Cranberry Blonde Ale - Beer Recipe - Brewer's Friend

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Cranberry Blonde Ale

161 calories 16.6 g 12 oz
Beer Stats
Method: All Grain
Style: Blonde Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.036 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)
Source: Porter's Pub
Calories: 161 calories (Per 12oz)
Carbs: 16.6 g (Per 12oz)
Created: Sunday October 1st 2017
1.049
1.012
4.9%
27.3
6.0
n/a
n/a
 
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
8.25 lb American - Pale 2-Row8.25 lb Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 78.6%
12 oz American - White Wheat12 oz White Wheat 40 2.8 7.1%
8 oz American - Caramel / Crystal 20L8 oz Caramel / Crystal 20L 35 20 4.8%
8 oz American - Victory8 oz Victory 34 28 4.8%
8 oz American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt)8 oz Carapils (Dextrine Malt) 33 1.8 4.8%
168 oz / 0.00
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
0.25 oz Galena0.25 oz Galena Hops Pellet 16 Boil 55 min 15.32 25%
0.50 oz Columbus0.5 oz Columbus Hops Pellet 15 Boil 10 min 10.65 50%
0.25 oz Cascade0.25 oz Cascade Hops Pellet 7 Boil 5 min 1.37 25%
1 oz / 0.00
 
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Cost Type Use Time
3 lb Cranberries Other Secondary --
 
Yeast
Wyeast - Kölsch 2565
Amount:
1 Each
Cost:
Attenuation (avg):
75%
Flocculation:
Low
Optimum Temp:
56 - 70 °F
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
60 °F
Pitch Rate:
-
0.00 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
 
Target Water Profile
Balanced Profile
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
80 5 25 75 80 100
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
 
Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Start Temp Target Temp Time
Sparge -- 152 °F 60 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.5 qt/lb
Quick Water Requirements
Water Gallons  Quarts
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 1.5 qt/lb 3.94 15.8  
Mash volume with grains 4.78 19.1  
Grain absorption losses -1.31 -5.3  
Remaining sparge water volume (equipment estimates 4.66 g | 18.7 qt) 5.13 20.5  
Mash Lauter Tun losses -0.25 -1  
Pre boil volume (equipment estimates 7.04 g | 28.2 qt) 7.5 30  
Boil off losses -1.5 -6  
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma) -0.04 -0.2  
Post boil Volume 5.5 22  
Going into fermentor 5.5 22  
Total: 9.06 36.3
Equipment Profile Used: System Default
 
Notes

I moved the carboy into the kegerator and set it to 60º. I placed the liquid yeast in there as well and waited 4 hours to pitch. I pitched about 1 hour after activating the smack pack. The next morning it appears to not be doing much. Krausen at 24 hours. 36 hours it was fermenting so well it pushed the stopper out of the carboy.
Consider a yeast starter for the next batch- I may have under pitched.
Fermented at 60º, at 5 days increased temp to 70º

Added 2lbs pureed cranberries in a fine mesh hop bag at 8 days.
Added 1/2 tsp sugar at cold crash, next time add more.

I was worried that the cranberries would dye the beer red, but they did not. Cranberry taste is mild not and not at all overwhelming. Cranberries did not make the beer too harsh or bitter.

Edit:
On 11/29/17 I tapped the second batch of this. I used the same grain and hops bill, but used Wyeast 1056 this time and 3 pounds of pureed cranberries. I preferred the batch I made last year. 3 pounds of cranberries added too much tartness, and left a slight tannin taste . It also died the beer a nice pinkish color. I added 3/4 tsp of granulated sugar to the keg at cold crash again. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't my best. I think I need to refocus my efforts and try making a better base beer next year. Lose the white wheat, and add some more crystal malt. This beer is lacking something to balance the cranberry and hide the tannins, and I'm not sure that I would really enjoy the base beer without the cranberry. It's also worth considering reducing or removing the bittering hops altogether if I continue to use pureed cranberry.


*In reading the Oct/Nov 2017 Beer & Brewing Magazine, they had an idea to use dried and ground Sumac berries for "tart citrus and brilliant red to your beer in much the same way that cranberries do, but without the massive tannin attack that accompanies them". I will try this for next year's batch

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  • Last Updated: 2017-12-05 00:22 UTC