Fruity beer advice

[Nobbynormal]

hello, I’ve just started a Geordie lager kit but I’d like to give it a bit of a fruity twang for the summer. I tried a couple of the brewdog ‘Elvis Juice’ which had a strong grapefruit flavour and would like to achieve something similar. Is it a case of chopping up some grapefruits and letting it ferment or is there a lot more to it?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[MrRook]

hello, I’ve just started a Geordie lager kit but I’d like to give it a bit of a fruity twang for the summer. I tried a couple of the brewdog ‘Elvis Juice’ which had a strong grapefruit flavour and would like to achieve something similar. Is it a case of chopping up some grapefruits and letting it ferment or is there a lot more to it?
Thanks for any advice.

There are a couple of ways to add grapefruit flavor. 1: dry hop with some grapefruity hops like cascade. 2: add some grapefruit zest somewhere in the process.

 

[Oneiroi]

hello, I’ve just started a Geordie lager kit but I’d like to give it a bit of a fruity twang for the summer. I tried a couple of the brewdog ‘Elvis Juice’ which had a strong grapefruit flavour and would like to achieve something similar. Is it a case of chopping up some grapefruits and letting it ferment or is there a lot more to it?
Thanks for any advice.

IIRC, brewdog recommend using just the grapefruit peel (making sure to avoid as much of the white pith as possible as it adds potentially unpleasant bitterness).

I think I would add it in the fermentor like a dry hop as you want to keep as much of the aromatic/perfumed compounds as possible.

 

[GerritT]

hello, I’ve just started a Geordie lager kit but I’d like to give it a bit of a fruity twang for the summer. I tried a couple of the brewdog ‘Elvis Juice’ which had a strong grapefruit flavour and would like to achieve something similar. Is it a case of chopping up some grapefruits and letting it ferment or is there a lot more to it?
Thanks for any advice.

Chopping the fruit would add to the sugar contents too, I think has 10% sugar. One grated lemon (=link to a standard good grater) per gallon during fermenting should be noticeable, you could split the batch and make 1 split with extra lemon. (Randy Mosher mentions 3 grams for a 19 liter brew in one of his recipes, "A perfect ten", that's half a tbsp, and not much methinks, and he boils it as late addition)
Oh and you might want to soak the zest for a day in vodka, just for sanitation and the citrus oil is soluble in alcohol so add the whole soaking goodness to the brew.
And let us know the results :)

editted because of so many raisins

 

[BeerCat]

Anyone tried the extract MM sell? Its nice when you add a few drops to a beer but i bottled some with too much and made it undrinkable without a massive grapefruit hit. My friend had a bottle recently though and said it was very good. Maybe it mellowed, cant find any more bottles.

 

[dad_of_jon]

hello, I’ve just started a Geordie lager kit but I’d like to give it a bit of a fruity twang for the summer. I tried a couple of the brewdog ‘Elvis Juice’ which had a strong grapefruit flavour and would like to achieve something similar. Is it a case of chopping up some grapefruits and letting it ferment or is there a lot more to it?
Thanks for any advice.

you could chuck a litre or 2 of (pink)grapefruit juice in the fv. I did a pink grapefruit beer using 8 litres of the stuff with 14 liters of wort. it was overpowering. depends on how much grapefruit hit you want?

 

[BeerCat]

you could chuck a litre or 2 of (pink)grapefruit juice in the fv. I did a pink grapefruit beer using 8 litres of the stuff with 14 liters of wort. it was overpowering. depends on how much grapefruit hit you want?

Did you add it at the start of fermentation? Would like to give it a go in a BIPA.

 

[Nobbynormal]

Thanks for the helpful reply’s. I’ll grate the zest off 3 grapefruits and a lemon, cut away the white pith and bin it, then chop the fruits and add add it to the fermenting bin. Might soak it all in vodka if I think I’ve got time. Won’t be until about half way through the ferment tho as I don’t yet have the fruit and the lager kit is well underway with a big frothy top.

