When To Add Fruit To Beer?

Preparing & Adding Fruit – The methods of preparing fruit will largely depend on the form of the fruit (ex. whole, puree, juice, etc.), and at what point the fruit will be added to the beer. Again, there are many ways to skin the proverbial cat. Whole, puree, and juiced fruit are often added in the last minutes of the boil.

1. This acts as a quick pasteurization step to prevent any potential bacterial contamination that could make your fruit beer go south.
2. Adding fruit to the boil means the fruit is in the wort during active fermentation.
3. Having fruit in the fermenter during fermentation causes a much different fruit character than you might find when adding fruit post-fermentation.

For starters, the fruit will likely add fermentable sugars to the wort, which you may want to account for when formulating the recipe. Fermented fruit also has a much different character than post-fermentation fruit additions. A lot of the fruit character will be blown off from the rigor of fermentation, and what remains will be a more wine-like fruit character since the fruit’s sugars were fermented, rather than a fresh fruit quality.

In some fruit beers, especially those that may use wine grapes, the fermented fruit character may be desired. Purees and juices can be added directly to the boil kettle. You can do the same with whole fruit, but you may want to consider mashing or pulse-blending the fruit before adding it to the boil to help release more of the juices.

Bagging the fruit in a hop bag is suggested if dealing with a lot of flesh and seeds, but it’s not 100 percent necessary if you take care not to rack the solids into the primary fermenter. If you’re after more fresh fruit character that is reminiscent of the raw fruit being used, then stick with post-fermentation additions after primary fermentation has nearly completed.

1. However, since you don’t have the high temperatures as you would when boiling fruit, you need to take extra care to avoid contamination (unless, of course, you are after something wild).
2. Often times juices, purees, and frozen fruits undergo flash-pasteurization which leaves little risk for contamination if added to beer.

Whole fruit, on the other hand, is another story. First, mash or pulse-blend the fruit to release the juices and create more surface area for the beer to be in contact with the fruit. Now you have three options for pasteurization. First, is a low-heat pasteurization method that you can do in a double boiler or carefully directly on heat.

Hold the mashed fruit at around 150-170°F for about 15 minutes, and that should rid the fruit of most of the unwanted bacteria. Second, simply freezing the mashed fruit before adding it to the fermenter. It is said that freezing and thawing fruit a few times helps release more flavors by breaking down cell walls, which means a fruitier brew! Third, simply do nothing at all and hope for the best (good luck!).

Once you’ve pasteurized your mashed fruit, bag it in a hop bag like you would dry hops and add it to your secondary fermenter or keg. Make sure all the juices make it into the fermenter, too, even if the bag doesn’t contain it. Then, simply age it on the fruit like you would dry hops.

1. Pull samples and once it tastes as you hoped, yank the bag and bottle or start serving! You can forgo the hop bags and add fruit directly to the fermenter, but this will likely require filtering, racking to additional fermenters and/or cold crashing to get clear, solid-free fruit beer.
2. Sources: “Brewing with Fruit” by Dave Mentus (May/June 2010 ); “Notes from a Fruit Beer Fancier” by Randy Mosher (July/August 2002 Zymurgy ); “Sweet & Sour: Adding Fruit to Sour Beer” by Kevin Wright (May/June 2015 Zymurgy ).

: How to Add Fruit to Beer

When should I add fruit puree to beer?

When is the optimal stage of brewing to add fruit puree/concentrate? – The optimal stage to add fruit purees is during primary/secondary. Adding fruit at this time maximizes flavor and aromatic potential in the final product, while reducing contamination potential (discussed below).

From a brewing standpoint we don’t like to put fermentable sugars in a package to insure no additional fermentation happens downstream. We suggest adding the puree 2-3 points from your terminal specific gravity. For example, if your expected terminal is 3.5° Plato (1.014), add the fruit puree when the beer reaches 5.5° – 6.5° Plato (1.022 – 1.026).

This allows for fermentables to be consumed fully.

How do you add fruit to beer after fermentation?

Adding fruit puree to the secondary fermenter – This is definitely the easiest method of using purees and is the method that we recommend. After primary fermentation is complete, clean and sanitize your secondary fermentor as you normally would. Then pour the fruit puree into the secondary fermentor using a sanitized funnel and siphon your beer on top of the fruit.

The sugars in the fruit will be fermented, and this will cause a minor spike in airlock activity during the initial days of secondary fermentation. This also means that you’ll want to keep your beer in secondary for a slightly longer period of time (2-8 weeks total in most cases) to allow your beer to fully ferment.

At this time you may choose to rack it off the fruit, or you can bottle or keg it. Racking off into a tertiary fermentor can help reduce the amount of fruit debris that ends up in your beer. Additionally, containing fruit chunks inside of a mesh bag can help keep your beer debris-free as well.

Can you add fruit during fermentation?

Fermentation Finale – The final step to consider is when to add fruit to your brew. Fruit can be added on both the hot side (boiling and whirlpool) and the cold side (primary and secondary fermentation) of the brewing process, and there are pros and cons to each.

1. Allagash goes all the way with its fruit additions, adding fruit at almost every step of the process.
2. However, the bulk goes in during the secondary fermentation phase.
3. We add the fruit and wait just long enough for the sugars to ferment to get full extraction of the fruit color, aroma,and flavor,” Perkins says.

Secondary fermentation is the ideal time for fruit additions, and about a week is long enough to extract flavor. “Typically we add the fruit in the fermenter towards the end of fermentation. This way, the active yeast will eat the sugars in the fruit, which will prevent the beer from becoming sweet but still leave the fruit flavor,” West, at Lone Tree, says. Credit: Lone Tree Brewing Co. / Instagram.com Adding fruit at primary fermentation is best avoided by homebrewers, as this is when the beer is most vulnerable to infection. In addition, a vigorous primary fermentation will blow off many of the fruit’s aromatic compounds.

Brewers can also add fruit at or just before whirlpool, which will sterilize fruit and avoid losing too much aromatic character; or during the boil. “We get a more consistent high-quality product by including fruit for both the brew and fermentation steps,” Fiorenzi, of Shiner, says. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the longer a fruit is boiled, the more likely the final beer will have a cooked-fruit flavor as opposed to a fresh-fruit flavor (think peach cobbler instead of ripe peach).

