the acidulated malt in 1.3 gallons (1.5 L) of water at 155 °F (68 °C) for 40 minutes. Once this is complete add the milled acidulated malt and continue mashing for an additional 20 minutes (60 minutes total mash time). Rinse the grains with about 1 gallon (4 L) of hot water. Top off your kettle to 6 gallons (23 L) pre-boil volume (or as high as you can without fear of boil-over problems). Add the dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list.
After the boil, turn off the heat and chill the wort to about 65 °F (18 °C), transfer the wort to the fermenter, top off to 5 gallons (19 L), aerate and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for four days and add the raspberry purée. Ferment for an additional seven days, rack to a secondary fermenter for additional clearing if desired, and then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Tips for Success:
In order to give this beer the desired tartness, Funkwerks does a fermentation of the wort with Lactobacillus for 24 hours until they hit their target acidity before boiling. Although this can be attempted at home by the adventurous homebrewer, an alternative method using acidulated malt has been provided to simplify the process. The brewer suggests adding the acidulated malt in the last 20 minutes of the mash to ensure the mash pH does not drop too low.
Roadhouse Brewing Co. Saison en Regalia clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all- grain)
OG = 1.057 FG = 1.006
IBU = 31 SRM = 4 ABV = 7%
2014 Great American Beer Festival – Silver (Belgian-Style Fruit Beer)
Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) Pilsner malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) wheat malt
4 oz. (113 g) honey malt
4.5 AAU Bravo hops (60 min.) (0.3 oz./9 g at 15% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU Glacier hops (15 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
4.4 AAU Zythos® hops (15 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 11% alpha acids)
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) Oregon Specialty Fruit peach purée (added at the end of primary fermentation)
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) Oregon Specialty Fruit apricot purée (added at the end of primary fermentation)
White Labs WLP566 (Belgian Saison II) yeast
5 oz. (142 g) corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mash in 3.9 gallons (14.7 L) of water at 148 °F (64 °C) for 45 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear and sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (75 °C) water to obtain a 6-gallon (23 L) pre-boil volume. Boil the wort for 90 minutes adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list. After the boil, turn off the heat and chill the wort to about 69 °F (21 °C), transfer the wort to the fermenter, aerate, and pitch the yeast.
Allow the fermentation temperature to free-rise up to 78 °F (26 °C), ferment for 10 days and add the peach and apricot purée. Ferment for an additional seven days, rack to a secondary fermenter for additional clearing if desired, and then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Roadhouse Brewing Co. Saison en Regalia clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.057 FG = 1.006
IBU = 31 SRM = 4 ABV = 7%
Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3.3 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) wheat dried malt extract
4 oz. (113 g) honey malt
4.5 AAU Bravo hops (60 min.) (0.3 oz./9 g at 15% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU Glacier hops (15 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
4.4 AAU Zythos® hops (15 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 11% alpha acids)
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) Oregon Specialty Fruit peach purée (added at the end of primary fermentation)
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) Oregon Specialty Fruit apricot purée (added at the end of primary fermentation)
White Labs WLP566 (Belgian Saison II) yeast
5 oz. (142 g) corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the crushed grains in a muslin bag and steep in the brewing water as it heats up. Remove the grain bag when the temperature reaches 168 °F (75 °C). Add the liquid and dried malt extracts and bring to a boil. Boil the wort for 60 minutes adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list.
After the boil, turn off the heat and chill the wort to about 69 °F (21 °C), transfer the wort to the fermenter, aerate, and pitch the yeast. Allow the fermentation temperature to free-rise up to 78 °F (26 °C), ferment for 10 days and add the peach and apricot purée. Ferment for an additional 7 days, rack to a secondary fermenter for additional clearing if desired, and then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Tips for Success:
Roadhouse Brewing Co. utilizes White Labs WLP566 (Saison II) yeast in this beer because they love the fruitiness and subtle tartness it creates in their beer. It also produces a velvety characteristic, which gives it a unique mouthfeel. They are able to coax this profile out of the yeast by giving it a longer primary ferment and allowing the temperature to free-rise up to 78 °F (25 °C). It is important that this yeast be allowed to do its work and reach the proper terminal gravity as an under attenuated saison will not have the proper flavor profile.
Because of the long fermentation period required, and the sometimes fickle nature of saison yeast, it’s not a bad idea to pitch the yeast as a yeast starter to ensure a good, healthy population of cells. Try using a 0.5 gallon (~2 L) starter for a 5-gallon (19-L) batch. Aerate the wort well, and even consider using a pure oxygen setup in the fermenter to be cautious.