 

[Pheqit]

I make an Elvis Juice clone staying as close to the recipe in the diy dog using 6 grapefruits and 6 seville oranges. I peel the zest with a sharp potato peeler and can freeze in sealed bags if not used straight away. I use 2/3rds of the peel in the boil and because I 'no chill' I put the rest of the peel in the FV and pour the hot wort over them. Tried a side by side comparison and my wife nor I could tell the difference between my clone and the original, well actually my wife said mine was a little bit more grapefruity (I put it down to freshness).

 

[dad_of_jon]

Did you add it at the start of fermentation? Would like to give it a go in a BIPA.

yes I did, but even thought some of the taste, aroma etc would have been stripped out during primary fermentation, it was still a huge pink grapfruit bomb. It's either mellowed or i've learnt to love it!

https://lifehacker.com/the-secret-to-developing-a-taste-for-food-you-dont-like-1679325827

 

[dad_of_jon]

Did you add it at the start of fermentation? Would like to give it a go in a BIPA.

my next attempt will be 4 litres into the fv topped up to 21 litres.

 

[BeerCat]

my next attempt will be 4 litres into the fv topped up to 21 litres.

Sounds good to me. Where did you buy the juice and was it sweetened? I will get some tomorrow.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Sounds good to me. Where did you buy the juice and was it sweetened? I will get some tomorrow.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLbOm9Duv9oCFdUD0wod0QUGyA

I'd consider adding some lactose. it was unsweetened.

if you really want to see how it turned out with 8 litres can send you a bottle. you have to be a real hardcore pink grapefruit fan tho'

 

[BeerCat]

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254426418?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*PX+|+Shopping+GSC+|+All+Products+++Tesco+Brand*PRODUCT+GROUP254426418*&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh5nGze6_2gIVx7HtCh2EewTtEAQYAiABEgI1pfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLbOm9Duv9oCFdUD0wod0QUGyA

I'd consider adding some lactose. it was unsweetened.

if you really want to see how it turned out with 8 litres can send you a bottle. you have to be a real hardcore pink grapefruit fan tho'

Happy to do a swap, maybe not that one though. :) Will send you a DM and i will add lactose.

 

[BeardedMag]

Mate I love Elvis Juice and am intrigued by this thread! I'd love to try a bottle so I can work out what I want to add when I try my clone haha!

 

[dad_of_jon]

Mate I love Elvis Juice and am intrigued by this thread! I'd love to try a bottle so I can work out what I want to add when I try my clone haha!

pm'd

 

[dad_of_jon]

Happy to do a swap, maybe not that one though. :) Will send you a DM and i will add lactose.

it can turn your face inside out :nod:
Anything on the sig apart from the king kong cos 6 have gone over my dad's for xmas2018 and I can't find the odd bottle!

 

[Zymotik]

I really want to brew an Elvis Juice clone, can you share your recipe please Pheqit? I've read the DIY dog, I even own the book, but starting from your recipe will give me an even better chance :) well done on matching it!

I make an Elvis Juice clone staying as close to the recipe in the diy dog using 6 grapefruits and 6 seville oranges. I peel the zest with a sharp potato peeler and can freeze in sealed bags if not used straight away. I use 2/3rds of the peel in the boil and because I 'no chill' I put the rest of the peel in the FV and pour the hot wort over them. Tried a side by side comparison and my wife nor I could tell the difference between my clone and the original, well actually my wife said mine was a little bit more grapefruity (I put it down to freshness).

 

[Pheqit]

My BAD! 2yo and a pm I never answered! The recipe is there follow the DIYdog exactly and use my fruit zest additions or adjust if you use a cooler (ie. more zest earlier maybe). But the low amount of Magnum bittering hops is not a typing error, you get plenty of bittering from the dry hops and zest.

I now find lowering the amount of zest leads to a nicer pint. Even started changing the hops but it is starting to differ too much but not in a bad way, try substituting cheaper fruity hops it still works even though it moves away from the original Elvis Juice.