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the difference is something to be conscious of. If fruit is added before the boil, many of the aromatic compounds will be lost. : How Homebrewing Experts Master Fruit Infusions

How do you add fruit to beer in a keg?

When we talk about packaging your homebrew or wine after fermentation, you can bottle condition and wait a few more weeks for it to be ready (and have bottle trub) or you can do what we think the best option is—Just Keg It! In this installment of Just Keg It, we want to discuss how to change your beers by making additions to your keg.

In our store, we’ve encountered numerous brewers who have never tried to add anything to a keg, whether it’s to improve a flavor, add something new, or even try to “fix” a beer that didn’t come out the way you wanted. There are few things you can do to accomplish those things and it’s much easier than you’d think.

But first, you’ll need some tools to do the job the right way. Keg Hop Filters These are by far the easiest way to make any additions to your kegs. They come in a various sizes, but I’ve enjoyed using a 3″ x 12″ version that fits well through the mouth of the keg and can hold a decent amount of material.

These are easy to sanitize stainless steel and have a mostly mesh body with mostly solid ends that usually have smaller holes in them. The point being to keep the bulk of any added material inside the container while the fluid goes through it to impart flavor to the whole keg. Depending on how much space you leave, the flavor tends to be imparted fairly quickly into your beer.

Mesh and Muslin Bags These bags of different sizes are your next best option when adding something to your keg. Though, a fine mesh bag will beat a muslin bag every time. Basically, you might be able to fit more dry material into a mesh bag and squeeze it into your keg (or better yet, add it before you transfer and/or carbonate the keg).

1. The mesh bags are easier to sanitize and clean.
2. Where a muslin bag can be used, but we suggest using only a new and sanitized bag.
3. The real problem with muslin bags being that the openings are uneven and can allow a larger amount of material through the stretched cloth mesh.
4. Note : If you are using a keg hop filter, wrapping it in a mesh bag can be both a second defense against particulate and a way to hold a heavy addition together in the filter.

Fishing Line Why the fishing line? Well, it is typically strong enough to hold up well when closed in the lid of the keg and is also easily sanitized. It doesn’t have to be fishing line, but you want a non-cloth material that is easily tied and cut and most importantly, thin bodied.

Unless you have a hook of some sort on the inside of your keg lid, this line will need to come out through the lid. Which means under the O-ring seal. It can be helpful to use keg lube prior to adding a keg addition, just in case there is any time of seal break, but you should be fairly safe against such trouble if the line is thin and the seal of the keg is usually strong.

Be sure to tie the outside portion of the line to something so that it cannot be pulled back through the lid if the materials you add end up heavy with liquid weight. Non-Porous Weights This one you can often use or leave out. Basically, you want something to help weigh down any light dry materials inside a mesh or muslin bag.

1. They tend to float and take up space when first added and the weight can help them drop and soak much sooner.
2. Many people like to use unscratched glass marbles or stainless steel ball bearings that haven’t been in any oils.
3. Basically, you want something smooth that can be easily sanitized.
4. Adding Flavors Now that you have your set of tools to add something to your kegs, you have a variety of options to consider.

First, you’ll want to know what you’re doing to the beer. Are you looking to boost a specific flavor or aroma? Are you adding something completely new and how strong do you want it to be? Are you trying to change the beer into something it wasn’t because it didn’t quite come out the way you wanted? Dry Hopping This is easily the most added keg addition for most homebrewers.

1. This is an excellent way to boost the dry hop character of any beer to where it can seem to be dripping with the hops.
2. I’ve used this method and found major changes between the dry hop characteristics in as little as a week.
3. I’ve also left them addition in there for the life of the keg and found that it continued to improve over several weeks.

Mostly because the beer in the keg is kept much cooler, which can lead to a slower rate of transfer and a slower onset of any vegetal character. But of course, you can always keep replacing the dry hop addition to really double or triple the character of what you started in the secondary—which might even change a bland or uneven beer into something better.

I’ve used both whole hop and pellet hop additions and the major difference (other than selection) is obviously that pellet hops break down and might make it through the tightest mesh, stainless or otherwise. This can then end up in your beer or at the bottom of your keg and then into your glass or bottle.

Note : Expect sudden foaming if you add dry hops to a carbonated beer. There are a vast number of nucleation points on those hops, so if you are adding these to a carbonated beer, do your best to quickly submerge the addition and close the lid. With weight a bag should sink once soaked and with a keg hop filter, you will be able to push it in.

• Be sure your hands are sanitized or you are wearing disposable sanitized gloves during handling.
• Adding Fruit and Spices It isn’t always obvious to brewers, but when you really want to capture a fruit flavor and aroma—especially with the sweetness of the juice—you can add cut up fruit and fruit puree directly to your keg.

For example, say you have a hefeweizen and you want to give it something extra for an event and you know it may not sit around for long. Why not add raspberries or pour in some actual raspberry puree in a keg filter? In a very short period of time you’ll have a flavor that could be as simple as a hint to something deep and rich.

• Obviously, puree will be blended with your beer sooner, but you run into the problem of pulp that might escape the container into the poured beer.
• While chunks of fruit can take a little longer to infuse and can add some water, but should still get the flavors you’re looking for in a fairly short period of time.

As an aside from fruit, you can also add spices, Whether it’s a few sticks of cinnamon or herbs like rosemary. Just aim for more whole additions that aren’t powdered and you’ll have less of it end up in your pour. I’ve found that a blend of all of the above can work quite nicely.

1. Like a pound of roasted coconut and almonds with a dash or three of vanilla in a porter or stout.
2. It all depends on how much flavor you want.
3. You may have to give each element some time to do it’s job, but you can always remove anything if it is growing too strong in flavor in the keg.
4. Adding Wood Finally, we come to a way to age your beers on wood without the concern of the beer sitting in a carboy exposed to oxygen for a long period of time.

Or better yet, as a way to quickly add wood character to just the right amount and then be able to remove it before any more is added. You’d basically treat these wood additions the same way by sanitizing them or letting them soak in spirits that you want to get some flavor from, then add those cubes or chips or spirals into the keg with some (or all) of the liquid you soaked them in.

