How long to fruit?

[6midgets]

I recently brewed a Kettle sour. I had a starting gravity of 1.048. I let it ferment down to a gravity of 1.015. I then racked it onto 5# of kiwis and 5#of green pears. I saw airlock activity for 3 days after i added the fruit. My question is how long should i keep it on fruit before i keg?

 

[millsbrew]

Obviously each batch is different, and with a "clean" ferment, I'd say you could go shorter... but I did a lambic on raspberries and let them sit for 6 weeks before bottling. Still has amazing flavor 5 months later and is by far my best beer. When I have done fruited saisons, I usually do 2-3 weeks.

 

[6midgets]

I have done fruited saisons, I usually do 2-3 weeks.

Did you still have good flavor after 3 weeks of fruiting?

 

[505-Brewer]

Id give it a month minimum. Sample, check for low gravity ( purge w CO2! ). When you’re done rack a second beer on the fruit. Im finding second use is giving awesome flavors.

 

[cactusgarrett]

Wait until final gravity is stable. Then taste until the fruit is a little more than you want, with the idea that it'll mellow with time when packaged.

 

[6midgets]

Wait until final gravity is stable. Then taste until the fruit is a little more than you want, with the idea that it'll mellow with time when packaged.

So basically the same fruiting rules apply with a quick kettle sour as with a long term aged sour.

 

[6midgets]

Id give it a month minimum. Sample, check for low gravity ( purge w CO2! ). When you’re done rack a second beer on the fruit. Im finding second use is giving awesome flavors.

when you let the beer sit on fruit for that long do you have to worry about mold growth? I know commercial breweries use puncheons to prevent that. You got my wheels turning with that second beer on fruit idea.

 

[millsbrew]

Definitely wait until stable, but you’ll want to wait and double check before bottling as well. You are adding sugars that will ferment. Mold shouldn’t be an issue if the fruit is cleaned and then covered with the beer. I have had raspberries float to the top but because of the alcohol I didn’t get mold. Flavor will be there much longer than you think. Especially if you keg. The aromatics will decrease more quickly from what I have experienced.

 

[6midgets]

Definitely wait until stable, but you’ll want to wait and double check before bottling as well. You are adding sugars that will ferment. Mold shouldn’t be an issue if the fruit is cleaned and then covered with the beer. I have had raspberries float to the top but because of the alcohol I didn’t get mold. Flavor will be there much longer than you think. Especially if you keg. The aromatics will decrease more quickly from what I have experienced.

I added fruit last Saturday. I think i'll let it go 3 more weeks and then check the gravity again. Thanks for the advice.