Original Gravity: 1.0955 Final Gravity: 1.0239 Alcohol by Volume: 9.382%
Let the kids crush the cherries-they have a great time! Wheat beer lend itself to so many wonderful fruit flavors. Wheats are light in profile with lots of fruit in the nose add cherries and your in for a real treat.
6.6 lbs. Wheat Malt Extract
10 lbs. fresh black cherries (Not included in recipe)(or whatever type you like)
2 oz. (7.6 AAU) Hallertauer Hops (boil)
1/2 oz. (1.9 AAU) Hallertauer Hops (finish)
1 pkg. White Labs WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast
4 oz. Crown Caps (approx. 55 caps)
5 oz. Priming Sugar (approx. 3/4 cup)
Rinse cherries & remove stems. Crush cherries in 6.7 gal. (or larger) plastic fermenter with hands to expose cherry flesh. Don't remove pits. Put cherries aside. Heat 1 1/2 gal. water to 160oF. Remove pot from heat & add malt. Stir until malt is dissolved. Return to heat. Add 2 oz. hops & boil for 55 min. Turn off heat & add 1/2 oz. hops. Steep for 5 min. Strain hot wort into plastic fermenter with cherries (leaving hops behind) & allow to steep for 15 min. This will pasteurize cherries without setting pectin. Add enough cold water to make 6 gal. Pitch yeast when cooled to 80oF or below. After five days of primary fermentation rack into 5 gal. carboy. Bottle when fermentation is complete. This beer gets better when aged 6 months to a year but be warned: it's really hard to keep from drinking it all before then! Yields 5 gal. For more Cherry Flavor: Brew beer first without adding cherries. Fill carboy only 3/4 of the way & ferment until krausen falls. Rack into bucket with crushed cherries. Allow to ferment then rack into carboy until clear.
