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1st time with blueberry extract
Hey all,
I'm planning on putting some blueberry extract into a Blonde Ale recipe I just picked up. Can anyone offer advice on when to add and how much of the extract I should use?
The blueberry extract is in a 2 oz bottle. I want a subtle flavor and scent. The bottle says add all 2 oz's to the 5 gallon batch, yet, I'm not clear how strong the flavor will be. Also not clear if it's during fermentation or during bottling.
For any of you Northern Californians, Marin Brewing Company's Blueberry Ale is the taste I'm going after.
Any advice is much appreciated!
Bill
The nice thing about extract is you can add it to taste at bottling. You can do this carefully by using a measured amount and then doing math, but I usually just re-sanitize a scoop and add as I taste.
Keep in mind, carbonation will make the flavors pop a little more, so I'd recommend leaving it a little less than you think it should be.
From my experience with real fruit the later step you add ti the less you need and the stronger the flavor from the fruit you'll get.
I brewed a raspberry ale last summer and added raspberries to the secondary. None before. And it had a strong raspberry flavor.
Made raspberry ale two weeks ago, added raspberry to last 10 minutes of boil, then had ot add more to secondary. Used twice as much raspberries as from first time but flavor is mild.
I would assume same would go for fruit extracts. try adding a 1/4 bottle, give it a day or two and taste it. You can always add more but not take any out.
DC
I made a Blueberry Ale with 2 oz. of extract and it came out great. Just add it during bottling with your priming sugar.
I would agree with DC add 1/4 bottle or so and let it sit some taste and add it as needed. The trick will be good sanitation. I'm sure you know to but make sure everything is sanitized well before it goes into the beer.
just my thoughts
ID
Post the recipe if it turns out I'd love to try something like that this summer 
Wow, are you saying I need to sanitize the blueberry extract? I would think it's sanitary from the store, but once I open it, add 1/4 oz, it's exposed. Then what? Cook it to sanitize?
I'm also concerned about mixing in 1/4oz. Seems stiring it around is high risk for contamination????
Thanks again!
Hosstaman wrote:
Wow, are you saying I need to sanitize the blueberry extract? I would think it's sanitary from the store, but once I open it, add 1/4 oz, it's exposed. Then what? Cook it to sanitize?
I'm also concerned about mixing in 1/4oz. Seems stiring it around is high risk for contamination????
Thanks again!
I think Irondavy is just talking about sanitation in general.
If you heat the extract you'll drive off most of the aromatics so don't do it.
Look on the ingredients in the extract, many of them are alcohol based. The percentage is high enough that its relatively a microbe-static environ and you can consider it sanitary.
Just add it at bottling with your priming sugar as stated.
Also to clarify on xv43's comment about math: he is saying that you can always pull say a pint of finished beer from your fermentor and add extract drop wise, stiring and sipping as you go until the flavor is just right. Then scale up the volume of beer you sampled plus the tiny amount of extract you uses (usually dropwise) to your entire 5 gallon batch. That's the math he is referring to.
I prefer to just add a 1/4 ouce at a time gently swirl around with a sanitized spoon and taste it from there. When it tastes right I am done. (But the swirling thing I do in a keg with CO2 on top so I don't worry about oxidation. Maybe its not the best way for doing it with just a normal bottling bucket.)
If you do it this way, I'd recommend pulling a half glass that doesn't get doctored to help cleanse the palatte and remind you where you came from as you increase the fruit flavor. I find that you palate can get over whelmed sipping and mixing. Eventually you can't tell if its more or too much.
brewchez wrote:
[If you do it this way, I'd recommend pulling a half glass that doesn't get doctored to help cleanse the palatte and remind you where you came from as you increase the fruit flavor. I find that you palate can get over whelmed sipping and mixing. Eventually you can't tell if its more or too much.
The last time I used a method like this there was only a 1/4 keg left when I was done! 
The mix was just right though.
Seriously I just kegged a lambic/gueze and have been toying with adding some raspberry extract to it. I used pedio in the sour mix so I have a little cherry pie going on, thinking maybe some raspberry will add a deeper dimension to it. i am just afraid to take the edge off the acidisc bite, so far I have chickened out.
thirsty wrote:
Seriously I just kegged a lambic/gueze and have been toying with adding some raspberry extract to it. I used pedio in the sour mix so I have a little cherry pie going on, thinking maybe some raspberry will add a deeper dimension to it. i am just afraid to take the edge off the acidisc bite, so far I have chickened out.
Don't they sell lactic acid in liquid form?
Maybe you could do the technique of fruit extract to a pint. If you lose too much acidic bite, then you could see if you could "rescue" that feature with some acid additions too.
It might be too much to ask for, but it might be a learning experience.
On top of that I don't think a fruit extract will really change the pH much to effect the acid bite anyway. So still trying a little in a pint glass may be worth it.
brewchez wrote:
[
On top of that I don't think a fruit extract will really change the pH much to effect the acid bite anyway. So still trying a little in a pint glass may be worth it.
I did, and wasnt too crazy over it, but I didnt do it with a dropper, I just poured as little as I could out of the bottle. It gave it too much of an artificial type of flavor. That is why I was hesitant. I originally planned on 1/2 the recommended dose (bottle says 4-5 oz per 5 gallons, and it is a 4 oz bottle- so I was going to try 2 oz) trying to just get some background flavor and a little aromatics, but I think I will leave that to the pedio. I still have a soured 5 gallon batch that is going on 15 months in the fermenter now, that will only get fresh fruit, no extract- I am seriously thinking the rhubarb route.
Just thought I'd follow up on this one. I added the entire 2 oz bottle of extract after stepping my way in with 1/4 oz at a time. It turned out REALLY good. Ratio was 2 oz blueberry extract on 5 gallons of Blonde Ale. This one will become a standard. Need to run another batch for the warmer days ahead. Thanks for all the feedback. Now, we'll see in 3 weeks if the zest from 3 oranges was right for the 5 gallon batch of Bumber Blonde Ale.
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