Brewing with pineapple

Hello fellow brewers! I would like to brew an IPA with some tropical hops like citra and falconers flight and get fresh pineapple flavor in there. Has anyone used fresh pineapple in an IPA. I am concerned that the acidity from the pineapple may kill the yeast during fermentation, so the only other option would be to purée the pineapple or use fresh use in the keg or with dry hopping. Any recommendations or experience with fresh pineapple? Thanks!

 

I haven't personally used pineapple, but have done a few fruited beers in my day. Best way to achieve the flavor profile you want would be to cut the pineapple in chunks, freeze them for a few days (to break down the cell walls - more flavor is dispensed doing this method) and racking the beer on top of the pineapple in secondary. Since pineapple is a pretty light flavor, I'd recommend a minimum of 1lb per gallon going as high as 1.5lb per gallon. Taste it as you go. Once the flavor is where you want it, bottle or keg. Good luck!

 

Thanks for the advise! What about contamination of the beer? Do I have to worry about that when I add the frozen pineapple?

 

If you wait until primary fermentation is done, the alcohol and low PH in the beer should keep any nasties from the pineapple in check.

 

Nailed it.

 

So, the time to add the pineapple would be in the secondary while dry hopping?

 

Yessir!

 

Spearhead Brewery in London, Ontario, produces a Hawaiian Style Pale Ale, made with pineapple juice. It's not my cup of tea, but alot of folks love it.

From their website.

Pairings
Hawaiian Style Pale Ale’s fresh citrusy character makes it a versatile beer for food pairings. Enjoy a glass with spicy Indian and South-East Asian dishes. Pair with hearty pub fare and allow its zesty hoppiness to refresh your palate. Indulge in rich, creamy cheeses, some decadent chocolate or a thick slice of cheesecake to bring out the beer’s caramel and tropical sweetness. On its own it is dry, refreshing and perfectly quenching.
Ingredients
Malts: Pale Malt, Munich, Carafoam, Caramel 10, Caramel 45
Hops: Cascade, Northern Brewer
Yeast: California Ale
Water: pure water
Other: pineapple juice

http://spearheadbeer.com/

 

Shouldn't be a worry. I use standard yeasts with my Berliners, and they will have a much lower PH than anything you will get.

Freezing kills most bacteria. It also breaks down the cell walls to let more of the flavor out. You are also adding it to an alcoholic environment.

 

Not only can you ferment pineapple, but you can ferment it using nothing but the natural yeast that exists on its rind. I've done just that. Didn't taste that great, but it fermented fine.

More info here.

 

Uh, why would you ferment that? Just ask Hector to bring you a fifth of rum to add to it while you rock in the hammock.