Infusing Lagers with fruit - when to add?

[Beejer]

Hey everyone. Somewhat new all grain brewer here and I'm on my first attempt of what will be a Mango Lager. It's a traditional lager that I want to infuse with mango for a fresh summery twist. I tasted something similar at a small brewery in Canton, NC that I loved. I've found much research online on when to add fruit in general but not specific to lagers. I don't want to transfer my lager to a secondary fermentation vessel and add fruit there which is what most of the research online touts as being the best way to add. I know the mango (being added as a puree) will have some fermentable sugars. So my question is when/how do I add it? What experience do you guys have? My options I think:

1) Add to primary vessel once fermentation is 75%+ attenuated and do so before the diacetyl rest at my fermentation of temp of 52 deg F
2) Add to primary vessel after fermentation is complete and after diacetyl rest as I begin to drop temp to lager or I could even add it after I'm down near lagering temps

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Sammy86]

Welcome to all grain brewing! You're going to get a bunch of different answers so I'll share how I add fruit to any beer.

First, you can add it to the boil. I've added oranges (peeled and sliced) into a muslin bag and let it go for 10-15 minutes.

Second, I've added it post fermentation to the bucket and let it sit there like you described during cold crashing.

The two ways you described will work you have to take into account that fermentation might kick off again and add some ABV to the beer.

 

[Dland]

Another way to get a fresh fruit flavor is w late addition hops. Maybe not mango, but citrus tastes are pretty well covered. I recently made a lager w "lemon drop" hops post boil, and it tastes like it has a good twist of lemon. Cascade & Amarillo are a little more orangey, and Mosaic adds a grapefruit flavor.

I wouldn't be surprised if they come up w a mango flavored hop at some point.

 

[Beejer]

Thanks for the input guys!

 

[Jag75]

I would add mangoes in the FV once you start your temp increase for the rest .