Let’s get fruity!
Last week I challenged the ladies to try different beers. I encouraged everyone to go out and buy a variety of wheat beers. I’ve heard from several who took up the challenge. I was thrilled at the feedback.
This week I’m going to ask the ladies, and gents for that matter, to try fruit beers. Fruit beers are often referred to as “girly” beers. I take great offence to that but it is true that many of my lady friends won’t touch a beer unless it is a fruit beer. They are very tasty and can even be called “wine cooler” like.
Fruit beers come in a wide range of styles. Some offer a subtle fruit character while others are so fruit forward it is difficult to believe it is really a beer. The most famous among homebrewers is the New Glarus fruit beers, which are sublime. If you happen to live in Wisconsin you HAVE to try their fruit beers. 
Their Wisconsin Belgian Red beer is brewed with whole Montmorency Cherries, Wisconsin Farmed Wheat and Belgian Roasted Barleys, lagered in oak tanks and balanced by Hallertau hops and aged one full year. Over a pound of Door County Cherries is in every bottle. It is a remarkable beer. Their 
Raspberry Tart is made with Wisconsin raspberries and is spontaneously fermented in large oak vats. For those who aren’t aware, spontaneously fermentation means that no cultured yeast is used. Instead, naturally occurring wild yeast is used to start the fermentation of the beer. You can read the styles guidelines for fruit beers on the Beer Judge Certification website.
If you aren’t in Wisconsin (and if you are, email me and we can work a deal…) there are many other fruit beers to try. Again, I recommend going to a store that offers a pick six so you can try several different brands.
The most famous fruit beer is probably Lindemans out of Belgium. They produce and import several fuit beers into the United States. They carry a framboise (raspberry), pomme (apple), cassis (black currant), kriek (cherry), and pêche (peach). All of these fruit beers are dominant in the fruit character. They are considered Lambics, which means they have been spontaneously fermented before blending with the fruit. Lindemans beers are the quintessential fruit beer.
Another brand of lambic fruit beers comes from Samuel Smith (formally Melbourn Brothers) out of England and they include cherry, strawberry and apricot varieties.
Fruit beers are becoming more common and there are several other craft breweries that are making fruit beers. Some have a strong fruit presence and some are more subtle, letting the style of the beer marry with the fruit flavors. Pyramid has their Audacious Apricot Wheat; Sam Adams their cherry wheat and Pete’s brews their Strawberry Blonde. There are many more but I’ve hit on the most well known.
If you’re interested in brewing a fruit beer, check out my fruit beer article on examiner.com
Give fruit beers a try and let me know what you think!
Cheers,
Desiree Knott
High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
7164 S Memorial
Tulsa, OK 74133
(918) 461-2605
desiree@highgravitybrew.com
http://www.highgravitybrew.com
About The Author
We need to lobby to get Lindeman’s Cassis here in Oklahoma. I think it is the best fruit beer of all time. It imparts a mild, balanced and “earthy” flavor that puts it at the top of the heap. Unfortunately, I have never found it in the Sooner State. Drink more Cassis!