fruit in secondary isnt fermenting.

[Jobt32]

Made an extract blonde (about 5%abv) and after a week in primary racked it onto 7 lbs of frozen strawberries. I set it up with a blow off tube from what I've read, im going to need it.

Its been a week and nothing has happened. No signs of any fermentation of the berries. This worries me that no co2 was produced and that the berries floating on the top were exposed to oxygen for too long and started growing mold, in turn infecting the batch.

I want to open it and look at it, but figure that introducing new air could only make things worse.

I now know I should have hit the fermenter with some co2 before I closed it up after racking, but too late for that, I'm

I can't find a whole lot of info anywhere that makes me feel better, nor anything that gives me an idea of how to solve this. I am happy to open it up and look if anyone thinks it will do me any good.

Thanks for any help!

Kevin

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

bucket or carboy? from your post it seems like a bucket. If so, theres really no way of knowing if the berries fermented or not. The lack of bubbles in your blow off liquid means nothing. again, if its a bucket, the seals are terrible for having pressure leaks...

 

[bondra76]

Are you sure that you even want the strawberries to ferment? A lot of recipes have fruit in the secondary with no intention of fermenting it.

 

[chickypad]

A lot of recipes have fruit in the secondary with no intention of fermenting it.

How, you mean by using a filtration system or adding chemicals to halt the yeast like you would when back sweetening cider or wine? I almost never see fruit beer recipes that call for that.

OP if it's been a week I think Smokey is right, it's likely done and you just missed it or the seal wasn't perfect.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Are you sure that you even want the strawberries to ferment? A lot of recipes have fruit in the secondary with no intention of fermenting it.

I don't see how you could expect to add fruit and get no fermentation? The yeast will ferment the fruit sugars unless its dead. Then there'd be no chance of bottle carbing it...

 

[bondra76]

How, you mean by using a filtration system or adding chemicals to halt the yeast like you would when back sweetening cider or wine? I almost never see fruit beer recipes that call for that. .

Exactly. Back sweetening with fruit. I do it pretty often actually in fruit flavored wheats where I stop fermentation and then secondary with fruit. I know a lot of breweries around Denver that do the same.

 

[bondra76]

Edited

 

[Jobt32]

Correct it is in a bucket, I dont have a big enough carboy to hold the strawberries and beer.

During primary fermentation I can gently touch on the lid and see bubbles come out immediately. Right now I can push pretty hard before I see anything, definitely not a very accurate way of measuring fermentation but its all I got for now.

Im not too worried about the actual fermentation of the berries for flavor as much as I am knowing that it's a sign that all is well inside.

 

[bondra76]

Have you taken any gravity measurements? Probably need to for the next few days to see if you're still going.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Exactly. Back sweetening with fruit. I do it pretty often actually in fruit flavored wheats where I stop fermentation and then secondary with fruit. I know a lot of breweries around Denver that do the same.

How do you stop the fermentation? Chemicals?

Super sweet beer sounds disgusting

 

[chickypad]

I would think you'd have to add a lot of unfermented fruit for it to be "super sweet". Would depend on the base beer I guess. I know for example the 4 cups of fresh watermelon juice I add to 5 gallons is only the equivalent of 2.5 oz of sugar (I checked the Brix so I could figure this out for carbing, turns out it's the perfect amount for carbing a 5 gallon keg). I assume bondra is using something like a combo of potassium sorbate/campden. Would be interested to hear the procedure, I may try it sometime.

Edit: sorry OP, got a little off topic there

 

[aprichman]

Do you have a pH meter? Strawberries are fairly acidic and adding 7lbs may have made the wort too acidic for the yeast.

Outside of that fermentation temperature springs to mind. What temp are you fermenting at? Have you tried warming things up a bit?

 

[bondra76]

I use campden tablets and PS. If you want more details pm me and we will take it offline but I'd rather help this lad out with his fermentation issue.

 

[eadavis80]

From what I understand, when adding fruit it should be THAWED, not frozen, when you rack on top if it. Both times I added frozen fruit, I thawed it before racking on top. I don't know if that would have delayed the fermentation at all, but obviously the fruit would have thawed eventually. As a fellow bucket brewer, I know it stinks not seeing airlock activity, but my guess is it did its thing and you just have a tiny leak, thus no air bubbles.

 

[Jobt32]

I do not have a PH tester, I have not read anyone having that problem with strawberries, though it very well be the problem, I have not considered it.

I did not thaw the berries, i racked right of them straight from the freezer. the temperature dropped to the low 50's. i expected a delay on the fermentation from that, but figured it would have started by now.

Im going to go ahead and open it up and see whats going on, hopefully all will be well, if not, then we have another problem to address!