Georgia on my Mind Peach Wheat Brew

[BlackQueenBrews]

Greetings Fellow Brewers,

My small batch (2 gal) extract brewing summer is in full swing! I am currently conditioning my dry hopped “Freedom Calls” APA and dry hopping another APA “Cherry on Top” Pale Ale.

I’d like to come up with a extract recipe for a Peach Wheat brew, hence the name in my thread title but I want to get some suggestions from y’all! 1) Should I just write or modify a good American Wheat recipe then add peaches to the secondary? 2) If I try to write my own recipe, what hops combo would give me a well balanced flavor of peaches and wheat? and 3) If I can’t find good fresh peaches and need to use frozen, how would I incorporate that into my secondary?

Thanks as always for your input, hope you’re enjoying your Brew Summer, and Cheers!!

 

[Jag75]

I just made my wife a peach blonde ale. I used about 3 lbs of frozen peaches in the secondary . About 4 days later I added a lbs of apricot puree to bring the sweetness up a tad. Just kegged yesterday . Its dryer then what i wanted . I should have kegged it earlier i guess . If you have Galaxy i think it would be a great hop addition.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I suggest:

Malt: Either just wheat extract or a mix of wheat and pale.

Hops: 10-20 IBU, bittering only (60 minutes).

Yeast: Pretty much anything is fine.

Water: RO purified

Fruit: Remove skins and pits if applicable. Freeze and then thaw. If you bottle I suggest to heat pasteurize the peaches. Add to beer as soon as primary finishes.
You could also consider using a natural peach flavoring instead.

 

[JR_Brewer]

I've made a peach saison as a summer beer three times now, and I like the results. It does finish dry, so if you're looking for peach sweetness you'll need to find a way to add sweetness to your recipe. I preferred the drier peach flavor with the saison. I did not alter the hops I would have used for a regular saison. For a wheat beer I would do the same.

How I handled the fruit: For a 5 gallon batch, wash, slice, and pit 5 lbs fresh peaches (weight before pitting). I did not remove skins or pasteurize. Freeze (to break down cell walls within fruit). Add immediately at the conclusion of primary (to ensure the yeast is still active and healthy).

I don't see any big issues using frozen fruit, I've done it on a blackberry beer. However check the label to ensure there aren't any additives to inhibit yeast growth (or similar issues).

 

[Jag75]

I had to backsweeten my peach ale . Was just way too dry . Think it finished about 1.006 or 7. The next time I make this for my wife I'm just gonna use peach extract.

 

[BlackQueenBrews]

Thanks!

Question for you, do you think you got more flavor out of the blackberries or peaches? I would like less of a dry profile and more of a well-rounded Fruit/wheat flavor. I’m really looking to end summer in a fruit beer note.

I've made a peach saison as a summer beer three times now, and I like the results. It does finish dry, so if you're looking for peach sweetness you'll need to find a way to add sweetness to your recipe. I preferred the drier peach flavor with the saison. I did not alter the hops I would have used for a regular saison. For a wheat beer I would do the same.

How I handled the fruit: For a 5 gallon batch, wash, slice, and pit 5 lbs fresh peaches (weight before pitting). I did not remove skins or pasteurize. Freeze (to break down cell walls within fruit). Add immediately at the conclusion of primary (to ensure the yeast is still active and healthy).

I don't see any big issues using frozen fruit, I've done it on a blackberry beer. However check the label to ensure there aren't any additives to inhibit yeast growth (or similar issues).