Adding fruit. How do you do it?

[mufflerbearing]

I am making a Mango wheat and there many options of where to source the Mango also fresh vs frozen and purée vs slices or just mango juice. I have heard frozen Has more flavor than fresh for some reason. Trying not to over think it I want it to be as good as it can be. What do you do?


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[adamshershner]

I know freezing helps break the cell walls of the fruit, which greatly helps in flavoring a brew. Other than that I'm still learning myself! Do a quick search on here (and google), lots of great info out there on fruit additions. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[SchnookeredSir]

Freezing is two-fold: it kills off wild yeasts and breaks the cell walls to enhance flavor. However, pectins are also released which make the beer cloudy.

I started a similar thread a while back and most everyone says to add fruit to the secondary, aftert you've measured your FG that fermentation has slowed

 

[adamshershner]

Freezing is two-fold: it kills off wild yeasts and breaks the cell walls to enhance flavor. However, pectins are also released which make the beer cloudy.

I started a similar thread a while back and most everyone says to add fruit to the secondary, aftert you've measured your FG that fermentation has slowed

Would pectic enzyme reduce this?
Also does freezing kill bacteria and prevent infections?

 

[MindenMan]

Freezing does not kill yeast, or bacteria, so you have to be very thorough with sanitation when adding fruit. Put the fruit into a zip bag, and put it in a pan with 140* F water and simmer for 30 minutes. That way the bugs get killed, and the fruit doesn't taste like it has been cooked. Secondary is best bet.

 

[brewtus_]

I've used frozen mango puree (Goya brand) in a mango ale. This is mango pulp only - no preservatives, sugar or juices added. Thaw it out and add to the secondary with some pectic enzyme to reduce haze. I use about 28 ounces in a 6 gallon batch size. Mosaic hops are a nice addition.

 

[jivex5k]

Used frozen raspberries once. I thawed them, froze em again, and then thawed them a second time to break them down. Beer came out amazing, this was for a Berliner. Used 3.2lbs on 5 gallons in secondary for a week.

Right now I have 5 more gallons of the same base on 4.5lbs of fresh raspberries. I froze them and thawed them, broke them down pretty well. I didn't bother sanitizing it, figured what the hell the bugs might compliment the lacto already in there.

I boil post sour mash though so the lacto is long dead, just ferment with a clean yeast. Fruit starts a secondary ferm, kicked off hard but the airlock was enough, not even close to needing a blowoff. I'm really looking forward to this one.

 

[Toupee]

I'm trying to do a strawberry blonde. I added 10 pounds of strawberries when I racked to secondary last week and took a bunch of pictures!

The whole album is at https://imgur.com/a/EYkk2 (Album has captions for each photo!)

I have no idea how well it worked, it's time to bottle it!

 

[mufflerbearing]

Went ahead and got me some Dole brand frozen mango chunks today and some pectin enzyme I plan on making a puree and racking on top of them in the secondary maybe Saturday (after 7 days of fermentation) then leaving in secondary 4-5 days. Or should I wait till ferm is over then rack on mango?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew and I don't care for the new format so much.

 

[Wolfbrau]

Step one: Get fruit.

Step two: Put fruit in blender and blend.

Step three: Pour blended stuff into two cups vodka.

Step four: Use a paint strainer and a funnel. Keep the vodka. Discard the fruit remnants.

Step five: Place recovered vodka in mason jar in the freezer.

Step six: Add half the recovered vodka to the candidate beer.

Step seven: Taste wort. Is the fruit flavor strong enough?

Yes: Keg.

No: Add more fruity vodka.

Repeat step seven.

 

[mufflerbearing]

Puréed the 5lbs of mango and racked on top of it. Also added some pectic enzyme to be safe. Smells glorious. Now I wait a week and keg. Should I try to keep anything other than beer for entering the keg?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew and I don't care for the new format so much.

 

[jekeane]

you'll want to do your best to rack off the mango into the keg. Some people have reported a vegetal taste from sitting on fruit for too long.

 

[mufflerbearing]

You think it would help if I ran it thru a hop bag to filter when I keg?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew and I don't care for the new format so much.