[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

I have a raspberry wheat extract recipe that I would like to incorporate fresh berries into.  Anyone have experience incorporating fresh raspberries into their beer?  I would also be curious to get opinions on what differences in taste I might see adding them at different stages.

[mattybrass]

I made a Saison that i added fresh raspberries to. I tossed them in whole to the secondary after a 5 week primary using WLP670. I used a ratio of 1/2 lbs per gallon and ended up with a nice pink color from the berries with a light/moderate aroma and flavor. The beer ended up winning 1st place in the fruit beer category in this years Boston Homebrew Competition.

What style beer are you planning on making?

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

I made a Saison that i added fresh raspberries to. I tossed them in whole to the secondary after a 5 week primary using WLP670. I used a ratio of 1/2 lbs per gallon and ended up with a nice pink color from the berries with a light/moderate aroma and flavor. The beer ended up winning 1st place in the fruit beer category in this years Boston Homebrew Competition.

What style beer are you planning on making?

I have a kit for a raspberry wheat so I would like to use that but incorporate some fresh fruit.  It's the start of raspberry season here in Vermont so I think some fresh local fruit would be great.
On a side note, do you happen to have that Saison recipe?

[reverseapachemaster]

After 2-3 weeks you'll get everything out of the raspberries you can get. After that the flavor will start to fade slightly.

One thing to keep in mind with raspberries is that they will completely break down in beer and leave you with small bits of skin and seed that will clog your racking and bottling equipment and get into your bottles if you aren't careful. It's a real PITA to work with. You will need to secure something over the end of your racking cane/autosiphon to keep all that stuff in the fermentor.

[HoosierBrew]

After 2-3 weeks you'll get everything out of the raspberries you can get. After that the flavor will start to fade slightly.

One thing to keep in mind with raspberries is that they will completely break down in beer and leave you with small bits of skin and seed that will clog your racking and bottling equipment and get into your bottles if you aren't careful. It's a real PITA to work with. You will need to secure something over the end of your racking cane/autosiphon to keep all that stuff in the fermentor.

+10.  Oregon raspberry puree is every bit as good, minus the grief and expletives.   

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

After 2-3 weeks you'll get everything out of the raspberries you can get. After that the flavor will start to fade slightly.

One thing to keep in mind with raspberries is that they will completely break down in beer and leave you with small bits of skin and seed that will clog your racking and bottling equipment and get into your bottles if you aren't careful. It's a real PITA to work with. You will need to secure something over the end of your racking cane/autosiphon to keep all that stuff in the fermentor.

Are you talking 2-3 weeks in the primary?

[mattybrass]

I made a Saison that i added fresh raspberries to. I tossed them in whole to the secondary after a 5 week primary using WLP670. I used a ratio of 1/2 lbs per gallon and ended up with a nice pink color from the berries with a light/moderate aroma and flavor. The beer ended up winning 1st place in the fruit beer category in this years Boston Homebrew Competition.

What style beer are you planning on making?

I have a kit for a raspberry wheat so I would like to use that but incorporate some fresh fruit.  It's the start of raspberry season here in Vermont so I think some fresh local fruit would be great.
On a side note, do you happen to have that Saison recipe?

+1 to leaving the fruit in for at least a month.

+1 to it breaking down in the beer, i racked using a nylon bag over my auto-siphon.

Saison recipe is

69.6% 2-row
8.7% carafoam
8.7% flaked wheat
8.7% white wheat
4.3% acidulated malt
.88 oz Challenger @ 60 (24 ibus)
.88 sterling @ 5m (4.8 ibus)
2 g paradise seeds @ 5m
WLP670

[morticaixavier]

After 2-3 weeks you'll get everything out of the raspberries you can get. After that the flavor will start to fade slightly.

One thing to keep in mind with raspberries is that they will completely break down in beer and leave you with small bits of skin and seed that will clog your racking and bottling equipment and get into your bottles if you aren't careful. It's a real PITA to work with. You will need to secure something over the end of your racking cane/autosiphon to keep all that stuff in the fermentor.

Are you talking 2-3 weeks in the primary?

you will want to wait till primary fermentation is done. you can add them to the primary vessel if you want or transfer the beer to a secondary vessel and add them there.

If you freeze the fruit first, then thaw it will help release juice. although with rasperries that's less of an issue.

[ANDREW.GROGAN1]

Any thoughts on sanitizing?  Will a light rinse like I do before I eat them be enough? 

[morticaixavier]

Any thoughts on sanitizing?  Will a light rinse like I do before I eat them be enough?

I don't worry about sanitizing fruit myself but I have had infections caused by fruit additions. I just didn't mind cause they were still tasty. Generally the low pH and alcohol content will prevent spoilage but it is a risk.

it's hard to sanitize fruit though.

[HoosierBrew]

I don't worry about sanitizing fruit myself but I have had infections caused by fruit additions. I just didn't mind cause they were still tasty. Generally the low pH and alcohol content will prevent spoilage but it is a risk.

it's hard to sanitize fruit though.

+1

[erockrph]

If you freeze the fruit first, then thaw it will help release juice. although with rasperries that's less of an issue.

That's my SOP with most fruit. I put it through a hard freeze, let it thaw, then crush them in the baggie before dumping them in the fermenter.

[reverseapachemaster]

Any thoughts on sanitizing?  Will a light rinse like I do before I eat them be enough?

You could throw them in some starsan or heat them to pasteurization temperatures although the latter risks setting a pectin haze. That probably isn't a problem for a wheat beer though.

[mattybrass]

i just rinsed mine under some water before adding them.

You could let them sit in some 100+ proof vodka for a bit to sanitize them and then add the whole mixture to the brew.