Show me your blueberry beers!

[Rob2010SS]

I'm looking to add blueberries to a wheat beer I brewed on Saturday. I've never used blueberries. I'm not 100% sure on what I want as far as color contribution from the blueberries yet. This is going to be given away at my wife's baby shower in April.

What I'm interested in are the following:
1. Pictures! I want to see how the beer looked after you added blueberries (finished product). Really only interested in the effect on lighter colored beers.
2. How many #'s of blueberries did you use?
3. Did you add them whole or did you puree them? (I'm under the impression I'll get less color if I leave them whole, just not sure how much color I'll get from them this way).

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Before anyone gives me a hard time about looking through the forum, I did and I've really only found 2 pictures of blueberry beers. Not a lot of pictures from what I found.

 

[Andrew Hodgson]

I also don't see many people using blueberry in beers but I'm sure they are out there. If you are only interested in the blue color for the theme of the event there is a weird blue-beer rabbit hole thread here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/blue-beer-lets-beat-this-dead-horse.643370/

But it doesn't seem like this product is yielding consistently blue beer (some kind of Ph/color thing it seems).

I'm sure the blueberry crowd will stop by and give some ideas as well.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I also don't see many people using blueberry in beers but I'm sure they are out there. If you are only interested in the blue color for the theme of the event there is a weird blue-beer rabbit hole thread here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/blue-beer-lets-beat-this-dead-horse.643370/

But it doesn't seem like this product is yielding consistently blue beer (some kind of Ph/color thing it seems).

I'm sure the blueberry crowd will stop by and give some ideas as well.

Lol yep i was part of that thread. Im not really trying to get a blue beer out of this. I know that's not going to happen with blueberries. Im simply looking for examples of beers with blueberries so i can get an idea of what they do to the color

 

[dwoods]

I don't have a photo, but dark purple is how I would describe mine. I added a gallon bag full (I have blueberry bushes) after primary. I just squeeze the bag a to break the open skins a little.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I don't have a photo, but dark purple is how I would describe mine. I added a gallon bag full (I have blueberry bushes) after primary. I just squeeze the bag a to break the open skins a little.

A gallon bag full... hmmm ok. So i'll probably want to use less than that, whatever that amount is. I don't want it a dark purple that's for sure

 

[bleme]

I use 3 pounds of frozen blueberries. The first time I mashed the berries (potato masher) and put them in a bag with a bunch of marbles to get them to sink. The 2nd time I ran them through my juicer and just added the juice.

The color came out about the same, but I got more blueberry flavor from adding the mashed berries.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I use 3 pounds of frozen blueberries. The first time I mashed the berries (potato masher) and put them in a bag with a bunch of marbles to get them to sink. The 2nd time I ran them through my juicer and just added the juice.

The color came out about the same, but I got more blueberry flavor from adding the mashed berries.

How dark was it? Dark purple-ish or just a tint of color?

 

[bleme]

Mine came out about like this pic, maybe a touch darker:

 

[Leezer]

My first attempt at a blueberry ale last summer. 2.5G batch, a little over 2.25 lbs fresh blueberries. I smushed them up in zip lock bags, added to fermenter in hop socks weighted with glass beads, for I think about 2-3 weeks. Not sure color is showing up right but had a reddish purple hue. I found it had almost no blueberry flavor at all. Basically a nice pale ale with an interesting color to it.

 

[isomerization]

5 gal kettle sour with 4 lb each of frozen raspberries and blueberries from Costco (~2 days contact time).

 

[isomerization]

I use 3 pounds of frozen blueberries. The first time I mashed the berries (potato masher) and put them in a bag with a bunch of marbles to get them to sink. The 2nd time I ran them through my juicer and just added the juice.

The color came out about the same, but I got more blueberry flavor from adding the mashed berries.

I believe the skins contribute a good amount of flavor depth too.

 

[Rob2010SS]

My first attempt at a blueberry ale last summer. 2.5G batch, a little over 2.25 lbs fresh blueberries. I smushed them up in zip lock bags, added to fermenter in hop socks weighted with glass beads, for I think about 2-3 weeks. Not sure color is showing up right but had a reddish purple hue. I found it had almost no blueberry flavor at all. Basically a nice pale ale with an interesting color to it.

View attachment 615902

That's interesting. The flavor must have fermented out...? You added to primary or a secondary?

 

[Rob2010SS]

I believe the skins contribute a good amount of flavor depth too.

That is kinda what i gather too. So far im leaning towards 5lbs of whole blueberries, not smashed, in my 6 gal batch of wheat beer... Not 100%on that yet though

 

[isomerization]

That is kinda what i gather too. So far im leaning towards 5lbs of whole blueberries, not smashed, in my 6 gal batch of wheat beer... Not 100%on that yet though

Mine were whole and frozen, highly recommend freezing.

