Watermelon Wheat 2 - Beer Recipe - Brewer's Friend

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Watermelon Wheat 2

Created: Sunday July 15th 2018
195 calories 19.6 g 12 oz
Beer Stats
Method: All Grain
Style: Fruit Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 10 gallons (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 11.5 gallons
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.051 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)
Source: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/21st-am
Calories: 195 calories (Per 12oz)
Carbs: 19.6 g (Per 12oz)
URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/8z69tw/watermelon_wheat_10_gallon_batch_10_gallon_kettle/
1.059
1.014
5.9%
14.7
5.2
n/a
n/a
 
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
12 lb American - Pale 2-Row12 lb Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 54.5%
9 lb American - White Wheat9 lb White Wheat 40 2.8 40.9%
1 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 15L1 lb Caramel / Crystal 15L 35 15 4.5%
22 lbs / 0.00
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
0.50 oz Columbus0.5 oz Columbus Hops Pellet 13.5 Boil 30 min 9.76 33.3%
0.50 oz Columbus0.5 oz Columbus Hops Pellet 13.5 Boil 8 min 3.83 33.3%
0.50 oz Magnum0.5 oz Magnum Hops Pellet 13.6 Boil 2 min 1.08 33.3%
1.50 oz / 0.00
 
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Cost Type Use Time
12 lb Watermelon Flavor Secondary 0 min.
 
Yeast
Wyeast - American Ale 1056
Amount:
1 Each
Cost:
Attenuation (avg):
75%
Flocculation:
Med-Low
Optimum Temp:
60 - 72 °F
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
68 °F
Pitch Rate:
0.35 (M cells / ml / ° P) 192 B cells required
0.00 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
 
Target Water Profile
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
7 3 2 5 5 25
Sadly I don't have the equipment and understanding of the water yet. Just used Davis, CA tap water untreated.
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
 
Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Start Temp Target Temp Time
Temperature -- 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 8.25 33  
Mash volume with grains 10.01 40  
Grain absorption losses -2.75 -11  
Remaining sparge water volume (equipment estimates 6.31 g | 25.2 qt) 6.25 25  
Mash Lauter Tun losses -0.25 -1  
Pre boil volume (equipment estimates 11.56 g | 46.2 qt) 11.5 46  
Boil off losses -1.5 -6  
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma) -0.06 -0.2  
Post boil Volume 10 40  
Going into fermentor 10 40  
Total: 14.5 58
Equipment Profile Used: System Default

Batch Performance
Efficiency:
Conversion: 80.8%
Pre-Boil: 72% 27.3 ppg
Ending Kettle: 73% 27.7 ppg
Brew House: 72% 27.3 ppg
Wort Volume:
10 Gallons
  • Expected 10 Gallons of fermentable wort.
  • Expected OG: 1.059
  • Actual OG: 1.060
Alcohol and Attenuation:
ABV: 6.69%
  • Apparent Attenuation: 85%
  • Actual FG: 1.009
  • Calories per 12oz 195 calories
  • Carbohydrates per 12oz 19.6 g
Amount Packaged:
8.81 Gallons
Great job! You get to enjoy the equivalent of:
  • 12oz bottles: 94
  • Pints: 70
Latest Brew Log
Date Days Event Gravity Volume pH Temp Updated Comment
7/15/2018 5:18 PM
over 6 years ago
+0 Other   2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Strike water was 155 ºF. Added all 22 lbs of grain. Temp at 144 ºF and 8.5 Gallons of water. Heating more water to bring to 10 Gallons and get up to 152 ºF.

This gives a mash step of 30 minutes at 144 ºF. Then mashing in a 152ºF for 60 minutes.

7/15/2018 5:19 PM
over 6 years ago
+0 Other   2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Grain was double milled at LHBS (Brewmeister West Sac). Dusty AF, but hopefully will improve efficiency as stated by Brulosophy.
http://brulosophy.com/2015/11/23/mind-the-gap-course-vs-fine-crush-exbeeriment-results/
7/15/2018 5:46 PM
over 6 years ago
+0 Other   2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Mash temp about 154º F, trying to slightly cool to get it to 152ºF by opening up the lid.
7/15/2018 5:54 PM
over 6 years ago
+0 Other   2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Mash temperature was raised to about 154ºF by heating/stirring after adding new water. Volume about 9.8 gallons (10 gallon line visible.

