How to add raisons

[djaychris]

What is the best way to add raisons to a beer to ensure good raison flavor? Would you guys add raisons to the last 5 minutes of the boil? Do you puree them or add them whole? Would you secondary on them? How can you ensure a good extraction of flavor?

-Thanks
-Dan

[Triple Freak]

If I knew what raisons were, maybe I could help you.
Now, if I was using raisins, I'd add them to the boil at 10 mins. left to extract the sugars, and ferment them in the primary.

[GlenChandler42]

I agree with TF. I haven't used them in beer - or are you adding them to a cider.

When I add them to cider, they go in with the juice and sugar. Then I add campden tablets to kill anything - wait 24 hours befor pitching the yeast.

[Denny]

For our club's Iron Brewer contest last year, raisins were one of the secret ingredients. The winners made a Belgian dark strong. When primary was about over, they dry caramelized 1 lb. of raisins in a super heated wok. Then they deglazed the wok with some of the beer form the primary and added it to the secondary. I can't even describe how great this beer was.

[GlenChandler42]

Wow. Neat idea for a Belgian ale. Some what similar process used in Steinbeer. Thanks Denny.

[majorvices]

For our club's Iron Brewer contest last year, raisins were one of the secret ingredients. The winners made a Belgian dark strong. When primary was about over, they dry caramelized 1 lb. of raisins in a super heated wok. Then they deglazed the wok with some of the beer form the primary and added it to the secondary. I can't even describe how great this beer was.

I like this idea so much I am going to do it on my next Belgian dark strong. Thanks for spilling the beans on the "secret."

one question - was that 1 pound of raisins per 5 gallons?

[Denny]

Yep, 1 lb. I've been thinking of using them, too, and I knew if I included them as a secret ingredient, these guys would go for it and give me some ideas.

[hwasone]

For our club's Iron Brewer contest last year, raisins were one of the secret ingredients. The winners made a Belgian dark strong. When primary was about over, they dry caramelized 1 lb. of raisins in a super heated wok. Then they deglazed the wok with some of the beer form the primary and added it to the secondary. I can't even describe how great this beer was.

I like this idea so much I am going to do it on my next Belgian dark strong. Thanks for spilling the beans on the "secret."

one question - was that 1 pound of raisins per 5 gallons?

Me three. That sounds great.

I've just relied on the dark caramel malts (100Ls and such) for the raisin flavor...but then again, I didn't want much of it at all.

[rixport]

What is the best way to add raisons to a beer to ensure good raison flavor? Would you guys add raisons to the last 5 minutes of the boil? Do you puree them or add them whole? Would you secondary on them? How can you ensure a good extraction of flavor?

-Thanks
-Dan

About 15 years ago, my brewing partner and I brewed a Holiday brown ale. We put oven heated (to sanitize it) whole Cinnamon as well as some currents (kinda like raisins) what we had heated up in some brandy. We added these into the secondary. It took about 3 weeks for it to all settle to the bottom. We won awards in 3 contests with that beer. You guys are the only people I've ever told about how we did it, so it's our little secret ok?....

[erik]

... so it's our little secret ok?....

It'll be our little secret

[milehimark]

I've seen DFH and LA beers that used raisins and I've always wondered how they would use raisins. How did those commercial brews compare to the homebrew (more or less raisin flavor)?

[SMITHENHALS]

I keep thinking about the California Raisins.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ca_raisins.jpg

[alewife]

Thank you! I loved those commercials!

Alewife

[Saco_De_Toro]

When I've used raisins, I've put them in a large hop sack about 5 minutes before the end of the boil. I then whirlpool as normal and let the hops stew as the trub settles out.

[scruz]

coarsely chop the raisins in a food processor. then at the 15 min mark of boil or in the whirlpool if you do. you want to make the sugars (both fermentable and dextrinous) available in your final wort. 15mins is a good contact time to kill the nasties. but the whirlpool at 140F plus for 15 mins is ok too (pasteurize). ferm at a cooler temps, its a dried fruit, so i would definitely avoid the warm ferm temps (fruit fusels...ugh). they will lend a very smooth and winy flavor. i put raisins in an ipa i do. one of my fave adjuncts.

sjc