 

[Dgallo]

I use fruit quite often. The best way I found to utilize it is to add it right at the tail end of fermentation, 4-5 days after active fermentation. Freeze the berries, when they are still frozen, smash them with a mallet or rolling pin. You could also blend them but If you do, use the least amount of water possibly.

Blueberries will certainly give you color. Pink to a redish-purple depending on how much you use. I usually suggest a lb per gallon. If you want it darker, you could always add 2 oz of hibiscus at flame out. It will give you a deeper color.

real blueberries don’t provide a lot of aroma or flavor. To bump the flavor, I would use mosiac hops. If you do end up using the hibiscus, it will benefit the overall berry profile of the beer.

Anyway. Good luck man. Let us know how it goes

 

[isomerization]

My raspberry/blueberry beer has tons of flavor and aroma (10 IBU, no dry hops). Could be the low pH helped extraction? Maybe people just aren’t using enough fruit? 0.5 lb/gal is pretty low for any fruit imo

 

[Dgallo]

My raspberry/blueberry beer has tons of flavor and aroma (10 IBU, no dry hops). Could be the low pH helped extraction? Maybe people just aren’t using enough fruit? 0.5 lb/gal is pretty low for any fruit imo

I would bet most of your flavor came from the raspberries, unless you used overrippened blueberries, then it is possible, however he will not have access to quality, over ripen blueberries this time of year. Also both raspberries and blueberries have a tart character to them, using them in your sour (which was a great call btw) benefits the overall perception of both fruits. For wheat beer he’s going to elevate the flavor. And you’re correct, a lb per gallon is the standard for adding fruit, anything less won’t provide the flavor he’s looking for

 

[Dgallo]

Oh and sorry forgot to add the picture. Both are my homebrew. The one on the left is a blueberry/hibiscus sour. As you can see the hibiscus really bumps the color if that’s what you’re looking for

 

[isomerization]

I would bet most of your flavor came from the raspberries, unless you used overrippened blueberries, then it is possible, however he will not have access to quality, over ripen blueberries this time of year. Also both raspberries and blueberries have a tart character to them, using them in your sour (which was a great call btw) benefits the overall perception of both fruits. For wheat beer he’s going to elevate the flavor. And you’re correct, a lb per gallon is the standard for adding fruit, anything less won’t provide the flavor he’s looking for

I’m down with all that you said. Funny enough, I thought that the beer was more raspberry forward, but majority of others said heavy blueberry. My palate is not that nuanced, so what to make of it?

Also btw, I have had great results with making a hibiscus tea at bottling/kegging. 1 oz/5 gal makes it look like rose, haha. You can control the color much easier (imo) and the tea is sanitized just as easily as in the BK.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I use fruit quite often. The best way I found to utilize it is to add it right at the tail end of fermentation, 4-5 days after active fermentation. Freeze the berries, when they are still frozen, smash them with a mallet or rolling pin. You could also blend them but If you do, use the least amount of water possibly.

Blueberries will certainly give you color. Pink to a redish-purple depending on how much you use. I usually suggest a lb per gallon. If you want it darker, you could always add 2 oz of hibiscus at flame out. It will give you a deeper color.

real blueberries don’t provide a lot of aroma or flavor. To bump the flavor, I would use mosiac hops. If you do end up using the hibiscus, it will benefit the overall berry profile of the beer.

Anyway. Good luck man. Let us know how it goes

That's good info, thanks. I also use fruit quite a bit, but this is my first time using blueberries so I really just wanted examples of the color it provides. I'm already doing a hibiscus beer that will be given away with this so I don't want to use hibiscus in this also.

 

[Rob2010SS]

The goal was actually to have a pink beer, which we're using the hibiscus for, and a blue beer. Since my attempt at actual blue beer failed, I nixed the actual blue beer idea and figured we'd make a blueberry wheat. Since we couldn't actually make it blue, we'd just use the play on words with blueberry.

 

[Dgallo]

The goal was actually to have a pink beer, which we're using the hibiscus for, and a blue beer. Since my attempt at actual blue beer failed, I nixed the actual blue beer idea and figured we'd make a blueberry wheat. Since we couldn't actually make it blue, we'd just use the play on words with blueberry.

Make a blonde ale and use blue food coloring. Obviously as homebrewer, you most likely were looking for a natural way to do it but it’s just like green beer for saint patty’s day.

Or you could force carb a spiked leamoniad and add some blue Curacau . Will be a hit with the ladies lol

 

[Rob2010SS]

Haha. I thought about it but beer is yellow and if you use blue food coloring, you get green beer. That's actually how I did a green beer for St. Patty's last year, blue food coloring.

The wheat beer is already brewed, fermenting away as we speak. So I'm going to stick with the blueberry idea, just need a plan for them is all.