Bourbon Oak Aged Stout? Drop in the bourbon and oak until the oak seems just right, then remove it and let it meld. All the while, the beer was under a blanket of CO2. Or how about a margarita beer? Make a dose with light acidity, use some lime peel or lime dominant hops, and grab some light oak chips and tequila for a quick soak and addition that won’t need to stay in the keg for long.

As always, you only need to lightly cover the wood with the liquor and you can always reserve some of it to add in later if the flavor isn’t strong enough. Conclusion Keg additions are clearly a very easy route for changing up your beer in both large and small ways.

Plus, you can easily control the subtlety of the flavors you add by being able to sample the keg in cold and carbonated form at just about any time you are ready. If it’s where you want it to be, remove the addition. If it isn’t or seems like it may still get better, leave it. Just remember to be careful with your sanitation practices and any sudden carbonation release when you add those additions to cold carbonated beer.

—Greg Etzel Semi-Media Director/Special Event Coordinator TBI, Producer, Writer, Host, and Host Wrangler Come and Brew It Radio, Homebrew Consultant, Lover of Experiments

How long to leave puree in beer?

7. Secondary Fermentation – The second technique in making fruited beer is to add the fruit puree for brewing in the secondary fermenter. This method requires less precision than adding the fruits in the primary fermenter; however, this method is difficult if you are using a small secondary fermenter (less than 5 gallons in size).

How much ABV does fruit add to beer?

Adding Fruit to Beer Increases Alcohol? (Rant) | The Mad Fermentationist – Homebrewing Blog It really bothers me to hear people talk about the boost in alcohol a beer receives from a fruit addition. In most cases fruit won’t increase the percent alcohol of a beer, and if you’re adding fruit to a strong beer it will actually lower the final alcohol content.

The issue is that many people mistakenly assume that they can determine how much gravity the fruit will add by calculating the amount of sugar it contains. The problem with this method is that in addition to sugar the fruit also contains water (which dilutes the alcohol/sugar already in the beer). In fact, most fruits have a similar sugar content to a standard gravity wort, between 1.040-1.060.

There are some exceptions, for example in a couple days I’ll be getting 5 gallons of Cabernet Sauvingon grapes (to add to ) that have a sugar content of 22 Brix (1.092). Concentrated and dried fruit are another exception because most of their water content is removed during processing.

To correctly determine the impact on the alcohol content of adding fruit you need to determine the effective brix/plato of the beer. To calculate this you need four pieces of information: 1. Weight of the fruit (not including pits/stems/seeds).2. Brix/plato of the fruit (from a refractometer or packing info).3.

The original brix/plato of the beer (OG reading).4. The weight of the beer (based on the current volume, but the density of the wort before fermentation. This can be determined by using the following formula: weight of the beer = original gravity of the beer x volume of the beer x weight of 1 gallon of water) Effective Brix/Plato = (Weight of beer x Brix/Plato of beer + Weight of fruit x Brix/Plato of fruit) / (Weight of beer + Weight of fruit) For example if you have 4.5 gallons of 11 P (1.044) beer it would be 1.044*4.5*8.35 = 39.2 lbs of beer onto 10 lbs of 14 P cherries, the effective OG would be (39.2*11+10*14)/(39.2+10) = 11.61 P.

That is to say the increase in the effective starting gravity was,61 P, enough to boost the alcohol by,3% ABV assuming the same FG (about the same increase in alcohol from the priming sugar). On the other hand if you add the same 10 lbs of 14 P cherries into 4.5 gallons of 25 P (1.106) Imperial Stout you would have 1.106*4.5*8.35 = 41.6 lbs the equation would be: (41.6*25+10*14)/(41.6+10) = 22.9 P, a drop of 2.1 P, enough to reduce the alcohol by 1.1% ABV assuming the same FG.

Technique: How I Add Fruit To My Fermenter!

These two examples demonstrates a key insight, if the gravity of the fruit is lower than the original gravity of beer the addition is going to lower the effective original gravity and thus reduce the ABV (and conversely if the gravity is higher it will raise the effective original gravity and similarly the ABV).

In general fruits provide sugars that are more completely fermentable than malted/mashed grains, so even with the same OG you may end up with a lower FG and thus marginally more alcohol. That said, if you determine your effective OG this difference will be included in your ABV calculations when you take the FG reading.

While you can go through all that work to get a slightly more accurate measure of the alcohol in your beer, the main point of this whole rant is that the change in alcohol due to the addition of fruit is small enough that you can comfortably ignore it.

• Although you might want to pay attention if you are adding fruit to a base beer that is exceptionally strong or weak, or using a large amount of a fruit that has a substantially different gravity than the beer it is being added to.
• Sorry about all the math, just a bit of the Mad Economist sneaking out.

: Adding Fruit to Beer Increases Alcohol? (Rant) | The Mad Fermentationist – Homebrewing Blog

How much fruit puree to add to beer?

Our customers typically use 1/2 – 2 pounds of puree per gallon of finished beer. So, for a 7 barrel system (217 gallons), you could use 109 lbs. or all the way up to 434 lbs. Fruits with subtle flavors and esters such as Strawberry, Blood Orange and Red Tart Cherry usually require the higher 2 lbs. per gallon dosing.

How much fruit do you add to second fermentation?

Bottling – ​ 1. Add 1/4 – 1/3 cup of pureed/juiced fruit into each 16 oz. bottle*, Most of my gallon batches yield approx.7 bottles. ​ ​ 2. Remove your SCOBY and 2 cups of kombucha from your brewing vessel and set it aside. Reserve this for your next batch of kombucha. This starter tea + SCOBY combo will be what you use to make a future batch of kombucha!

You can keep it in a SCOBY hotel for future use. Or just put it temporarily in a

spare bowl if you plan to use it immediately to make your next batch of kombucha.3. This is super important: Stir the remaining kombucha in the brewing vessel. The stirring will distribute the yeast and bacteria throughout the liquid. This’ll help make your carbonation more consistent across all your bottles.4.

