Raspberry Wheat

I was brewing the Lambic and my other kettle looked lonely so I decided to brew a raspberry wheat extract for the heck of it.  I generally don't like extract beers because of that twang everyone talks about, but I thought the raspberry flavoring would mask it pretty well.  Raspberry is pretty forgiving and can hide a lot of flaws in beer.  I don't like messing with real fruit so I used the flavoring from Williams.  I haven't used liquid malt extract in a long time, and I doubt I will much again.  The stuff is so goopy and difficult to dissolve.  Numbers came out spot on so that was good.  I brewed this in my HERMS kettle and boil and chill was a breeze with the integrated chiller.

Malt
6 lbs lme 60% wheat 40% German two row

Hops
1 oz hallertau at 60

Wyeast Bavarian Wheat at 65-68 for 12-14 days, then keg condition for 3 weeks

4oz Williams Raspberry flavoring at kegging

Results

1.035 pre boil at 7g
1.042 post boil at 6g

Water Adjustments
.5 Epsom
.1 chalk

Ca=36

SO4=61

Mg=17

Na=27

Cl=70

Carb=67

Hard=162

Alk=59

Lambic - The Journey Begins

I have wanted to brew a sour for a while now so I took a run at this easy recipe.  It is a very simple recipe and has won many awards, so I am hopeful that my several year investment will be worth the return.  I brewed this on my 10 gallon electric kettle and the whole hops completely clogged my recirculation pump during chilling.  I finally got it cooled using my old immersion chiller.  I just knew there was a reason I kept that thing sitting around collecting dust.

Malt    
3 lbs golden light DME
3 lbs wheat DME
4 oz malto

Hops
2 oz aged williamette whole hops at 60

Results
1.044 pre boil gravity
1.056 post boil gravity, only 4.5 g into plastic ferementer

I was shooting for 1.044 post boil, but came in a bit high

Ferment for one month then transfer to secondary

Wyeast lambic blend at 68

Water Adjustments
.5 tsp Epsom
.1 tsp chalk

Ca=36

SO4=61

Mg=17

Na=27

Cl=70

Carb=67

Hard=162

Alk=59