 

[Leezer]

That's interesting. The flavor must have fermented out...? You added to primary or a secondary?

I added to primary a week or so after active fermentation had ended. I wasn't surprised at the lack of flavor because from my reading beforehand that seemed to be the experience most others had. Still, I was hopeful that with about a pound per gallon that I would get something, and wanted to at least try using fresh berries. I did freeze them too after smushing since I had read that helps with flavor, but not in my case. But others experience may be different. I wondered about adding some blueberry juice, may try that at some point.

 

[LouPole]

Used 1.5 lbs per 1 gal batch of wheat ale

 

[Rob2010SS]

Used 1.5 lbs per 1 gal batch of wheat aleView attachment 616092

That looks good! Did you smash them or leave them whole? How was the flavor/aroma - strong blueberry?

 

[HearthBakedCory]

For a 5Gal batch I used 3Lbs of freeze dried blueberries soaked in vodka over night. Added them to the fermenter for 4 days before kegging.

 

[Rob2010SS]

For a 5Gal batch I used 3Lbs of freeze dried blueberries soaked in vodka over night. Added them to the fermenter for 4 days before kegging.

Wow, interesting color you got. Is that more of a purple color or is it the same color as the rest above, just in different lighting?

 

[HearthBakedCory]

Wow, interesting color you got. Is that more of a purple color or is it the same color as the rest above, just in different lighting?

It's VERY purple, the vodka/berry mixture was really dark and almost syrup consistency when I added it.

 

[isomerization]

That’s not surprising, looks like freeze dried blueberries are roughly 8 times concentrated, so you had the potential of 24 lb of fruit in a 5 gal batch!!

 

[HearthBakedCory]

That’s not surprising, looks like freeze dried blueberries are roughly 8 times concentrated, so you had the potential of 24 lb of fruit in a 5 gal batch!!

And way cheaper than buying fresh!

 

[isomerization]

And way cheaper than buying fresh!

Do you have a link?

 

[HearthBakedCory]

Do you have a link?

You may be able to find them cheaper somewhere else but I used these cause there aren’t any preservatives. The concentration I wanted made freeze dried a lot more cost effective than fresh.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7ZJ4EY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AkdGCbFYRG0X7

 

[Rob2010SS]

And way cheaper than buying fresh!

Definitely interested in a link as well! How was the flavor/aroma? And I'm assuming you added all the vodka and everything to it? Remember how much vodka you used?

 

[Rob2010SS]

As much as I like that color, I'd be concerned the flavor would drown out the flavor of the beer behind it. So curious as to what you thought of the flavor/aroma of that.

 

[HearthBakedCory]

As much as I like that color, I'd be concerned the flavor would drown out the flavor of the beer behind it. So curious as to what you thought of the flavor/aroma of that.

I was definitely aiming for a heave blueberry flavor so you could probably dial it back a bit and still retain the color. I added them to my hefeweizen recipe and you were still able to pick out the lemon and wheat.

I’ve wanted to start brewing Berliners but wasn’t ready to start playing with lactobacillus yet so this was a bit of a lazy man’s sour. I enjoyed it and will be making it again soon.

 

[isomerization]

I was definitely aiming for a heave blueberry flavor so you could probably dial it back a bit and still retain the color. I added them to my hefeweizen recipe and you were still able to pick out the lemon and wheat.

I’ve wanted to start brewing Berliners but wasn’t ready to start playing with lactobacillus yet so this was a bit of a lazy man’s sour. I enjoyed it and will be making it again soon.

I definitely recommend blueberry in a Berliner/Gose type kettle sour. If you have access to Costco, they have very nice frozen blueberries for about $2.50/lb

 

[Rob2010SS]

That’s not surprising, looks like freeze dried blueberries are roughly 8 times concentrated, so you had the potential of 24 lb of fruit in a 5 gal batch!!

Can I ask where you got this figure? Not because I'm questioning how correct it is, but because I want to figure out how much of these to use in my wheat beer.

 

[HearthBakedCory]

Definitely interested in a link as well! How was the flavor/aroma? And I'm assuming you added all the vodka and everything to it? Remember how much vodka you used?

I filled two mason jars to the top with the dried berries then poured vodka to about half way (they were packed pretty tight so maybe an ounce or two per jar), then added the whole contents of the jars into the fermenter.

 

[isomerization]

Can I ask where you got this figure? Not because I'm questioning how correct it is, but because I want to figure out how much of these to use in my wheat beer.

The product description here:

https://www.amazon.com/Freeze-Dried-Blueberries-Ounce-Can/dp/B0006ZN4ZM

“Each can is equivalent to about 6 lbs. of fresh blueberries.”

The fan is 12 oz, so 3lb would be 48 oz. Works out to 6lb x 4 = 24 lb if I calculated correctly.