Pour the kombucha (you can use a pitcher + funnel ) into your bottles, leaving ½ – 1 inch of head-space at the top of each bottle.5. Dry the tops of the bottles and make sure the lids are dry as well.6. Seal tightly! If your bottles have screw-on lids, I like to use rubber grippers to make sure they’re sealed as tight as possible.7.

Let them ferment for another 2-3 days at room temperature. I like to put them in a dark cupboard for this. There’s a slight risk for over-carbonation and explosions if the glass bottles are poor quality and/or your fruit purees are really aggressive. Just to be safe, I like to keep them in a closed cabinet to contain any mess.

Read my recommendations on choosing good-quality bottles

​ ​

Note: Beer bottles are usually made of thin glass so if you opt to use them, I don’t recommend leaving them at room temp. for longer than 1 day before moving to the fridge. This will minimize the risk for glass breakage. Or don’t use beer bottles at all!

8. After a couple days at room temperature, move them to the fridge. Once they’re chilled, open one to test it out. The cold will help keep the carbon dioxide in the liquid, so it’s less likely to fizz over and make a mess when you open it. The longer you F2 in the bottle at room temp, the more carbonation builds up, so be sure to move them to the fridge after a couple days to pause the fermentation process and prevent over-carbonation.

How long to keep fruit in secondary fermentation?

SCHOOL TWO: ADDING FRUIT PUREE TO THE SECONDARY FERMENTER – This is definitely the easiest method of using purees. One drawback is that it is somewhat difficult to rack off of the fruit after fermentation is complete, so some brewers like to perform a tertiary (or third) fermentation.

For the uninitiated, this simply means racking the beer into another carboy after 2-3 weeks in the secondary. After primary fermentation is complete, get ready to rack as you normally would (sanitize the carboy, equipment, etc.). Then place a funnel into the neck of your carboy, and pour the fruit puree in.

Now just siphon your beer on top of the fruit, add your airlock (or blowoff tube if you think there may be a risk of it bubbling over), and wait. Since you will be seeing some active fermentation, you’ll want to keep it in the secondary a bit longer than usual, 2-8 weeks.

How do you add fruit puree to secondary fermentation?

Fruited beers may not have centuries’ worth of tradition behind them, but they’re one of the most popular trends in craft brewing today. The rise of fruit purees, in particular, has made rich flavors not only possible but easy, and the possibilities for experimentation are more abundant than ever.

1. Let’s explore how you can add fruit puree to your beer, and a few ways to incorporate them into different styles.
2. With a few tips and tricks, you can create a brew that’s both delicious and totally unique! Ways to Use Fruit Puree in Beer There are two major schools of thought when adding fruit puree to the wort.

Should you add it to the primary or secondary fermenter? While the secondary is easier, the primary is better if the fermenter itself is small or if you plan on adding a lot of fruit. In the Primary Fermenter If you plan on adding fruit puree to the primary fermenter, you’ll want to wait until the primary fermentation is almost done.

1. When your hydrometer is reading about 1.020 or you see 3-5 bubbles a minute coming out of the airlock, you can add fruit puree to the wort.
2. If you have a small carboy of five gallons or less for your secondary fermenter or you plan on adding ten pounds of fruit or more, the fact that most purees have fermentable sugars in them means that your wort can bubble over.

To avoid this, just add puree during the primary fermentation, even if the process is a little more complicated. In the Secondary Fermenter Adding puree to the secondary fermenter is as easy as it gets. Clean the secondary carboy as usual, funnel in the puree, and then add your beer on top — that’s it! Be sure to leave it for a little longer than usual to account for the puree’s fermentable sugars.

With nothing to measure and no precise time to add the fruit, this is the most popular method of adding fruit puree to beer. It works best if you have a large secondary fermenter, but it’s simple, quick, and produces delicious results. Ways to Use Fruit Flavors in Beer Ultimately, which fruit flavors go best in which beers is a matter of personal taste.

But some pairings traditionally work better than others or have been proving themselves among beer fans. Check out these classics and use them as a starting point for your experimentations. Multi-Dimensional Sours The intense flavor profile of a sour means it’s perfect for pairing with strong, tart fruits.

1. The popularity of sours is on the rise again, so it’s the best time to make one that stands out from the rest.
2. Tart fruits like raspberry are great to add to a sour beer.
3. They give the drink a fuller, richer body and a juiciness that complements the inherent qualities of this brew.
4. For instance, the downside of most sour beers is that any other notes get overwhelmed by the sharp taste, but tart fruits are able to stand up against these flavors.

Juicy IPAs One of the primary qualities of an IPA is its fruity, citrusy flavor. Pairing these flavors with another fruit is the perfect way to create a bold brew. With IPAs, you can either add a fruit that’s complementary or deliciously contrasting. On the complementary side, you have tart fruits that bring out the fresh flavor of the beer! Exotic fruits, like the maracuya, add a tropical twist to your brew.

If you’d rather soften the sharp bitterness of the IPA, sweet fruits, such as peaches, are a popular choice. Loaded Wheat Beers Fruited beers are a relatively new trend, but wheat beers have been served for decades with an orange slice. The light, crisp flavor of a wheat beer lends itself perfectly to most fruits, so it’s hard to go wrong with this style! From tangerine to strawberry to pineapple, you can create a bold, fruity wheat beer that will keep the crowds coming back for more.

If you want to get really experimental, try mixing multiple fruits for a unique flavor combination. You don’t have to go overboard here — start with something simple, like a wheat beer with apricot and strawberry puree. That’s a beer you could practically have for breakfast.

Novelty Hefeweizens Hefeweizens already have a bit of fruit flavor, so they’re a perfect choice for pairing with fruit puree. With a banana flavor as the base, adding puree becomes about complementing or contrasting this totally unique taste. Many brewers opt to contrast the banana, such as with grapefruit hefeweizens.

But it’s also fun to lean into the banana and brew with fruits that pair well with that flavor, such as blueberries, guava, or papaya. Strong Blondes Blondes are usually drunk on their own. Light and crushable, it’s hard to pair them with most foods. But when you reinforce their flavor with a good fruit puree, like mango, they become bold enough to eat with dinner, while not being so strong that they overpower it.

