Damson wheat beer - good or terrible idea?

[Baldylocks Brewery]

Hi All

I'm relatively new to all grain, only five brews in, and so far stuck to SMASH and Greg Hughs recipes which have been great.

Having picked, washed, sanitised and frozen 10kg of damsons i was thinking of a damson wheat beer next.

Before I get started I thought it best to seek brewing wisdom and recipe suggestions from those who have more experience?

I'm using BIAB in a 56L electric pot with basic fermentor and part mini keg, part bottling.

Cheers

Simon

 

[sifty]

Go for it. I've just made a blueberry American wheat beer using 3kg of frozen berries (25 litre batch, all grain process).
Good fun and it came out well. No idea how damsons compare regards sugar levels etc.

Made a video of the process in the 'Beer Brewdays' thread if you're interested. It was a home schooling lockdown 'science' project...

 

[The Baron]

I personally would use Damsons in something like a Porter or Stout and lighter fruitier fruits in wheat beers, but who's right or wrong the only way is to try

 

[Baldylocks Brewery]

I see your point Baron as I've only seen one post with plum family fruit in a non-black beer. I do have quite a lot of them, even after making jam, so may have a go and if its pants try again with a porter.

 

[Baldylocks Brewery]

Go for it. I've just made a blueberry American wheat beer using 3kg of frozen berries (25 litre batch, all grain process).
Good fun and it came out well. No idea how damsons compare regards sugar levels etc.

Made a video of the process in the 'Beer Brewdays' thread if you're interested. It was a home schooling lockdown 'science' project...

Hmm, hadn't even thought about the sugar in the fruit! best figure that out and find your video. Cheers Sifty

 

[sifty]

Yeah I added the fruit after fermentation had stopped, and it kicked off again. I gather fruits have different sugar content that affects fermentation, plus it matters if they are whole/sliced/mashed. Hard to estimate ABV but I think there are online calculators/estimators.

Keen to see how you get on. Please post updates...

 

[Stu's Brews]

I see your point Baron as I've only seen one post with plum family fruit in a non-black beer. I do have quite a lot of them, even after making jam, so may have a go and if its pants try again with a porter.

I shared a recipe I've used for a Sloe Stout here recently: Sloe Beer?

I imagine you could do something fairly similar with damsons instead of sloes.

 

[MrRook]

Do you like damsons? Do you like wheat beer? If yes to both, go for it. It's your beer.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I use damsons to flavour gin. I would use raspberries for wheat beer.

 

[Hop_it]

A few years ago a friend gave me a large bottle of a Leffe beer he had bought in France which contained elderberries. I can't remember what it was called, but it was a deep ruby red colour, and the label said that it contained malted barley, wheat/malted wheat and elderberries. Anyway, it was very nice indeed . . . . . So, on that basis I reckon that a damson wheat beer is well worth a try.
I'm seriously thinking about trying to make an elderberry wheat beer, but it will have to wait until next year, and I also need to locate a plentiful source of elderberries close by.

 

[Baldylocks Brewery]

A few years ago a friend gave me a large bottle of a Leffe beer he had bought in France which contained elderberries. I can't remember what it was called, but it was a deep ruby red colour, and the label said that it contained malted barley, wheat/malted wheat and elderberries. Anyway, it was very nice indeed . . . . . So, on that basis I reckon that a damson wheat beer is well worth a try.
I'm seriously thinking about trying to make an elderberry wheat beer, but it will have to wait until next year, and I also need to locate a plentiful source of elderberries close by.

Good shout Hop-it as if it was Leffe Ruby I'm a big fan, shame it's so rare in uk shops.
Going to base the brew on the GH Raspberry wheat beer but swap lager malt (don't have any) for MO and reduce the damsons to 2kg as I think they are stronger in flavour. Using LALLEMAND Munich Wheat beer yeast. 30g Fuggle at 60mins. Using Brewfather it estimates 5.1% using plum as nearest fruit on the list.
Any thoughts on adding late boil EKG hops as I have 2021 harvest home grown in the freezer?
Or anything else as I'm kicking it off this weekend?

 

[prog99]

Elderberries are nothing like Damsons though.
I'd keep them(damsons) well clear of a wheat beer.

 

[Philthebrewer]

I made 2 experimental wheat beers this year (small batches). One flavoured with rhubarb, the other with redcurrants. The rhubarb beer was predictably sour and clearly not for usual consumption, although it worked well with lemonade as a shandy. However the redcurrant wheat beer was a success. Nice pink colour, hints of fruit and a great dry wheat beer taste. I will be trying different fruits next year (but maybe not rhubarb again).

 

[Hop_it]

Elderberries are nothing like Damsons though.
I'd keep them(damsons) well clear of a wheat beer.

Yes, I appreciate that the two fruits are very different, but my point was only that a wheat beer makes a good base for a dark fruit beer. I cannot think of any reason why it would not be worth a try.

 

[Baldylocks Brewery]

Finally sampled the Damson wheat beer and it’s not bad at all! Wasn’t sure about it TBH but pleased it’s easy drinking. Personally I would have liked it a touch sweeter but I’m still learning. Great fun making it up and seeing what happens.

 

[Hop_it]

I'm pleased that you have produced a drinkable fruit beer. I'm not sure what you could do about sweetening it up next time, but perhaps a different yeast or a higher mash temperature might help???? Or possibly some lactose?