Attempted to vorlauf but couldn't as the line was clogged. I suspect the bag got sucked in and stuffed. Didn't want to burn out the pump so I turned it off, drained the line back into the kettle and just left it.
7/15/2018 7:47 PM
over 6 years ago
+0 Mash Complete 1.061 10 Gallons 2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
10 gallons because I don't have a 15 gallon pot. :/
7/15/2018 11:19 PM
over 6 years ago
+0 Brew Day Complete 1.060 10 Gallons 2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Dropped Tilt into one of two carboys. Initial readings are 1.060.
7/17/2018 9:57 PM
over 6 years ago
+2 Pre-Boil Gravity 1.060 10 Gallons 2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
7/17/2018 9:58 PM
over 6 years ago
+2 Boil Complete 1.061 10 Gallons 2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
7/19/2018 11:35 PM
over 6 years ago
+4 Other   2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Sanitized hands, bowls, bags, 2 1-gallon pitchers, and funnel. Added 2.6L of fresh watermelon juice (Cultivar: Baraka/Manchester). FG was at about 1.007, after addition 1.011. Was not terribly careful about Oxygen, but fermentation is only just leveling off.
7/27/2018 11:02 PM
over 6 years ago
+12 Fermentation Complete 1.009   2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Output from the TILT went up during cold crash. 1.009 before crash. 1.014 at 39ºF

Checked with hydrometer and was 1.009 once it warmed up.
7/28/2018 1:39 AM
over 6 years ago
+13 Packaged 8.81 Gallons 2/20/2021 3:43 AM
over 4 years ago
Packaged 94 bottles. (2 short of four cases).
Initial taste excellent. Watermelon is very strong, but well matched in the beer. Finish was a little harsh, but should mellow with conditioning time.
 
Notes

Mixing the two recipes found in the thread.
Added some crystal 10-15L to mix.

Essentially adding 12 lbs of watermelon flesh into secondary after blending and filters. Will likely bleach the exterior of the fruit and clean the cutting board, knife and food processor parts with iodophor before blending. Crushed the flesh in a nylon mesh bag (also santized).
Did 10 gallon batch in a 10 gallon kettle and just topped up with water as I boiled. Not much boiloff because I couldn't do a full rolling boil.

I created a reddit post with many photos.

Bottle conditioning, but initial taste has a powerful but not overpowering watermelon flavor. Would highly recommend a locally grown seeded watermelon at peak maturity for maximum watermelon flavor. Do not blend the seeds up with the flesh though... would give you some very strong "green" notes.

From thread:

I decided to not use the watermelon extract that came with the kit and opted for real watermelon instead. I chose the Wyeast 1010 American Wheat yeast option.
Let the primary fermentation process go the full 2 weeks.

For secondary fermentation, I bought a seedless watermelon at the store and put all the watermelon meat into a ninja blender. I did not use any of the rind at all since my research indicated that using the rind may cause an undesirable flavor. I pureed all the watermelon and threw it in the bottom of my bottling bucket. I then racked the fermented beer on top of the watermelon puree. I also chose to NOT boil the puree before adding it to the bucket. I read that boiling watermelon could also cause some really nasty flavors and aromas.

Did everything turn very red??? YES. Did that go away??? YES! The sugars in the watermelon kicked off a secondary fermentation. I let the watermelon/beer mixture ferment for another 5 days. I probably could have gone 7, but did not want to run any risk of the fruit turning into a vinegar taste. On the 5th day, I kegged the beer and chilled it for 24 hours before force carbonating.

Every time I transferred the beer (primary to secondary, secondary to keg), I ran the beer through a sanitized colander. The result was SPECTACULAR. My neighbors and I did a blind taste test with my beer and some Hell or High Watermelon, and my beer blew away the competition. I was concerned that using the real fruit would make the beer too sweet or have an overpowering watermelon taste. Totally not the case at all. The watermelon flavor is subtle. It was described as a great wheat beer taste with a nice watermelon undertone. Now that the weather here in DC has hit the 80's and low 90's, this beer is a great drink on a hot day!


Could sub California Ale Yeast White Labs WLP001 for 1010

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  • Last Updated: 2018-07-29 03:23 UTC
  • Snapshot Created: 2018-07-15 16:50 UTC
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