As Chef Joel Gamoran of Homemade says on the subject: “Combining subtle food like chicken or fish with the bright flavor of fruit is a surprising and fun way to make dinnertime special. Chicken and mango is a classic combo.” Dessert Stouts Stouts are already rich and chocolatey. That’s why they’re perfect for brewing with fruit puree — who doesn’t love dunking a piece of fruit in a chocolate fountain? Strawberries and raspberries are obvious (and excellent) choices.

But so long as you err on the sweet side, it’s hard to go wrong. If you’re looking to experiment, try using rich, earthy fruits to complement the strength of a stout. Brew stouts with plum for a unique, delicious dessert beer. This is just the beginning.

There are so many ways to experiment with fruit puree in beer that it’s impossible to list them all! As long as you get creative with flavor profiles and make something you know you would want to drink, you’ll come up with a great brew that your guests will love. Author Bio: Julia Nikolaus is a content strategist for an LA-based company.

She enjoys working with food and drink brands along with beauty and fashion clients. In her free time, Julia likes to bake new recipes, take dance classes, and spend time outdoors.

What should you not do during fermentation?

Try not to disturb the vegetables during fermentation to reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the vegetables so that mold doesn’t develop.

How to add raspberries to beer?

DIRECTIONS – Mill the grains and mix with 4.4 gallons (16.6 l) of 163°F (73°C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 2.9 gallons (11 l) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 l) of wort.

1. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule.
2. After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 63°F (17°C).
3. Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast.
4. Ferment at 63°F (17°C) for 48 hours, then increase the temperature by about 1°F (0.5°C) per day until you reach 70°F (21°C) and hold there until two days after the completion of fermentation.

Add the pureed raspberries to the primary fermentor (or add to a secondary fermentor and rack beer onto it), dissolve the pectic enzyme into ½ cup (118 ml) of cool water and add to beer/fruit. You may notice a short secondary fermentation from the sugars in the fruit.

How do you add blueberries to beer?

After a bit of research, we decided to add the blueberries to the secondary fermenter. We defrosted them, ran them through a blender, then poured the crushed berries into the secondary. The resulting brew is nicely bluish-purple, tastes nicely of the blueberries, and is a very refreshing beer.

Does fruit quality matter for keg?

Basics of Kegs and Preserves Jars – Both Preserves Jars and Kegs are useful to have on a player’s farm, as they can both be used to turn produce and other items into valuable artisan goods. This is especially profitable if players have the Artisan profession, which increases the sell price of these goods by 40%.

Can you over chill beer?

Too Cold – It’s difficult to argue against chilling your beer; icy-cold beer can be especially refreshing on a hot, summer day. However, we believe beer should be enjoyed for its flavor; save the icy-cold temperatures for a glass of water and serve your beer chilled, but not too cold.

When you serve your beer below its recommended temperature, you lose out on flavors and aromas that could leave your beer tasteless and with a thin mouthfeel. In addition to stifling the aromas and flavors of your beer, you can also make your beer taste worse by over-chilling it. Cold temperatures tend to enhance bitterness, dryness, and carbonation.

This can contribute to the refreshing feeling you get from drinking a cold one, but it can also create harsh textures, haziness, and an unpleasant drinking experience with the wrong brew.

How long can you leave fruit in beer?

Over the years, many beer styles have developed a reputation among homebrewers as being hard to brew. Many homebrewers worry that adding fruit will contaminate their beer with microorganisms from the fruit, leading to off-flavors. This has a basis in fact.

Careless use of fruit can contaminate batches. I once made a cherry beer that developed a horrible, tongue-coating, phenolic flavor that was so bad I was afraid to even open the fridge door. However, armed with a little knowledge, you can easily make a fruit beer — full of fruit flavors and aromas — without any worries of contamination.

In the last issue of BYO, I discussed the flavors in fruits and how they interact with beer flavors. In this article, I’ll explain how to go from the idea of a fruit beer in your head to a glass of fruit beer in your hand. Choosing Fruit Fruit comes in many forms.

Some brewers prefer fresh fruit because none of its taste or aroma have been lost or altered during processing. In addition, many regions have varieties of fruits that are not available in any other form. In general, the best fruit beers are made from fresh fruits. However, there are several disadvantages to using fresh fruit.

Most fruits are seasonal, so the brewer will be limited to making his beer only when the fruit is in season. The brewer may have to do a lot of processing (washing, pitting, etc.) depending on the kind of fresh fruit he chooses. And, of course, all fresh fruit harbors wild yeasts and bacteria.

1. On properly washed fruit, the level of microbes is not high enough to hurt you.
2. However, when submerged in wort, these microorganisms can potentially multiply and add off-tastes and aroma to your beer.
3. Some brewers prefer the convenience of using fruit concentrates, purées or juices.
4. These fruit products are not seasonal and they save you time because you can simply open the can or jar and use the fruit as you would use any liquid sugar source (such as liquid malt extract, honey or molasses).

In addition, these products are packaged sterile. If contamination is your biggest concern when considering a fruit beer, using sterile fruit products is an option to consider. Brewers should avoid fruit products that contain anything other than 100% fruit.

Some fruit products contain added sugar. This sugar won’t harm your beer — it’ll just boost the alcohol content slightly — but you’ll need to add more of it to get enough flavor. Some fruit products contain added acids, such as citric acid. In the concentrations they are present at, these probably won’t adversely affect your beer, but may add a slight “tang.” More problematically, some fruit products contain preservatives, which may interfere with your brewer’s yeast.

Don’t use jams or jellies. These contain pectins (either naturally or added), which can cause haze in your beer. You can also use frozen fruit in a fruit beer. Buying frozen fruit — or freezing your own fruit when it’s at its peak — allows you to brew your fruit beer when the fruit is not in season.

• Amount of Fruit The amount of fruit to add to a beer depends on many variables — the type of fruit, the amount of fruit flavor desired, the beer style and many others — and so there is no simple answer to this question.
• As a first approximation, add one half of a pound of fruit per gallon of beer for strongly flavored fruits such as raspberries.

