Hefewizen!!! When to add fruit??

[CHRGRS100]

I'm brewing my first hefe and I'm about to go to secondary. I would line to add some fruit purée. When should this happen? Now?

 

[birvine]

Rack onto the fruit in your secondary.

B

 

[sudsmcgee]

Never

 

[bottlebomber]

Everyone says to do it in secondary, but I would like someone to present a good solid reason why. Why not just add the fruit into your primary fermenter on brew day? Hefes need to get into the bottle or keg asap anyway, so why postpone that day by another week or 2? Unless someone can present a good reason why you wouldn't do this I would say add the fruit from the get go. The high yeast activity will ferment the maximum amount of fruit sugars out...

 

[CHRGRS100]

I did 2 5 gal batches. I was gonna leave alone(keg tomorrow) and the other I was gonna add fruit.... Should I keg it in a couple days?

 

[baddad]

Because , the yeast ferment the sugars from the fruit almost compleatly, and leave an off / acidic taste

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Everyone says to do it in secondary, but I would like someone to present a good solid reason why. Why not just add the fruit into your primary fermenter on brew day? Hefes need to get into the bottle or keg asap anyway, so why postpone that day by another week or 2? Unless someone can present a good reason why you wouldn't do this I would say add the fruit from the get go. The high yeast activity will ferment the maximum amount of fruit sugars out...

Fruit + Yeast = Wine.

If you add fruit while the yeast are still active, you get a "wine like" taste, which I HATE.

I wouldn't add fruit to a Hefweissen anyway. When I make a fruit wheat, I use a neutral ale yeast, like US-05. That way, I start with a clean tasting beer.

 

[bottlebomber]

I can accept that, only that the yeast are still active in the secondary as well. Why aren't the wine-like flavors created there as well?

 

[SoundBoy4]

Do you sanitize the puree somehow or just drop it in the carboy as is?

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I can accept that, only that the yeast are still active in the secondary as well. Why aren't the wine-like flavors created there as well?

Well, I cold crash the wheat beer, pull the beer off the cake, then rack the beer on top of the fruit. Then, I keep it COLD for a week or two, to keep any yeast still present dormant. I keg the beer and force carb, so yeast action is not needed.

That keeps the wine off-taste to a bare minimum.

Lot of frakkin' work, though. So, I usually just use extracts.

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

I've done a cherry wheat before. Just add the fruit into secondary, The only down fall from my expierence is it will take awhile for the fruit flavor to extract out. I did half fruit then when time to bottle I got a extract flavoring and added. What fruit are you adding?

 

[3sheetsEMJ]

I havent worked with heffes juat yet but that is next on my list. Id like to do a recipe similar to Paulaners heffewiesen bc its one of my favorite beers. Anyone have a recipe for that?

Also, more to the topic of this thread, how much fruit extract do u use for a 5 gallon batch? How long do u let it sit in the secondary?

 

[CHRGRS100]

I've done a cherry wheat before. Just add the fruit into secondary, The only down fall from my expierence is it will take awhile for the fruit flavor to extract out. I did half fruit then when time to bottle I got a extract flavoring and added. What fruit are you adding?

I added about a pound of fresh picked black berries. I mashed them up, put them into the secondary and transferred. Three days later I kegged it. Came out pretty good!

 

[Darkness]

i have done a number of fruit additions and into the same brew. when i added it into the primary I didn't think the fruit was a present as when added to secondary. The primary fermenter if to vigorous and the flavors and aroma of the fruit are lost in the gas off. every time I add fruit I always go into secondary. Maybe try to find a cooler area for a slower re-ferment. the flavor and aroma will be better after a secondary ferment.


Keg
Vanilla Coffee Milk Stout
Dark Saison
APA
German Rye
Robust Porter

primary
20 gal Black Imperial IPA
Blackberry Cobbler ale

secondary
Wit
Chocolat Cherry Milk Stout Aging Russian Imperial Stout

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

I added about a pound of fresh picked black berries. I mashed them up, put them into the secondary and transferred. Three days later I kegged it. Came out pretty good!

Im going to have to try blackberries sounds good.