Regarding the “additional cellaring” as referenced in the recipes, BYO author Horst Dornbusch recommends, laying a saison down for three months of bottle-conditioning and maturation at a room temperature of 73 °F (23 °C). He adds, “However, serve the brew at a cool cellar temperature of roughly 50–55 °F (10–13 °C).”
Magic Rock Brewing Salty Kiss clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.011
IBU = 17 SRM = 3 ABV = 4.2%
2014 World Beer Cup – Gold (Fruit Wheat Beer)
Ingredients
4.2 lbs. (1.9 kg) Pilsner malt
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) wheat malt
1.3 lbs. (0.6 kg) acidulated malt
1.34 oz. (38 g) sea buckthorn, dried berries
1 lb. (0.45 kg) gooseberries (frozen and defrost before use)
0.14 oz (4 g) sea salt
0.8 AAU Cascade hops (60 min.) (0.15 oz./4 g at 6.6% alpha acids)
7.7 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (1.4 oz./40 g at 6.6% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
5 oz. (142 g) corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mash in 3.3 gallons (12.5 L) of water at 149 °F (65 °C) for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear and sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (75 °C) water to obtain a 6-gallon (23 L) pre-boil volume. Once you have collected the full volume, remove enough wort to cover the sea buckthorn berries and begin steeping them separately. Boil the wort for 60 minutes adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list. After the boil, turn off the heat, add the sea buckthorn berries with their steeping liquid and rest for 20 minutes. Chill the wort to about 64 °F (18 °C), transfer it to the fermenter, aerate, and pitch the yeast.
Ferment for two days at 66 °F (19 °C). After two days mash the gooseberries to a pulp and bring them to a boil. Cool the gooseberries to 68 °F (20 °C) and add them to the fermenter at the peak of fermentation. Ferment for an additional seven days then rack to a secondary fermenter for additional clearing if desired. Once fermentation is complete, mix the sea salt into a 1⁄2 cup (0.12 L) of boiling water, cool, add to the beer, and then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Magic Rock Brewing Salty Kiss clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.011
IBU = 17 SRM = 4 ABV = 4.2%
Ingredients
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) wheat dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
0.57 oz. (17 g) lactic acid (88% solution)
1.34 oz. (38 g) sea buckthorn, dried berries
1 lb. (0.45 kg) gooseberries (frozen and defrost before use)
0.14 oz (4 g) sea salt
0.8 AAU Cascade hops (60 min.) (0.15 oz./4 g at 6.6% alpha acids)
7.7 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (1.4 oz./40 g at 6.6% alpha acids)
White Labs WLP051 (California Ale V) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
5 oz. (142 g) corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Add 5 gallons (19 L) of water to your brewpot and raise to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in all the dried malt extract. Once all the extract is dissolved, remove enough wort to cover the sea buckthorn berries and begin steeping them separately. Return the brewpot to a boil and boil the wort for 60 minutes adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list. After the boil, turn off the heat, add the lactic acid and sea buckthorn berries with the steeping liquid and rest for 20 minutes. Chill the wort to about 64 °F (18 °C), transfer the wort to the fermenter, top off to 5 gallons (19 L), aerate and pitch the yeast.
Ferment for two days at 66 °F (19 °C). After two days, mash the gooseberries to a pulp and bring to a boil, cool to 68 °F (20 °C) and add to the fermenter at the peak of fermentation. Ferment for an additional seven days then rack to a secondary fermenter for additional clearing if desired. Once fermentation is complete, mix the sea salt into 1⁄2 cup (0.12 L) of boiling water, cool, add to the beer, and then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Tips for Success:
Salty Kiss is a traditional German Gose. Gose is a top-fermented beer style from the German city of Leipzig, which uses at least 50% wheat in the grist, they are by definition tart, herbal and refreshing but what really characterizes them is a defined saltiness which traditionally would have come from the particular water in the area they were brewed. Dried sea buckthorn berries can be purchased online. Sea buckthorn is a unique sour-flavored berry that is considered a “super-food” as it is rich in nutrients and phytochemicals such as vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin E, amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals, sterols and flavonols. Sea buckthorn berries can be used to make pies, preserves, fruit wines, and cosmetics, and their inclusion in this recipe along with sea salt will give your beer a very unique flavor twist.
For more about Magic Rock’s story of brewing Salty Kiss, visit their website: http://www.magicrockbrewing.com/blog/salty-kiss-gooseberry-gose/