So, for a five-gallon batch of raspberry wheat, you would add 2.5 pounds of raspberries. For lighter-flavored fruits, such as cherries or peaches, you may need to add up to two pounds of fruit per gallon of beer. Your peach ale would thus need 10 pounds of fruit.

Processed fruit is usually more concentrated, so you need to add less of it. Sometimes, the label will give some indication of how concentrated the fruit is. If not, add a small amount of processed fruit to a finished beer and estimate an appropriate rate of addition. One simple way to get the right balance is to brew a test batch.

Once the test batch is ready, taste it and determine if there is too little or too much fruit flavor. Adjust the amount of fruit (and perhaps other ingredients) and brew the beer again. Make note not only of how much fruit you added and the taste of the beer, but also how flavorful the fruit itself was before you added it to your beer.

1. Another way to get the right balance is to blend your beer.
2. To do this, brew two batches of your base beer and add fruit to one but not to the other.
3. To the “fruity” batch, add about one and a half times the amount of fruit you expect you’ll need.
4. Either keg both beers or bottle a few bottles from each batch and leave the remainder in your secondary fermenter.

Blend the two beers in a glass until you find the balance you’re looking for in the finished beer, then blend the rest of the beer according to that ratio. In the Mash For all-grain brewers, fresh fruits can be added to the mash. To do this, cut the fruit into pieces and stir the fruit into the grains while mashing in.

• The sugars and fruit flavors will dissolve into the mash and be drained along with the wort.
• A benefit of adding fresh fruits to the mash is that the wort will subsequently be boiled and any yeasts or bacteria on the fruit will be killed.
• Simply finish brewing as usual after the mash.
• The drawbacks of adding fruits to the mash are that the extracted sugar and flavoring from the fruit will be boiled and then subjected to primary fermentation.

Most of the fruit aromas will be lost in the process. In addition, the fruit flavor may seem “cooked” rather than fresh. So, although adding fruit to the mash is safe and convenient, it is not the way to go for most fruit beers. Pumpkin ales are the only fruit beers typically made by adding this fruit — which is commonly referred to as a vegetable — to the mash.

1. The pumpkin flavor desired in the beer is that of cooked pumpkin, and much of the flavor in a pumpkin ale comes from pumpkin pie spices.
2. If you are using pasteurized fruit concentrates, purées or juices, these are already sterile so the mash is not the best place to add them.
3. In Hot Wort Fruits can be steeped in hot wort before, during or after the boil.

For fresh fruit, whole fruit or pieces of fruit are placed in a nylon bag. Submerge the fruit bag in the hot wort and tie the string of the nylon bag to the handle of your kettle. Once you’re done steeping the fruit, lift the bag into a sanitized colander and let any wort run into the kettle.

• The fruit will absorb some wort and lower your volume slightly.
• To counteract this, you can boil a slightly larger volume of wort or add water to your fermenter to make up the volume.
• The amount of wort absorbed by the fruit will, of course, depend on how much fruit you steep.
• Fruit can also be added directly to the wort and the fruit solids left behind as the wort is siphoned to the fermenter.

You may want to use a sanitized kitchen strainer to clear most of the fruit solids from the wort before racking it your fermenter. The heat from boiling wort will kill any yeasts or bacteria on the fruit. However, pectins in the fruit can be extracted and may cause clouding in the beer if the fruit is placed in boiling wort.

• To sanitize the fruit, but avoid extracting pectins, you can steep the fruit in hot wort after boiling.
• At lower temperatures — between 160–170° F — pectins from the fruit will not be extracted but the heat will still kill any microorganisms on the fruit.
• The fruit itself will cool down the wort, so you may need to heat the wort to keep it above 160° F while you are steeping.

For all-grain brewers, a drawback of not immediately cooling the wort is that DMS production continues in hot wort and may lend a cooked corn flavor to the beer. The amount of DMS production will depend on the type of malt you use. Extract brewers do not need to worry about DMS.

When steeping fruit in hot wort, you should allow at least a half-hour to extract as much fruit flavor and sugar as possible. Swirl the fruit bag or stir the wort every five minutes or so to disperse fruit-derived sugars and fruit flavors into the wort. Since steeping involves shorter contact times than other methods of fruit use, you should increase the amount of fruit used by at least 15–20 percent.

For fruit concentrates, purées and juices, simply add the fruit product after the boil but before the wort is cooled below 160° F. Then, finish your brew as you normally would. Using Fruits in Secondary Fermentation For most fruits, the best time to add them is in secondary fermentation.

When added at this time, the fruits are not subjected to heat, their flavors do not end up tasting cooked and their aromas are not lost. The drawback, of course, is that adding fruits in the secondary fermenter runs the risk of contaminating the beer. However, green beer generally has enough alcohol and a pH low enough to discourage the growth of contaminating organisms.

For fresh fruits, remove the stems, leaves and pits or seeds. Wash the fruit thoroughly. If you want, you can use commercial produce-washing products such as Fit, although this isn’t necessary. You should reduce the fruit to small pieces by one of several methods: Mash the fruit with a potato masher, chop it with a food processor or cut it up with a knife.

Place the fruit in your secondary fermenter and siphon beer on top of it. It is also important that the fermenter is sealed tightly. If air can get in, microorganisms can grow on the top of the floating fruit. (This is what happened to my ill-fated cherry beer.) It is usually best to use a large bucket — one with some headspace — as a secondary fermenter, as some foaming may occur when the yeast begins working on the fruit sugars.

One way to minimize the risk of contamination from fresh fruits is to take a page from the winemakers’ handbook and sterilize the fruit with sulfur dioxide. Winemakers do not sterilize their “wort” by boiling it. They sterilize their “must” by treating it with SO2 (often in the form of Campden tablets).

1. To sterilize a “mini-must,” mush your fruit into a slurry in a sanitized bucket.
2. Add enough water so that it’s basically a thick liquid.
3. Add one crushed Campden tablet for every gallon of your “mini-must” and let sit, loosely covered, overnight.
4. During this time the SO2 will kill any microorganism in the “mini-must,” then diffuse away.

The SO2 also acts as an antioxidant, preventing browning of the fruit. The next day, add the now-sanitized “mini-must” to your fermenter. Adding fruits during secondary fermentation increases the volume of the brew, but some of this volume is lost when beer is racked from the remaining fruit solids.

