Brewferm Framboos

WCG

Just started a batch of Brewferm Framboos.
It's supposed to be made with 500g of sugar, but I decided to try the Mangrove Jack's LME instead.
As the LME pouch can't be re-sealed, I used the whole 1.2Kg ...that's my excuse, anyway

Even before it's started brewing it's a nice light red colour & has a strong - but not overpowering - raspberry aroma.
Having used more than double the required amount of LME, the starting SG is higher than it should be -- 1.07 instead of 1.053...as the finishing SG is supposed to be around 1.01, this would mean about 7.8% ABV instead of the original 5.5% ( M.J's LME is quoted as raising the ABV by about 1.5% when used like-for-like )

WCG

Didn't froth as much as I expected it to.
After 2 days the SG's down to 1.02 ( so about 6.5% ABV )
Colour's changed from a light red to a darker red, still has a strong raspberry aroma.

HBO_Staff

This is quite a popular fruit beer, let us know how it turns out with the LME added

WCG

Four days on and the SG seems to have settled at 1.018 ( about 6.8% ABV )
As usual, given it a stir to see if that does anything.

It's no longer red, it's closer to a pale ale colour - it still has a good raspberry aroma, though.

Tasting the sample I took to check the SG, it's got a pleasant raspberry taste.

WCG

As has happened before, activity dropped to nothing & the SG remained the same for several days.
Checking it this afternoon, it's now nice & frothy again and the SG has dropped to 1.014 ( about 7.3% )
Still tastes & smells very raspberryish.

Looks like I'll be leaving it another week or two.

HBO_Staff

Excellent it has fermented further, if needed give it another stir and leave to settle, the reading should drop as low as it will go and then be ready to bottle, once bottled the full raspberry flavour should develop too

WCG

Took a while, but I checked the SG yesterday and it's down to 1.01 ( about 7.8% ABV )
Don't expect it'll drop any lower but you never know.
Just waiting for it to clear now, then it'll be bottled.

Then I'll have to decide what's next on the list to make ( I've got some 30L lidded buckets, so possibly a 24L 3-can batch of Mai Bock )

WCG

Another week or so on & I'm now bottling it as the SG hasn't dropped any further.
Not sure what it's supposed to look like, but this is how mine's turned out :

HBO_Staff

Brewferm say it will be around 1.010, it a little hard to see but the photo appears to show around 1.010, so as it has not moved or changed for a while you can now go ahead and bottle it

WCG

A slight update....
Bit of an experiment with the priming sugar - twice the ammount normally used for a 500ml bottle.
Start unscrewing the cap & you get a Vesuvius eruption of froth.....oops!

HBO_Staff

That can happen if a bit too much sugar is added to the bottles, a level to a heaped teaspoon is usually plenty, chilling them before opening can help calm then down too sometimes