Help - I think I added too much fruit...

[kennyjg44]

Hey all - I read often, but rarely post. But I believe I've made a major goof. My wife was asking for a raspberry wheat beer for some time, and we just recently got around to making it. Since I didn't really want 5 gallons of raspberry wheat, I decided I'd split the batch into 2 different fruit beers, the other being apricot.

After spending approx. 10 days in the primary, we racked onto fruit puree last night, using the guideline of about 1/2 lb of puree per gallon of beer for the apricot and 1/4 lb of puree/gallon for the raspberry. Unfortunately I realized later that I did all my calculations based on a 5 gallon batch and "forgot" that I was going to split the batch.

I ended up adding about 2.5 lbs of apricot puree into 2.5 gallons and about 1.5 lbs of raspberry puree into 2.5 gallons, much higher ratios than what I've read.

So have I ruined these beers - will they come out extremely bitter / fruity and be almost undrinkable? Should I just wait and see what happens, or perhaps there is a way to increase the batch sizes?? Any help is appreciated!

 

[BeardedIdiot]

You could possibly just rack off of the fruit sooner than you had intended to, meaning it will take up less of the fruit flavor and sugars.

You could probably go by taste as well. Taste the beer often, and if it gets to a point where you really like the taste, then that would probably be the time to rack off the fruit.

 

[roadymi]

Quick brew up another 5 gallons and you will be at your desired ratios......

 

[Zogman100]

I racked an Amber Ale on top of a 3.5 can of Raspberry Puree (Shooting for a Great Divide Raspberry Ale Clone) and it is turning out pretty amazing. 5 gal batch racked for about 4 days, then I racked to tertiary for a bit of additional cleanup.

 

[kennyjg44]

I can't really rack "off" the fruit as the fruit puree was very much a liquid. I was thinking about brewing an additional 5 gallons, however I'd need to primary ferment to completion before adding to the secondaries, yes?

 

[microbusbrewery]

Depending on what kind of flavor profile you're after, the amounts you used may actually on the light side. It depends on the fruit but I usually use a minimum of 1# per gallon. Per Radical Brewing, for raspberries go with .025 to 3 pounds per gallon. For apricots, 1.5 to 5 pounds per gallon. It shouldn't be bitter unless you add bitter fruit.

 

[kennyjg44]

I'm under the impression that the raspberries will be a much bolder fruit, so that is the beer I'm concerned about. As per the ratios you gave from Radical Brewing, I might not be too bad...I suppose I can just wait and see.

 

[NA_Wreckdiver]

I think you'll be fine. If you used puree and not juice, there should be a layer of trub at the bottom. Just rack it off & bottle or keg after a week or two.

 

[microbusbrewery]

I'm under the impression that the raspberries will be a much bolder fruit, so that is the beer I'm concerned about. As per the ratios you gave from Radical Brewing, I might not be too bad...I suppose I can just wait and see.

Yeah, just kind of depends on what you're after. For me when I make a fruit beer I want it to be a pretty major player. My first fruit beer was a raspberry wheat with one 3 pound can of the Oregon Fruit Product raspberry puree in a five gallon batch. The flavor as very subtle...barely there. It contributed a lot more to color than it did to flavor (it had a nice pinkish hue). I'd try it before bottling and see how you like it. If you want a little bit more raspberry flavor, add some raspberry flavoring to supplement the natural flavors. But do it very carefully. I'd recommend using an oral syringe (like they use for baby's medicine) and add a very small amount at a time.