Fruit Beer Force Carb or Natural

Rozzie · Mar 6, 2015

Hello Hello!!

Pardon me as this is my first post. I did quite a bit of research on here and else-place and I cannot seem to find an answer. I apologize if this is an inappropriate section for my post as well.

I have been brewing for about two years now, always all grain. My last batch was an all grain apricot wheat beer. I made a mistake prior to bottling which kind of ruined my batch, but it got me thinking, and I now propose this question to you fine brewers.

In making a fruit beer, is it better to force carbonate them, or naturally carbonate. I recently switched over to force carbonating and kegging, which I really enjoy. However, with a fruit beer, (Note this is my first fruit beer and this is only what I've read) it appears that post bottling most brewers state it takes average two months for their brews to reach peak flavor. As this may happen with any beer, but I'm talking about specifically fruit beers, as the fruit flavor is not prominent immediately following bottling. The sweetness and fruit flavor comes out at that two month mark, (give or take obviously). As I noticed with my brew, it was very fruity right out of the secondary, but i kegged it anyway for the practice. And after doing so, that apricot flavor was almost completely gone! So in force carbonating it, can i really let the beer sit there for a lengthy amount of time to allow the flavors to come out? Can you even let kegs sit like that? All in all is it simply better to not even force carbonate fruit beers, and does it really make a difference?

You tell me gentlemen! I 't seem to find the answers! I hope your experiences will help!

Cheers,

Ryan :mug:

FloppyKnockers · Mar 6, 2015

The flavor development depends solely on the fruit. Apricots take a few weeks after kegging/bottling. That said, you can let kegs sit. I let my Belgians, browns, and lagers sit in kegs for as long as they want. And yes, you can force carb a fruit beer too.

chickypad · Mar 6, 2015

Not a gentleman

but in my experience fruit flavor tends to fade over time. That doesn't necessarily mean the beer is at it's best super early, would depend on the beer I guess, but I don't see the flavor increasing once it's off the fruit. Then again I don't make too may fruit beers, but one of our popular house beers is a watermelon wheat that I usually make at least a couple times a year. We're typically drinking that one about 3 wks in and it's best young.

Rozzie · Mar 31, 2015

Thank you for your inputs. I will be trying that with my current batch in production now. it is currently in the secondary, I will split it into two kegs and let one sit and see what happens.

Now with that I ask you how should I carbonate? I am assuming to natural carb it in the keg, as force carb requires refrigeration, and i imagine that, 1, you cant really take the keg out of the fridge after carbonation for storage as it may develop off tastes, and 2, you cant really force carb without colder temperatures. correct?

Thank you again

chickypad · Mar 31, 2015

You can force carb at room temp, it just takes a higher pressure - see carb chart. The beer will age faster warm but you're not going to hurt it taking it back out of the fridge, think of it as a big bottle. If it's going to be at room temp for a while you could certainly prime it and let it naturally carb as well. You don't need as much sugar as you do for bottling, I use 2.5 oz of sugar for a full keg.

Rozzie · Apr 1, 2015

Interesting. I always assumed taking beer in and out of the refrigerator always caused off tastes. Just something I've assumed over the years throughout college. But then again we were just a bunch of guys in a fraternity where eveyrhing was always getting thrown arround, so I'm sure that wasn't the only reason! haha.

And with that I have developed one last question if I may. I currently have my second attempt at my apricot ipa in its secondary. I somehow ended up with a higher yield of liquid, don't ask me how. intended for a 5 gallon batch, ended up at 6.5. I have to say though it worked out nicely because the gravity is right where I wanted it. But now it's in two secondary carboys as it all would not fit with the fruit in my 5 gallon one, so its in a 5 and 3 gallon. One of which, I added brown sugar to the primary, as I wanted to experiment with the flavors and the other was left as is. Now at both similar ABV in the secondary, the 3 gallon carboy,which was the one I added the sugar to in the primary, I have added potassium sorbate in the secondary. As I do not wish to gain more alcohol from the fruit and I wanted to see the taste differens in an unfermented fruit vs the fermented. Now here comes the question. The smaller batch I added the sorbate to, is the only way to bottle it through force carbonation now that the yeast has been killed? Or is there still a means of natural carb?

Tha is again for all your help. I really appreciate the advise from your experience. It's a lot more gratifying then instructions and books.

Ryan