You can plan for this by making less volume of your base beer, but making it somewhat more concentrated. The degree you need to change your base beer depends, of course, on how much fruit you plan to add. (Alternately, you can choose to simply not worry about it and end up with a couple extra beers in your batch.) To add concentrates, purées or juices to your secondary fermentation, begin racking the base beer to the secondary fermenter.

Slowly pour the fruit into the secondary fermenter as the beer is racked so that the fruit and beer mix well. You may want to stir with a sterilized spoon. The beer can be left in contact with the fruit for varying amounts of time. One week is long enough to extract most of the fruit flavors, but not prolong the batch interminably.

1. If you want to get the most out of your fruit, let it sit longer.
2. Eep in mind, however, that flavor extraction decreases over time.
3. Letting the fruit sit for two weeks will not give you twice as much fruit flavor as letting it sit for one week.
4. After secondary fermentation with the fruit, siphon the beer away from the fruit solids into a keg or bottling bucket.

You may want to use a sanitized kitchen strainer to remove floating fruit solids before racking. Bottle or keg the beer as you usually do. Conditioning and Clarifying Part of the appeal of most fruit beers is their color. In order to best enjoy the color, the beer should be as clear as possible.

• There are a few ways to achieve this.
• First and foremost, you should store your fruit beer cold for at least a couple of weeks — but preferably a month or so — after kegging or bottle-conditioning.
• During this time, much of the yeast and chill haze (if present) will sediment out of the beer.
• In addition, the fruit flavors will have time to blend more completely with the base beer flavors.

One of the biggest enemies of beer clarity is chill haze, caused by protein/polyphenol (tannin) complexes in the beer. Although aging will help, minimizing chill haze to begin with will speed the development of the beer. Most fruits contribute tannins to a beer.

• The tannins are mainly confined to the skins of the fruits and these tannins contribute to the flavor of the fruit.
• Although you can fine for tannins using PVPP (Polyclar AT), this will lessen the fruit color and flavor in your beer.
• A better method is to minimize the protein level in your base beer.
• There are a few easy ways to reduce protein levels in your beers.

First of all, use an appropriate amount of Irish moss — between 1.5 and 2 teaspoons of Irish moss per 5 gallons — in the boil. This will reduce protein levels in your beer, but should not affect head retention (which is also related to protein levels).

Does fruit lower alcohol content?

Fruit & Fruit Juices – Fruits or fruit juices such as litre grape juice or litre orange juice will increase in alcohol levels as time passes and the beverage or fruit remains unconsumed, Certain groups, especially children, may be affected by the consumption of large volumes of fruit juices.

How do you use puree in beer?

Fruited beers may not have centuries’ worth of tradition behind them, but they’re one of the most popular trends in craft brewing today. The rise of fruit purees, in particular, has made rich flavors not only possible but easy, and the possibilities for experimentation are more abundant than ever.

• Let’s explore how you can add fruit puree to your beer, and a few ways to incorporate them into different styles.
• With a few tips and tricks, you can create a brew that’s both delicious and totally unique! Ways to Use Fruit Puree in Beer There are two major schools of thought when adding fruit puree to the wort.

Should you add it to the primary or secondary fermenter? While the secondary is easier, the primary is better if the fermenter itself is small or if you plan on adding a lot of fruit. In the Primary Fermenter If you plan on adding fruit puree to the primary fermenter, you’ll want to wait until the primary fermentation is almost done.

When your hydrometer is reading about 1.020 or you see 3-5 bubbles a minute coming out of the airlock, you can add fruit puree to the wort. If you have a small carboy of five gallons or less for your secondary fermenter or you plan on adding ten pounds of fruit or more, the fact that most purees have fermentable sugars in them means that your wort can bubble over.

To avoid this, just add puree during the primary fermentation, even if the process is a little more complicated. In the Secondary Fermenter Adding puree to the secondary fermenter is as easy as it gets. Clean the secondary carboy as usual, funnel in the puree, and then add your beer on top — that’s it! Be sure to leave it for a little longer than usual to account for the puree’s fermentable sugars.

With nothing to measure and no precise time to add the fruit, this is the most popular method of adding fruit puree to beer. It works best if you have a large secondary fermenter, but it’s simple, quick, and produces delicious results. Ways to Use Fruit Flavors in Beer Ultimately, which fruit flavors go best in which beers is a matter of personal taste.

But some pairings traditionally work better than others or have been proving themselves among beer fans. Check out these classics and use them as a starting point for your experimentations. Multi-Dimensional Sours The intense flavor profile of a sour means it’s perfect for pairing with strong, tart fruits.

The popularity of sours is on the rise again, so it’s the best time to make one that stands out from the rest. Tart fruits like raspberry are great to add to a sour beer. They give the drink a fuller, richer body and a juiciness that complements the inherent qualities of this brew. For instance, the downside of most sour beers is that any other notes get overwhelmed by the sharp taste, but tart fruits are able to stand up against these flavors.

Juicy IPAs One of the primary qualities of an IPA is its fruity, citrusy flavor. Pairing these flavors with another fruit is the perfect way to create a bold brew. With IPAs, you can either add a fruit that’s complementary or deliciously contrasting. On the complementary side, you have tart fruits that bring out the fresh flavor of the beer! Exotic fruits, like the maracuya, add a tropical twist to your brew.

If you’d rather soften the sharp bitterness of the IPA, sweet fruits, such as peaches, are a popular choice. Loaded Wheat Beers Fruited beers are a relatively new trend, but wheat beers have been served for decades with an orange slice. The light, crisp flavor of a wheat beer lends itself perfectly to most fruits, so it’s hard to go wrong with this style! From tangerine to strawberry to pineapple, you can create a bold, fruity wheat beer that will keep the crowds coming back for more.

If you want to get really experimental, try mixing multiple fruits for a unique flavor combination. You don’t have to go overboard here — start with something simple, like a wheat beer with apricot and strawberry puree. That’s a beer you could practically have for breakfast.

