Samuel Smiths Organic Strawberry Ale

[kaempfer0080]

Has anyone tried this? I had a bottle of it recently at a nearby English pub and it was great. It actually surprised me with how full and delicious the strawberry flavor was. My friends loved it as well, they probably drank half my bottle =[

Anyone know how to make this? With the amount of strawberry flavor in it I'm certain it was added in a secondary fermentation. The back of the bottle says it's strawberry juice and not actual berries. I have no idea about the beer itself though.... It was very clean and light(in taste), but at the same time I suspect there was something like crystal in it because of the caramelly taste.

I've been meaning to try one of the strawberry blonde recipes here on the forums, how do they compare to this? Do we have any recipes up that would mimic this beer? If I can replicate it I can see this being one of my go-to drinks.

 

[jonmohno]

Am i gonna feel like **** tomarrow?

 

[PhelanKA7]

Has anyone tried this? I had a bottle of it recently at a nearby English pub and it was great. It actually surprised me with how full and delicious the strawberry flavor was. My friends loved it as well, they probably drank half my bottle =[

Anyone know how to make this? With the amount of strawberry flavor in it I'm certain it was added in a secondary fermentation. The back of the bottle says it's strawberry juice and not actual berries. I have no idea about the beer itself though.... It was very clean and light(in taste), but at the same time I suspect there was something like crystal in it because of the caramelly taste.

I've been meaning to try one of the strawberry blonde recipes here on the forums, how do they compare to this? Do we have any recipes up that would mimic this beer? If I can replicate it I can see this being one of my go-to drinks.

I've never seen that beer. I'll have to give it a go.

I came up with my own recipe for a Belgian Strawberry Blonde last year. Maybe because of the orange peel boiled for 30 minutes, but the flavor to me is closer to ruby red grapefruit juice. You can definitely detect the strawberry on the backend but the citrus is real strong and upfront in what I make. I throw in 4 lbs of whole strawberries @ secondary fermentation for 1 week.

 

[kaempfer0080]

That sounds like something my Grandmother would love. This wasn't acidic at all though. It kind of tastes a lot like strawberry jam but it wasn't thick/syrupy, just light and drinkable and good.

 

[PhelanKA7]

That sounds like something my Grandmother would love. This wasn't acidic at all though. It kind of tastes a lot like strawberry jam but it wasn't thick/syrupy, just light and drinkable and good.

Hmmm, I'm intrigued now. I've never really ever seen strawberry beer in the store which is one of the reasons I came up with the recipe I did. Most of the liquor stores around me carry a lot of Samuel Smith stuff but I honestly have never seen this strawberry beer. I'll have to see if I can special order it. Thanks for the heads up. Also, I posted the recipe for my strawberry blonde just now too if you're ever interested. Maybe for grandma's birthday? :fro:

 

[Zamial]

Strawberry beer...Is on my never to be brewed again list. I had a "reaction" to the fermented strawberries and got hives over 90% of my body. The strange thing is I can eat strawberries all day with no issues, nor have I had a reaction like that before or since. Just thought I would say something...I wish you the best luck on your brew.

 

[Vector]

I drank a bottle of this beer several weeks ago at bar during a night on the town.
I already had several beers before I got to it.
It tasted fine to start. Lots of strawberry flavor, but the taste got old half way through.

If I bought this again, I would share the bottle with friends. Might be good to serve a half glass after dinner.

I wouldn't want 50 bottles if this sitting around, I'll buy one if I want one. I can get it at Cost Plus World Market.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I've had other strawberry beers I thought we not great -- very fake strawberry flavor. I do want to give this one a whirl.

That might be a good opportunity to test small batches to figure out what amount of strawberry and how to prepare it best for your preferences.

 

[kaempfer0080]

I have a good idea of how to make good strawberry juice but I've got no idea what ind of a beer to rack onto it. I've made more wine and cider than I have beer so I'm not sure where to start.

 

[KUbrew]

I make a strawberry blonde that is awesome. I think it's good because of the way I treat my strawberries. After the beer is done fermenting I crash cool it and then put gelatin in it, trying to get all the yeast out that I can, I don't filter my beer. I want all the yeast gone so it doesn't ferment the strawberries when I put them in. I keg the beer then take about 5-6 pounds, per 5 gallons, of the ripest strawberries I can find, quarter them and put them in zip lock bags with enough vodka to mix in and make contact with all the strawberries, usually about a shot per pound. I let them soak in the fridge for a few days, turning them over a couple of times of day to make sure every surface has contact with the vodka to help sanitize the berries. I then freeze the mixture overnight, then put all of the mixture in a grain bag and put it in the keg and soak cold. I sample the beer every few days until the flavor is just right, then let it go a few more days, then pull the strawberries.

The problem I've found with the strawberries is that the flavor and aroma fade pretty quickly, within a month it is drastically reduced. So depending on how fast you drink your beer, you might just want to make a half batch. Making a half batch also helps in fitting the strawberries in the keg.

I think if you use this method and try and find a clone for the base beer then you should come up with a good beer. I get a great aroma and a full strawberry taste, not just a hint of strawberry flavor like I've found in most strawberry beers that I've had.

 

[kaempfer0080]

I'll have to try something like that. Problem is I don't keg and probably never will...at least in the foreseeable future. The only thing I can think of is campdening up my fermented beer and then using CO2 tabs. Do those work? I'm a bit wary of using them.

 

[KUbrew]

Not a problem if you don't keg. If you are able to crash cool it, I would do that after it's done fermenting. If not it's not a big deal. Then put gelatin the primary, wait a few days and rack to a secondary and add the strawberries. You might get a little secondary fermentation, but most of the yeast is gone at that point and it should be fine. Let it set a few weeks then start sampling and bottle when you like the taste. I usually let the strawberries set for 2-3 weeks with the beer at 40 degrees, but it probably won't take as much time if the beer is warmer.