Strawberry Beer

[Newts]

Hey guys,

One of the beers requested (demanded) by SWMBO for my upcoming brewdays is a strawberry beer. I've had a look at recipes on the net and I don't actually have all the hops for one particular brew and our LHBS doesn't stock the ones I'm missing either. In saying that I have plenty of different hops that I can use listed below:

Challenger
East Kent Golding
Target
Northern Brewer
Chinook
Cascade
Galena
Willamette
Hallertauer Mittelfrüh
Galaxy
Fuggles
Magnum
Nelson Sauvin
Perle

I'm looking for something really easy drinking, and preferably having a slightly sweet flavour from the strawberries. My missus isn't generally a beer drinker so I was thinking 18-20 IBUs (which I can figure out) but I'm looking for suggestions as to what hops to use for bittering and aroma from the above. I'm not experienced enough to know what will work and what won't yet. Any suggestions on a good combo?

Cheers,

Newts

EDIT: Hop list formatting changed to make easier to read

 

[Toper]

If it was me,I'd go for a pale lager base with either Willamette or Perle for bittering and aroma,either in combo or single hopping.I'd use a clean yeast and while lagering add about 2kg of very,very,very ripe frozen then defrosted strawberries,in a sanitised stocking.The fruit is frozen to burst the cell wall structure and release more flavour,the fruit should be 'jam' quality,well ripe. I did one like this in my partial mash days using 2kg of kiwi fruit,twas bloody lovely.

 

[Kranky]

I've made strawberry beer. The best so far is strawberry Lambic but if you want anything soon that's not an option. Also the yeasts I've used like to eat all the strawberry. I'd try making a lightly hopped simple wheat beer. Either put some strawberrys in a randal or chuck a bottle of strawberry flavouring into the keg when you keg it, shake the shit out of it and bang it in the fridge.

 

[krausenhaus]

I've never made it, but my experience in tasting them is that the strawberry flavour doesn't come through and you're just left with tartness. I'd do as Kranky said and add some flavouring after the ferment.

 

[JDW81]

I've made strawberry beer. The best so far is strawberry Lambic but if you want anything soon that's not an option. Also the yeasts I've used like to eat all the strawberry. I'd try making a lightly hopped simple wheat beer. Either put some strawberrys in a randal or chuck a bottle of strawberry flavouring into the keg when you keg it, shake the shit out of it and bang it in the fridge.

Or make some strawberry puree/juice and pop it in the glass. Similar to what they do with the "mango" beer at lowenbrau. Would go nicely with a hefe I'd wager.