1. Novelty Hefeweizens Hefeweizens already have a bit of fruit flavor, so they’re a perfect choice for pairing with fruit puree.
2. With a banana flavor as the base, adding puree becomes about complementing or contrasting this totally unique taste.
3. Many brewers opt to contrast the banana, such as with grapefruit hefeweizens.

But it’s also fun to lean into the banana and brew with fruits that pair well with that flavor, such as blueberries, guava, or papaya. Strong Blondes Blondes are usually drunk on their own. Light and crushable, it’s hard to pair them with most foods. But when you reinforce their flavor with a good fruit puree, like mango, they become bold enough to eat with dinner, while not being so strong that they overpower it.

1. As Chef Joel Gamoran of Homemade says on the subject: “Combining subtle food like chicken or fish with the bright flavor of fruit is a surprising and fun way to make dinnertime special.
2. Chicken and mango is a classic combo.” Dessert Stouts Stouts are already rich and chocolatey.
3. That’s why they’re perfect for brewing with fruit puree — who doesn’t love dunking a piece of fruit in a chocolate fountain? Strawberries and raspberries are obvious (and excellent) choices.

But so long as you err on the sweet side, it’s hard to go wrong. If you’re looking to experiment, try using rich, earthy fruits to complement the strength of a stout. Brew stouts with plum for a unique, delicious dessert beer. This is just the beginning.

There are so many ways to experiment with fruit puree in beer that it’s impossible to list them all! As long as you get creative with flavor profiles and make something you know you would want to drink, you’ll come up with a great brew that your guests will love. Author Bio: Julia Nikolaus is a content strategist for an LA-based company.

She enjoys working with food and drink brands along with beauty and fashion clients. In her free time, Julia likes to bake new recipes, take dance classes, and spend time outdoors.

When should I add flavoring to beer?

Add fruit, spices, and other fun things You can always add more if the flavor isn’t quite strong enough, but you can never take it away once it’s there. You can add these ingredients in two places during the brewing process: in the last five minutes of the hop boil, or to the secondary when you transfer the beer.

How to add fruit puree to keg?

What is the Best Way to Add Fruit Puree? We have explored at length aseptic fruit puree. Also, many different ways it can be used across many industries. One thing that we have not talked about is the equipment and processes that are used in the production of various fermented beverages.

We will focus on beer however this information can be applied in other areas. Let’s Talk Process and Equipment Adding Boxes There are several ways to add fruit puree to beer or any beverage. It can be added directly to a keg and then topped off with the beverage. This can be done by purging air out with CO2, removing the stem of the keg, adding the puree and replacing the stem.

Beware of any dissolved oxygen that could get in when adding puree. You can also add the puree directly to the tank whether in fermentation or post. This can be done by adding it directly to the top of the tank (similar to a dry hop situation). Or you can use a keg that has been fabricated with a valve on the bottom and top.

• This allows you to add the puree to the keg, purge out any oxygen and push with co2 pressure directly into the tank.
• This is the preferred method as it eliminates the chance of dissolved oxygen or even worse wild bacteria.
• Adding Drums When you get to a certain point in production of fruit beers you will start to order drums.

They are a bit tricky to deal with if you have not used them before. What you will need is something like a “bulldog” racking cane and a hose to reach a pump that goes to the tank on the other end. This “bulldog” can be found in most breweries that do a lot of fruited beers and also have a barrel program or at least a few barrels to play around with.

• This is a great investment because it has multiple uses.
• Let’s Talk Pumps There are two types of pumps that you will typically find in a brewery or just about any beverage manufacturer.
• There are centrifugal pumps and diaphragm pumps.
• A centrifugal pump is powered by a motor which requires electricity.

A diaphragm pump is powered using compressed air. While both of them will get the job done, sometimes one is better than the other. A centrifugal pump is typically used to C.I.P.(clean in place) fermentation and brite tanks or move liquid. When adding fruit to a tank or removing yeast a diaphragm pump is often used.

1. The reason a centrifugal pump is not ideal for adding fruit puree is because it will easily cavitate (lose flow due to an empty pump).
2. It also allows more dissolved oxygen into the liquid because sometimes the mechanical seal will leak slightly.
3. The diaphragm pump is advantageous because it reduces dissolved oxygen and into the pump itself.

Also it will never backflow due to the “ball” on the top of the pump. The fruit puree itself is much easier to pump as well. Process The process can vary from place to place. If you plan for it and have tank space the best way is to fill an empty tank with puree that has been cleaned, sanitized and purged of oxygen.

First, inspect the bag to make sure it is not swollen or punctured (if so, do not use and contact Remove the cap with your official AFP Aseptic Fruit Purees opener(insert link).Hook up to empty tank and blow out sanitizer with CO2 pressure from the tank (if tank is full, blow out sanitizer with CO2 line).

Insert sanitized racking tool or “bulldog” so the “bung fitting” is tight around the mouth of the large bag. You can also add a quick disconnect as well directly to the pump. Then, set all your valves to the empty tank. If the tank is full no worries because it will not backflow due to the design of the pump.

• It is helpful to have a sight glass to make sure the puree is flowing.
• Turn on the air to your diaphragm pump, it may take a minute or two to prime the pump.
• You will notice the bag slowly shrinking, that is how you know that no air is getting into the bag.
• Continue this process until the bag is empty.

Wrapping It Up We have talked about the different types of pumps used in the process of adding aseptic fruit puree in a safe, sanitary, and efficient manner. Not all pumps are created equal and some jobs are better suited for certain pumps. You might find a method or process that is different from what we have talked about.

That is okay! There are several different avenues to achieve the same results in brewing ( as we all know). In the end as long as you are happy and confident in your process that is all that matters. Coming up with new ways to brew, refine processes, and general creativity is what makes us craft brewers.

: What is the Best Way to Add Fruit Puree?

How much fruit puree is added to fermenting beer?

Our customers typically use 1/2 – 2 pounds of puree per gallon of finished beer. So, for a 7 barrel system (217 gallons), you could use 109 lbs. or all the way up to 434 lbs. Fruits with subtle flavors and esters such as Strawberry, Blood Orange and Red Tart Cherry usually require the higher 2 lbs. per gallon dosing.