Mulberry Beer

[Ciderman]

I've got a rather productive Black Mulberry tree. I'm thinking I'd love to make a beer with Mulberries but being quite a new brewer I haven't really jumped outside of the style guidelines as of yet. The only thought I had was a Mulberry Saison. In terms of flavour profile it has good natural acidity and sweetness much like a Raspberry.

Has anyone made a beer with Mulberries before. What else could you make?

 

[earle]

You could also think about a hefe or porter/stout maybe

 

[Ciderman]

Fruit would be added post ferment I gather? Also what's a good measure of fruit for a 20-25 litre batch?

 

[Mardoo]

I like the Hefe angle. They're pretty subtle. Might be a good one for a plis too.

 

[bullsneck]

I made a Mulberry Sour last year that was my best sour to date. Mmmmmmm. Added about a kilo with some Brett Clausenei. Got funky.
Mulberry Saison sounds good. Go with 20% wheat and the rest Pils and you're laughing. Bitter to 23IBU.

 

[Ciderman]

I like the sound of the porter but I just put down a smoked porter last week. Might stick with the saison as I've never made one before. I just punched a quick recipe into beer smith with Pilsner and wheat and it has the FG at 1011. Do I need to add dextrose to it for it to drop lower or will it naturally get down lower with 3711 or 3724.

I do like the sour idea but that will take a while for the Brett to do its job?

 

[bullsneck]

No. The software knows nothing of Saison yeasts. It'd be closer to 1.002 if you mash around the 64ºC mark.

The sour option will take longer. I finished the keg last night. It is a year old. Sitting at ambient. Didn't need to add CO2 after kegging it. Sensational beer, I'd try it again.

 

[Ciderman]

Presently bubbling away after brewing last Sunday. Gravity is sitting just under 1.010 so we've got a little bit to go yet. Once it finishes I plan on racking to another fermenter with 1500g Mulberries for a 25L batch. I'll bring the temperature back to around 18 degrees and I suspect I'll get a bit more fermentation with all the fruit sugars present. How long should I leave it with the fruit?

 

[pajs]

There can sometimes be an earthy/dirty character to some mulberries, which I reckon could go pretty well with Marris Otter, Fuggles/Goldings and an Special Bitter-ish recipe. I'd be tempted to either put fruit in at flameout (ripe mulberries not that high in pectin) and/or rack after a week or so of ferment onto fruit youve frozen and defrosted. At least two weeks of contact with the fruit to get flavours and ferments sorted. Pectinase enzyme in the fermenter if you really wanted brightness & clarity. English mulberries would be what I'd use, not shahtoot. Those long, thin mulberries (I have a purple shahtoot tree) could be good in a wheat beer, I reckon.

 

[Ciderman]

Got down to 1.002 in just less than 2 weeks. Good result. Added puréed mulberry's to the beer and it bumped the gravity up to 1.010. The fruit has formed a cap much like the way wine ferments. Tasting pretty good so far.

 

[TimT]

Was going to say you could do a wine with those mulberries too (I was thinking about a mulberry mead the other day)....

There's a good chance that the mulberries will bring a good deal of pectin to the brew, which should clear it up nicely.

 

[Ciderman]

Looking good after cold crashing

 

[xpostmanx]

How did you go cider man? The mulberry tree is starting to fill with fruit. I was thinking of adding to secondary in a small batch cider.

 

[Ciderman]

The beer was a cracker. I'll track down a pic. Would go well in a dry cider

 

[manticle]

Was going to say you could do a wine with those mulberries too (I was thinking about a mulberry mead the other day)....

There's a good chance that the mulberries will bring a good deal of pectin to the brew, which should clear it up nicely.

I'm so very late replying but doesn't pectin contribute to haze?

 

[Ciderman]

Mine was pretty clear after cold crashing. Didnt filter or gelatine

 

[manticle]

Not suggesting yours should have been hazy - just confused by Tim suggesting excess pectin will contribute to clarity.

Gelatine only works on yeast by the way. It has no effect on other types of haze causing compounds.

 

[droid]

Gelatine only works on yeast by the way. It has no effect on other types of haze causing compounds.

Ok, you can learn something everyday.