It was one of those restless nights. I couldn’t sleep, so I ended up scrolling through articles in The New York Times, where I stumbled upon something unexpected: NFL players’ obsession with Uncrustables. Yes, those nostalgic, crust-free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were fueling some of the biggest athletes in the country. I was intrigued, especially as a Chiefs fan eager to see where Kansas City ranked in this quirky competition. While the Broncos topped the league with a staggering 700 Uncrustables a week, the Chiefs sat at 19th, consuming around 80. Respectable, but nothing too outlandish.
Recently, I’ve found myself grabbing Uncrustables on busy days, sandwiched between meetings and deadlines (see what I did there). They’re convenient, tasty, and come with that familiar nostalgia from childhood. The moment I read the article, I thought: what if I tried to capture that flavor in a beer? With ChatGPT as my brewing companion, I started a dialogue to create a 5-gallon homebrew recipe inspired by the raspberry jelly Uncrustable, blending AI-driven creativity with a touch of nostalgia.
If you’ve followed my brewing adventures on homebrewing.ai you’ll know I love drawing from childhood memories to inspire unique brews, like my Butterfinger-inspired stout. For this beer, I wanted to capture the essence of the Uncrustable—its jammy raspberry filling, the creamy nuttiness of peanut butter, and that slightly sweet, bready quality reminiscent of the “crust.”
To design the recipe, I worked with ChatGPT, explaining the flavor and textural elements of a raspberry Uncrustable. Together, we homed in on ingredients that could recreate that iconic balance of bread, jam, and peanut butter. With AI as a co-pilot, I was able to incorporate raspberry puree for the fruity filling and peanut butter powder to echo that nutty PB flavor without compromising head retention. The process was almost like sharing ideas with a creative assistant that understands the nuances of brewing and flavor. For example, we landed on lactose as an ingredient to provide that creamy mouthfeel, a key aspect of making the beer feel “spreadable” in taste, if not texture.
I haven’t brewed this one yet. This is more of an experiment in recipe-building dialogue with an AI to see where it leads. That said, it’s definitely going into my brewing backlog.
Here’s what I came up with:
Raspberry Jelly Uncrustable-Inspired Ale Recipe (5 Gallons)
Style: Dessert Brown Ale
Target OG: 1.068
Target FG: 1.016
ABV: 6.8%
IBU: 20
SRM: 18
Ingredients:
Malts:
10 lbs Maris Otter – a rich base to capture that “crust” flavor
1 lb Munich Malt – adds malt complexity and a slight sweetness
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal 60L – for a jam-like sweetness
0.5 lb Victory Malt – nutty, toasty flavors reminiscent of peanut butter
0.5 lb Chocolate Malt – a touch for color and subtle depth
Hops:
0.5 oz Magnum (60 min) – provides bitterness without adding flavor
0.5 oz Fuggle (10 min) – mild earthy aroma to balance the malts
Adjuncts:
1 lb Lactose (10 min) – to add sweetness and creamy texture
Fruit & Flavor Additions:
3 lbs Raspberry Puree (in Secondary) – adds the essential jelly flavor
1 lb Peanut Butter Powder (in Secondary) – provides further peanut butter character
Yeast:
Imperial Yeast A09 Pub – balances malt with a slight sweetness to enhance the PB&J notes
Conclusion
This raspberry jelly Uncrustable-inspired recipe is now waiting in my backlog, a reminder of how AI and a little late-night inspiration can create something entirely new and unexpected. For now, cheers to sleepless nights, the creative power of AI, and the timeless flavors of childhood nostalgia—perfectly captured, pint by pint. 🍻
I invite you to join me on this continued journey at Homebrewing.ai. Whether you're an experienced brewer or new to the craft, there's always something new to discover, especially at the intersection of brewing, technology, and tradition.
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