oregon fruits from grocery store?

I did the searchers but haven't found the definitive answer I'm looking for. My local grocery sells Oregon brand fruit blends in 15 oz cans for $4. Anyone know if this is similar enough to Oregon fruit PUREES that sell for 15 for 3 pounds (about the same)? Thanks

cb

Could you post the ingredients? I have never used them myself, but perhaps if you post the ingredients someone can help compare.

The ones in the grocery store aren't purees, but whole fruit. If you blended them in a santized blender, it may be more similar to the puree.

The whole fruits are in light syrup, so may contain additional sugars, I'm not sure if the purees contain extra sugars.

I've used the whole fruits from the grocery store with success in beers and ciders, I've never used the purees before.

It's EXACTLY the same stuff...it's the 100% pure best damn fruit for bakers AND homebrewers EXCEPT it's not marked up the a$$ by the LHBS....I dunno if you've noticed, but IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME LABEL, except that the ones in the LHBs are purees...but you don't need them as pureed if you are adding them in a secondary...or you can puree them but they are the best stuff around.





I was baking with them LONG before I ever saw it overpriced in a homebrew shop...

What revvy said...and normally it will say if they are stored in water or a syrup. Chances are it's just going to be the fruit plus water.

revvy and kilted, that's what I was looking for. I figgered it'd be as much. Except the terms 'puree' and 'fruit product' confused me. I'm guessing maybe some squishing and perhaps a rinse to prep them for the secondary or just dump 'em in? I'm going to watch for a sale but I think 3 lbs will be about 12 bucks.

cb

Revvy said:

It's EXACTLY the same stuff...it's the 100% pure best damn fruit for bakers AND homebrewers EXCEPT it's not marked up the a$$ by the LHBS....I dunno if you've noticed, but IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME LABEL, except that the ones in the LHBs are purees...but you don't need them as pureed if you are adding them in a secondary...or you can puree them but they are the best stuff around.

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Revvy,
I disagree. They are the same fruit, however the small can in the grocery are whole fruit packed in added water or light syrup, while the home brew variety is 100% seedless fruit puree. That means the grocery store cans have added water and possibly sugar and therefore you are buying less fruit for the same weight can. I'm sure those cans will work just fine but they are not the same thing. Even the labels you linked seem to indicate the differences.

Craig

mandoman said:

revvy and kilted, that's what I was looking for. I figgered it'd be as much. Except the terms 'puree' and 'fruit product' confused me. I'm guessing maybe some squishing and perhaps a rinse to prep them for the secondary or just dump 'em in? I'm going to watch for a sale but I think 3 lbs will be about 12 bucks.

cb

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I would do anything to them but open the can and dump them in...I wouldn't rinse them or anything...if you are going from can (santized) to sanitized secondary or primary, then there's nothing to do to the fruit.....all I would consider doing is sanitizing the can and the can opener if I were feeling really sanitization anal...but to the fruit...NOTHING...it's the purest canned fruit product known to cooks...that's why it's beloved by brewers.

Some are water packed and some are syrup...but guess what? The syrup is going to be a sugar based syrup anyway, so that will ferment as well, and if it's water then it is going to be highly flavorful water...

In fact...The MR BEER fruit beer kits come with the syrup packed fruits.

Welcome to MR.BEER® - Canned Fruit

SO again, either spend 12 bucks at the LHBS or buy them on sale with a Kroger Plus card...It won't change the final product, just your pocket book...

Sorry, Revvy, but are you using what's included in a Mr. Beer kit to prove a point?

Yeah, those 15oz cans are between $5-6 at my safeway, the 49 oz cans are about $13-17 depending on the fruit, about the same...

I used the small can raspberries in a rasp wheat, came out great, have used the brewstore stuff in beers, came out great.

thanks guys. Just another reason this site rocks.

here's a pic of what the grocery store has. Note the difference between weight and fruit weight. Hmmmm.

cb

but hey, natural antioxidants!

mandoman said:

here's a pic of what the grocery store has. Note the difference between weight and fruit weight. Hmmmm.

cb

but hey, natural antioxidants!

