fruit amount

So I am doing my first fruit beer since a failed attempt years ago. It is a blackberry wit. I want a slight to moderate blackberry taste. I read someone used 5lbs and it gave an overpowering flavor...anyone have a suggestion how much to use? I am planning on throwing this in the secondary. Also...how do people generally sanitize fruit? Bring the fruit slurry up to boiling I take it?

aaronwillen said:

Also...how do people generally sanitize fruit? Bring the fruit slurry up to boiling I take it?

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typically, you wouldn't want to boil the fruit, as it will cause the pectins to 'set' and give a very hard to get rid of haze. but since you're brewing a wit, you should be fine.

hmm yeah pectin haze..good in my situation! I just dont want to get an infection like last time!

I am doing a Blackberry Brown and went with 2 lbs. of fresh blackberries.

My research showed you want to freeze the fruit first to break down the cell walls - this will make it juice easier. Then, put them in 160 degree water for 15 minutes. This is hot enough to kill off most of the bad stuff but not hot enough to cause haze. Then crush and put directly in the fermentor.

I do not secondary, so I plan on dumping mine in after high krausen. Also - don't forget to leave enough headspace in the fermentor for the added fruit.

Good luck,
Dan