Raspberry Baltic Porter recipe question

Not sure about the lagering question...but I'd imagine you're only going to get sourness from the raspberry...not much raspberry.

 

If the sugar doesnt ferment out then yes, you risk bottle bombs. While I have not used fruit I hear ~1lb per gallon thrown around for raspberries (not sure if that applied to dark malty beers too, it may be higher).

 

The sugar in your raspberries will ferment and add additional ABV to your beer, but you do need to make sure that it has completely fermented before bottling it. Take a couple more gravity readings to verify that the re-fermentation is complete.

I agree with JohnSnow that you'll get mostly the sourness from the raspberries, but I have done only one fruited beer so I don't have any suggestions about how to get the raspberry flavor to stay there.

 

The brewer at Weyerbacher once shared a recipe for a Raspberry Imperial Stout in this forum. I can no longer find the original post, but I did enter the recipe into beersmith. Assuming I copied it and scaled it right, it looks like I was thinking of 3# of Oregon Fruit Raspberry puree for a 5 gallon batch. I never brewed the beer though.

 

I think that if it's in a can then it's already pasteurized. No need for bourbon. Bourbon goes in a glass with rocks.

I think 3 pounds might get 2 gallons of porter appropriately raspberried. I'd rack a gallon, add your puree, taste, and get ready to add another gallon. Keep the flavor pretty heavy. Three pounds won't get 5 gallons done. I'd add the raspberries to secondary while you still have a significant amount of yeast in suspension in the beer. If the raspberries are chunky, I'd use a paint straining bag. It's way easier than trying to rack around those suckers.

Edit: Mash high (156-158F). Keep a high FG if you can help it and that should play nicely with the tart raspberries.

 

I have seen people report needing 1-2 pounds per gallon to get actual raspberry flavor out of the fruit addition. Given the strong flavor profile of a Baltic porter, I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out you need double or triple the amount you are considering. And yes, I would believe you want a higher FG to balance the tartness it will introduce to the beer.

 

Why ruin such a beautiful style with yucky raspberries? Save it for a golden ale or something.

 

Fruit is welcome in just about any style of beer. IMO I think it's nothing short of a miricle when fruit tastes really good in a beer.

 

Now there's a novel idea: adding raspberries to a raspberry Baltic porter! <dozen smiley faces>

Two things:
1 - The amount of sugar in the raspberry addition is relatively small
2 - The small amount of sugar in the raspberry addition will ferment completely in short order.
3 - No worries.

Two things:
1 - what's the batch size

Bourbon's flavor fades over time.
Fruit beer takes time to mature.

At some point...these two ships will pass in the night.
Can you be in two places at once?

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Whatever you decide...take notes and be prepared to brew v2.0.

 

Baltic Porter w/ bourbon--> could be good
Baltic Porter w/ raspberry--> could be good
Baltic Porter w/ raspberry and bourbon? --> too much, IMO