Adding Pomegranate juice (POM) to beer

So we decided it was the ladyfriend's turn to pick a beer and she figured it should reflect the season but still be rather quaffable. After brainstorming, we came up with the idea to make a Pomegranate Blonde... sounds delish.

We'll be using BM's Centennial Blonde (made it three times) except using S-04 because the fruity ester profile is nice. After 3-4 weeks or so, we'll use potassium sorbate to kill the yeastie-beasties, add the POM to our keg and rack on top. One would think it would be too sweet but we will just be using one of the little individual POM juices (probably ~8oz) so there won't be tooooo much sweetness.

The only problem is we aren't sure how to add it. It definitely isn't pasteurized as it is advertised as organic so we need to kill anything that could possibly cause infection. Would it be better to:

1) Add the POM juice and bit of water to a sauce pot and boil for 10-15 minutes

2) Let it sit in vodka before adding. If this is recommended, a) how much vodkie, and b) how long to let it sit?

Thanks in advance!

Organic definitely doesn't mean unpasteurized.
"...are flash pasteurized..."
http://pomwonderful.com/products/juice/100-pomegranate/

Oh snap, sorry. Thanks for the quick response. The question then is should I even do anything to it or just rack right on top of it?

I added a couple bottles of this stuff to apfelwein thinking it would give it a nice tart flavor to complement the apple taste. I was disappointed because the flavor is just barely perceptible, and the color turned brown. It is like all the flavor and red fermented out.

I would rack on top of it, and use substantially more than 8oz. One quart would probably give what you were looking for, but you could add it in stages, tasting once the additional sugars have fermented out.

Thanks for the advice, s3n8 and maskednegator, but like I've mentioned a couple times before I do not want the POM to ferment out.

After 3-4 weeks or so, we'll use potassium sorbate to kill the yeastie-beasties, add the POM to our keg and rack on top

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So I feel 8oz will be more than sufficient... I don't want it to be undrinkably sweet or tart. Just give it a little something extra. And hopefully since there will be no fermentation, it'll turn a nice ruby or purple color.

But it still leaves my question to be answered: Should I boil or mix with vodka to sanitize, or is it okay to just put it in the keg and rack on top of it as is?

potassium sorbate doesnt actually kill it just stops reproduction so if you are sure its done fermenting i don't see a problem just adding it in. it will probably turn a pinkish color tho

rj0715 said:

it will probably turn a pinkish color tho

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Haha yeah probably... meh still would fit the holiday season, kinda sorta

Thanks for the advice. But I've heard several conflicting opinions regarding additions to kill the yeast or halt fermentation. I've seen it been said on HBT that potassium sorbate and campden tablets together will kill yeast. I mentioned it to LHBS and the dude said potassium sorbate is all that's necessary for my purposes. I really don't know how to go about it because I really really don't want the POM to ferment

Ken Schramm (author of compleat meadmaker) advises waiting for normal fermentation cycle to end then adding the potassium sorbate and waiting a day before adding in any fermentables(sugars, fruits,etc.) hope this helps

Potassium sorbate as mentioned will only prohibit yeast reproduction. You need to add potassium metabisulfate to kill the yeast, then add the potassium sorbate to prohibit any yeast left alive from reproducing. Then add your POM directly, probably rack on top. This process should keep fermentation from starting again from the sugar in the POM. If you are worried about the sanitization of the POM (I wouldn't worry) you can add some potassium metabisulfate to it as well. But I would assume it would have to be sanitary as it is shelf stable.

So was this recipe ever brewed? I'm wanting to do a pomegranate beer myself, and I'm debating whether to use POM or fresh. How did it turn out with just 8oz of POM and did you kill the yeast?

Oh wow, I was sure this thread was dead and gone! Thread zombie!

It was brewed. Ended up being BM's Centennial Blonde with one of the little POMS (not the jugs.) Beer ended up being ever so slightly pinkish and the POM added a little sweet/sour to it. I'd do it again.

If you want to add pomegranate flavor I would recommend using pomegranate molasses instead of the juice. Pom molasses is really just concentrated juice. It will give you a nice pink color and plenty of tartness.

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but am wondering why there is a need to add chemicals to halt the yeast. Won't putting the keg in. 40-45 degree refrigerator put the little yeastie beasties to sleep anyway

flabyboy said:

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but am wondering why there is a need to add chemicals to halt the yeast. Won't putting the keg in. 40-45 degree refrigerator put the little yeastie beasties to sleep anyway

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It sure will. I did a strawberry wheat beer 2 years ago and had a wonderful fresh fruit character (non-fermented) in the final product. I did a full write up on the experiment here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/fr...rawberries-chilled-beer-avoid-dryness-172993/

The beer was wonderful.

Thanks for the reply. Debating using apricot or blueberry juice and add it at kegging time. I'll make sure to drop the temp down to 40 or so for several days to put the yeast to sleep and the into the kegetator it goes

Wow, another zombification of this thread! It just won't die....

Yeah I never ended up using chemicals. 35*F kegerator helped out just fine.

Just making good use of the search feature ;-)

flabyboy said:

Just making good use of the search feature ;-)

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Ha there ya go.

My advice would be drink it quickly after adding the pom. The flavor is delicate and fades fast

Does the juice spoil in the keg? That's one thing I am concerned with. I am looking at Apricot Juice from Looza. It's says discard 7-10 days after opening. No way I'm getting thru a keg that quick

was this a full 5 gallon batch u did? or was it smaller?

i'm considering trying to do a passionfruit wheat, but only racking 2 gallons into a small secondary fermentation and leaving the other 3 bottled plain and am looking for info

Recently, I was bottling a 7.5% IIPA and ran short on bottles. I sanitized a gallon fermenter and added the remaining 2/3 gallon into the fermenter. I then topped off the fermenter with Pomegranate juice (POM) and the dregs of 1 bottle Allagash White. It took about 2 weeks to finish out, but was amazing. The cost per glass is ridiculous but it was worth every penny.

POM in hoppy beer? Hmm... sounds like something I might have to try.

couldn't you boil it down to a concentrate? that would address any sanitation concerns.