Bill’s Raspberry Tart Ale Recipe 🍺

Overview:

Bill’s Raspberry Tart Ale is a delightful concoction with a marvellous reddish-amber hue, a big fruity bouquet, and a pleasingly tart berry flavor. This American-style beer is perfect for those who appreciate a unique twist in their brews. With the freshness of raspberries and a touch of honey sweetness, it’s a beverage that will captivate your taste buds with every sip.

• Preparation Time: 720 hours
• Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total Time: 721 hours 30 minutes
• Servings: 3-3 1/2 gallons

Ingredients:

• 3 – 3 1/2 gallons mineral water
• 3 lbs honey
• 1/2 oz Irish moss
• 2 cups fresh red raspberries
• 2 lbs malt extract
• 1 oz bittering hops
• 1/4 cup corn sugar
• 1/2 oz additional hops

Instructions:

Preparation:

1. If using liquid yeast, activate it according to package directions.
2. Sanitize a 5-gallon fermenter and airlock.

Brewing:

1. Steep the crystal and biscuit malts in a fine-mesh grain bag in one gallon of water at 155°F for 20 minutes.
2. Raise the temperature to 175°F, removing the grains after an additional 10 minutes.
3. Add malt extract and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Add 1 ounce of bittering hops in a cheesecloth hop bag and boil for 25 minutes.
5. Add approximately 1/8 ounce of hops to the boiling wort in another hop bag and continue boiling for 10 more minutes.
6. Add Irish moss and stir gently.
7. Add the remaining hops in a hop bag and boil for a final 10 minutes.

Cooling and Fermentation:

1. Add honey and let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the brew pot from the stove and chill the wort using your preferred method.
3. When the wort temperature reaches 100°F, top up with cool water to just over 2 1/2 gallons.
4. Stir to swirl, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes.
5. Pour the yeast slurry into the fermenter and transfer the wort using a racking cane and hose.
6. Avoid disturbing the trub settled at the bottom of the brew pot.
7. Allow the wort to splash and aerate.
8. Seal the fermenter with an airlock and set it in a safe area at a temperature of 60-70°F.
9. Monitor fermentation activity, which should start within a day.

Secondary Fermentation:

1. Sanitize a 3 or 5-gallon fermenter and racking cane and hose.
2. Place raspberries in the secondary fermenter (do not boil the fruit).
3. Rack the beer onto the fruit and affix the airlock.
4. Allow the secondary fermentation to proceed until the raspberries appear pale pink, typically 2-4 weeks.

Bottling:

1. Sanitize bottles and bottling equipment or kegging equipment.
2. Boil corn sugar in a cup of water for 10 minutes, then cool to room temperature.
3. Pour the corn sugar solution into the bottling bucket.
4. Rack the beer into the bucket, avoiding yeast sediment in the fermenter.
5. Stir gently to mix well.
6. Fill bottles and cap securely.

Conditioning:

1. Allow the beer to condition and age for at least one month.

Tips:

• For those new to homebrewing, “The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing” by Charlie Papazian is an excellent reference for basic techniques and processes.

Enjoy the process of brewing your own Bill’s Raspberry Tart Ale, and savor the rewarding taste of your homemade creation! 🍻