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And you're point being???? The rest of it is the syrup...consider it a highly fermentable infusion of fruity goodness...even more than the pure puree...

the stuff from the store will work, it has for many many brewers, Mr Beer or otherwise....and if you have a coupon all the better...We're not talking about Libby's or some Generic other fruit brand here...(Except for Libby's 100% pure Pumpkin which is highly recommended for pumkin beers) Oregon Fruit Products are pretty much the only one used by brewers...They don't add chemicals and preservatives, or fillers to the fruit...THAT'S of bigger concern.

Again, that's WHY a lot of pie makers swear by them as well...

I guess I have no point. I believe you and appreciate the input!

cb

Revvy said:

And you're point being???? The rest of it is the syrup...consider it a highly fermentable infusion of fruity goodness...even more than the pure puree...

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The point is that a third of the weight in the can is not fruit. Compared to 100% fruit in the purees. For the same price I would get the purees. If the cans in the grocery were half the cost then they are a better deal. Not saying the fruit is not good, just that the two products are not the same thing and you need to be aware of what you are buying.

I almost picked up some of the cans in my grocery but i realized the price was the same per pound as the purees from the HBS but I wasn't getting as much fruit. I prefer to get fruit instead of light syrup or water.

Craig

I'll go back to the original question....

mandoman said:

Anyone know if this is similar enough to Oregon fruit PUREES that sell for 15 for 3 pounds (about the same)? Thanks

cb

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The answer...YES, IT IS SIMILAR ENOUGH TO BE USED IN HIS BEER...It's made by the same company, In fact it has been used in beer, and is sold in SOME beer kits...I would use it if I were making a fruity beer with no hesitation, IF the cost of the cans from the grocery store were cheaper than the large can from the lhbs....

The cans didn't magically appear at the LHBS as an overpriced brewing ingredient (same with coriander, or grains of paradise) someone or several someones saw it in a grocery store and decided to use it, they spread the word in the brewing community....others followed and then LHBS's started to carry it...

Whether anyone else chooses to or not, I don't care, I answered the question, cited examples to prove it, and at least one other member backed me up.

Revvy said:

I'll go back to the original question....

The answer...YES, IT IS SIMILAR ENOUGH TO BE USED IN HIS BEER...It's made by the same company, In fact it has been used in beer, and is sold in SOME beer kits...I would use it if I were making a fruity beer with no hesitation, IF the cost of the cans from the grocery store were cheaper than the large can from the lhbs....

The cans didn't magically appear at the LHBS as an overpriced brewing ingredient (same with coriander, or grains of paradise) someone or several someones saw it in a grocery store and decided to use it, they spread the word in the brewing community....others followed and then LHBS's started to carry it...

Whether anyone else chooses to or not, I don't care, I answered the question, cited examples to prove it, and at least one other member backed me up.

Click to expand...

And I am just saying that yes you can use them but they are not the same ingredient. If you want 3 pounds of fruit you will need 4-5 cans of the whole fruit in water or light syrup. And it will include whole fruit which may need to be treated differently.

I sure the puree cans in the HBS were not packaged for the home brew market. They were probably packaged for bakers and restaurants. And are just a packaging form of Oregon's bulk puree sold to larger food manufacturers.

So Revvy we agree, I just wanted to make it clear that the products were not identical. I do disagree that they are overpriced in the HBS. They seem to be priced similarly to other sources of quality ripe fruit.

Craig

Time to revive this thread

If you plan on using the whole fruit variety that is found at the grocery store, i wouldn't suggest blending to create a puree as you might crush seeds in the blackberries, raspberries and they end up tasting astringent.
I just started a 5 gallon batch of wine with white grape concentrate, 5 cans of oregon blackberries, and a box of golden raisins.

i smashed the berries with a sanitized potato masher and added them with the syrup into a juice jug and shook away before adding to primary.. Wish I would have used a blowoff from the start 'cause those berries (and probably the raisins too) get the yeast crazy

I never thought about looking at the grocery store! I was just wondering how I could get 1lb of puree/fruit instead of 3lbs, because after my Ruby experiment, I want to try something more subtle, so one of these cans seems just about right.

I'm about to bottle a Honey Porter 5 gal batch but will bottle half and rack the second half onto some blackberries. I will be using the Oregon Fruit blackberries in syrup. With the extra sugars in the syrup, will this beer just be too sweet combined with the honey? Should I drain off the syrup or should the syrup go in for more blackberry flavor?

the syrup will ferment and make a higher abv