Fruit on top?

[rickprice407]

Last weekend my son and I added some fruit to a couple of stouts and a belgian that were done fermenting. We pureed the fruit and used 100 proof vodka as a sanitizer. The fruit was then poured into the carboys with a funnel and the beer siphoned onto the fruit. About half way through the siphoning in all 3 cases, the fruit floated to the top. Over the past 4 days, I can see that some has settled to the bottom and a layer is forming there but most is still on top where I wouldn't think its doing any good.

My question is do I leave it alone because this is normal or should I gently stir it around to help it sink? First run with fruit so we don't know. Also, how long should fruit sit in the beer. We have cranberry and strawberries in the stout and mango in the belgian.

Thanks,

Rick near Atlanta

 

[SledgeH]

Leave it be. Some fruit will not sink and you'll need to rack below it come bottling time.

 

[rickprice407]

Thanks much. Just wasn't sure. Any ideas on how long we should let the fruit sit before we rack to kegs?

 

[SledgeH]

The additional fruit will cause another fermentation. Just like checking you're primary FG, when you get two readings a couple of days apart that are the same, you're good to go. I've done it twice and once it was 5 days once it was a week.

The stuff that is floating is still imparting sugar, it may not look like it, but it is doing something.

At racking time if you find your having trouble keeping all of that crap out, a nylon hop bag tied to your racking cane is a great filter.