If you add fruit to a Hefe

You had better use a blow off tube....


I got up this morning to check on the EdWort's Apfelwein that I made up yesterday and my Strawberry Hefe that I racked last night onto 6# of strawberries.
The Hefe had an OG of 1.05 and when I racked it (even though the Karsen<sp?> had not fell yet) was at 1.01. So I racked it onto 6# of strawberries (that I had in a pot and held that 180* for 30 minutes then cooled) into a 6.5 gallon Carboy. Put a bung in the hole with a 3 piece airlock and let it go.
this morning the bung and airlock was on the other side of my fermenting room and some strawberries on the floor.

I then clean things up, and shoved in a 1.5in dia x 5 foot long tube into the carboy. instantly there was co2 coming out the other end and bubbling away.:rockin:

So just note: with a wheat beer even if fermenting is done, if you rack it onto fruit, you had better treat it just like it was a new brew.

Hmmm. What ever you do, don't throw the batch out until after 5 months from bottling.

Just ask Ryanh1801 or read this thread.

This is Ryan's result with strawberries.

EdWort said:

Hmmm. What ever you do, don't throw the batch out until after 5 months from bottling.

Just ask Ryanh1801 or read this thread.

This is Ryan's result with strawberries.

Click to expand...

Your link goes to the picture.
But don't worry, I have no thought of dumping it out.
There was so much CO2 coming out of that i know that there was no way anything got in. Plus it's locked in a room that is only used for brewing stuff (fermenting and bottling).
This hefe was pitched onto a WLP300 yeast cake so there is a LOT of yeast in there and very active.

Sorry, fixed it.

EdWort said:

Sorry, fixed it.

Click to expand...

No problem, I looked anod found it.
Not sure why his was tart unless the berries he used were still to "green".

I think you're left with tartness after the sugar in the berries is fermented. I'd be curious to see how your's turns out, I would expect some tarness( at least a little). Strawberries have such a delicate flavor, it would seem especially true w/o the sugar.

I have been debating on if I should keep it on the berries for 1 week or two. If I keep it only for one week I think I'll rack it to another carboy for another week or two before bottling of kegging.