Brewing beer is a science with a process that remains the same for nearly every batch: grind, mash, sparge, boil, chill, pitch, ferment, and package. When I come across a new technique or idea that seems foreign, I get pretty excited over the process and potential outcome. I come back to the classics like Oktoberfest and hoppy pale ales, but when I brewed my first Berliner Weisse and bottled my fist blended mixed fermented sour, my research went beyond process. I went into not just the hows but also the whys and my understanding of brewing science expanded. I’m going beyond beer brewing techniques with my Blueberry Mace recipes. I’ll start with a Lambic and an Oud Bruin and blend them with blueberries or grapes that have undergone a wine process: carbonic maceration.

Carbonic maceration is a process that occurs when intact bunches of red grapes (or another fruit with a skin like blueberries) are fermented in a sealed vessel that has first been filled with carbon dioxide. In the absence of oxygen, these intact berries begin a fermentation process inside the skin of the berries. Carbonic maceration produces a low-tannin and fruity wine. This process is anaerobic, so the fruit takes up carbon dioxide and breaks down sugar. More importantly, it breaks down the tarty-tasting malic acid (that is found in high levels in grapes and blueberries) into pyruvate, acetaldehyde and then finally ethanol. Polyphenols like tannins from the skin are absorbed into the pulp and broken down. Amino acids are also broken down and can develop precursors to develop esters. One ester, ethyl cinnamate, develops strawberry or raspberry components. Another, benzaldehyde, can produce cherry and almond-like flavors. Carbonic maceration fermentation time-frames are dependent on brix, fruit quantity, and temperature. I look for grapes in the low to mid-20s brix and blueberries around 15 brix. I’m aiming to blend 1.5-2.5% ABV fruit with each beer. Carbonic maceration raises pH levels, so I will need to keep the system sealed and free of oxygen to prevent acetobacter from taking over. I may need to use another vinification technique to keep the ABV that low- the addition of potassium sorbate.

So the goal here for my beers is to blend a complex and intense fruit flavor with very low tannins. I’ll separate the fermented juice from the skins after carbonic maceration to further reduce any tannins. Each one one of these beers will require different amounts of blends, so I’ll do some taste-testing of the fruit post-fermentation and blending experiments with each beer. I want a stable product, so I’ll filter out the yeast from the beer prior to blending.

Lambic with grapes and Lambic with blueberries

I’ll blend 3 gallons of carbonic macerated Baco Noir grapes per gallon and 5 gallons of carbonic macerated blueberries

Batch Size (Gal): 6.0

Total Grain (Lbs): 12.75

Anticipated OG: 1.053

Anticipated SRM: 3.6

Anticipated IBU: Less than 4

Brewhouse Efficiency: 69 %

Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain Bill

6.5 lbs German Pils (2.0 SRM) 51 %

5 lbs Flaked Wheat Malt (1.6 SRM) 39.2 %

1 lbs Flaked Corn (1.3 SRM) 7.8 %

4.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) 2 %

Hops

3.0 oz Saaz (aged 15 months) – Boil 90.0 min

Yeast

House Clean Yeast similar to Wyeast 1056 1L starter

Wyeast 3278 Lambic Blend

Water Profile

Madison, WI cut 1:1 with RO Water. 3 g Gypsum, 2 g salt, and 6 g calcium chloride added to the mash water.

Final profile:

Ca – 85

Mg – 9.7

Na – 25.4

Cl – 125.9

SO4 – 54.2

HCO – 29.75

Mash Profile

Infusion – 154F for 90 min.

H2O:Grain – 1.25 qt/lb

Mash pH – 5.54

Sour Brown with Grapes and Blueberries

I’ll blend 3 gallons of carbonic macerated Baco Noir grapes per gallon and 5 gallons of carbonic macerated blueberries per gallon

Batch Size (Gal): 6.0

Total Grain (Lbs): 15.75

Anticipated OG: 1.063

Anticipated SRM: 16.4

Anticipated IBU: 11.6 (Rager)

Brewhouse Efficiency: 67.9 %

Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain Bill

12.5 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) 77.8 %

2 lbs Munich 20 Malt (20 SRM) 12.7 %

8 oz melanoidin Malt (20 SRM) 3.2 %

8 oz Crystal 80 Malt (80 SRM) 3.2 %

4 oz chocolate malt (350 SRM) 1.6 %

4 oz acid Malt (3.0 SRM) 1.6 %

Hops

0.60 oz East Kent Goldings (UK) – Boil 60.0 min

Yeast

House Clean Yeast similar to Wyeast 1056 1L starter

1 pkg of Wyeat Roselare Blend

Dregs from a 2013 bottle of Bruery’s Tart of Darkness

Water Profile

Madison, WI cut 1:3 with RO Water. 8 g Gypsum and 8 g CaCl added to the mash water.

Final profile:

Ca – 145.6

Mg – 17.2

Na – 4.7

Cl – 121.5

SO4 – 136.4

HCO – 106

Mash Profile

Infusion – 154F for 75 min.

H2O:Grain – 1.25 qt/lb

Mash pH – 5.41

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