Red Ross Raspberry Wheat Beer Recipe Instructions

This recipe is an Aussie Brewmakers take on a Raspberry Wheat Beer.

The beer is named after Ross Geller from Friends when he goes a bit crazy – we reckon this wheat beer is a bit loopy so it fits well. The beer has a traditional wheat base with fresh raspberries ‘steeped in’ post primary fermentation to give the beer its rich red colour. It surprises many in not being overly strong on the raspberry or the sweetness. We think it is a delicious fruit steeped beer that will be dangerously drinkable as a session beverage. This recipe is another great introduction to experimenting with hops, racking and steeping for the beginner or ‘tin kit’ brewer.

Ingredients:

• 7kg Black Rock Whispering Wheat Beer Kit
• 0kg Beer Improver
• 200g Dextrose
• 15g Premium Wheat Beer Yeast
• 12g Cluster Finishing Hops (steeped)
• Hop Sock (for steeping raspberries)

Other Ingredients / Hardware Required:

• 1kg of fresh or frozen raspberries
• A second fermenter or container that can hold 25L for use as a secondary for racking & steeping

Method:

1. Clean / sterilize all equipment including fermenter, paddle, and mug (used for steeping)
2. Discard Beer Kit tin yeast and sit tin in hot water for 10 minutes to loosen contents
3. Boil 2L of water in kettle
4. Steep 12g of Cluster Finishing Hops in 250ml of boiled water for 10 minutes
5. Add 1.5L of boiled water to fermenter and with Beer Improver (add slowly to prevent clumping) and 200g of Dextrose and stir vigorously to dissolve.
6. Add Beer Kit tin contents to fermenter and stir to thoroughly dissolve
7. Pour 250ml of boiled water into Beer Kit tin and stir to dissolve remaining contents, then add to fermenter
8. Add Cluster Finishing Hops teabag and steeped water to fermenter
9. Add cold water to fermenter to 22.5L and test temperature – make sure it is between 18-28 degrees before pitching yeast
10. Take initial hydrometer reading
11. Pitch 15g Premium Wheat Beer Yeast and stir gently
12. When primary fermentation is finished (check with hydrometer for 2 consecutive days to ensure completed) and when finished fermenting rack beer into secondary fermenter (sterilize secondary fermenter and all equipment first). If using a single fermenter and a container, rack into container, clean fermenter and then rack back into fermenter. Note: try not to aerate the fermented liquid during this process.
13. Place 1kg of fresh or frozen raspberries into hop sock, tie both ends off and submerge in fermenter to steep for 5 days
14. After 5 days, take final hydrometer reading and then bottle / keg as per normal and discard raspberries.
15. The hop sock can be washed and reused over and over

N.B. If kegging, add additional 200g of Dextrose (not supplied) at step 5

NOTE: IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT ADD THE RASPBERRIES DURING PRIMARY FERMENTATION OR TO THE PRIMARY FERMENTER WITH THE YEAST CAKE.

TO RACK TO A SECONDARY USE A 1M LENGTH OF 13MM FOOD GRADE HOSE ATTACHED TO THE TAP OF THE PRIMARY FERMENTER. SIT THE PRIMARY FERMENTER ON A BENCH WITH THE SECONDARY BELOW. PLACE THE HOSE AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE SECONDARY FERMENTER BEFORE OPENING THE TAP TO REDUCE AERATING THE BEER DURING TRANSFER.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A 2^ND FERMENTER WE HAVE THEM AVAILABLE FOR $35.00 + FREIGHT

A SECOND FERMENTER IS A GOOD IDEA FOR RACKING ALL BEERS – THIS HELPS WITH BEER CLARITY PRIOR TO BOTTLING AND IN MOST INSTANCES NEGATES THE NEED FOR FINNINGS TO CLARIFY BEER. IT ALSO REMOVES THE RISK OF THE PRIMARY FERMENTATION YEAST CAKE IMPACTING OVERALL FLAVOUR WHEN CONDITIONING PRIOR TO BOTTLING