My Framboise Recipe

Classification: fruit beer, raspberry ale, raspberry wheat, framboise, wheat, extract

Source: Cher Feinstein (crf@pine.circa.ufl.edu) Issue #479, 8/22/90

I've been getting a large head with good lace, and an enormous aroma of raspberries. The brew is also crystal clear, with a deep ruby color (which I consider to be just plain luck since wheat beers are characteristically cloudy). As aging continues, any hints of astringency are disappearing. It will probably need 4--6 months aging time, quite possibly more.

Ingredients:

6.6 pounds wheat malt extract
1/2 pound crystal malt
1 ounce Hallertauer hops
1 pack Wyeast #3056, Bavarian wheat
5 or 6 bags frozen raspberries (12 ounce bags)

Procedure:

The wheat malt should ideally be a 60-40 mix of wheat and barley. The crystal malt is cracked and steeped in hot water for 20 minutes, then strained. The hops are then added and the mixture is boiled for 45 minutes. Chill and add yeast. Allow the beer to ferment for 7 days and then prepare raspberry mixture by defrosting berries and using blender to puree. Pitch in fermenter and after 48 hours, bottle. Next time I make this, I will modify the recipe to use 1 can (6.6#) of Ireks wheat malt, 3-4 pounds of light DME, 1 ounce of Hallertauer (35 minute boil), and again, Wyeast #3056. By using a 100% wheat extract, such as Ireks, I can control the amount of barley extract to assure 60% wheat to 40% barley.

Specifics:

Primary Ferment: 7 days
Secondary Ferment: 48 hours