How Much Fruit?

[Cloud Surfer]

I recently spent a week in Belgium and ‘discovered’ fruit beers. So, inspired to have a go myself, here’s what I’m planning.

I have several batches of Imperial Stout and Barley Wine aging away in keg. I’m going to grab a keg of each and split each beer into two batches of 9 litres.

For the Imperial Stout I’m going to add cherries to one batch and raspberries to the other. For the Barley Wine I’m going to add a medley of dried fruits to one batch, and I have no idea what to add to the other.

Having said all that, I have no idea how much fruit to add to each 9 litre batch. I was thinking somewhere between 1kg and 2kg of fruit, seeing as they are high alcohol, full flavoured beers. It would be great if someone with experience could get me close to target straight up. The base beers are comp winners at national level and these fruit beers will go straight into comp, so any advice will be greatly welcome.

 

[Kickass]

I usually start at 1 pound per gallon on my fruit beers. So I think you’re close to that at 1kilo per 9 liter batch. There are a lot of variables, taste preference being the biggest. It might take 2 or 3 separate batches to dial it in perfectly.

 

[day_trippr]

I also use a pound of raspberry puree per gallon of brew...

Cheers!

 

[hottpeper13]

If you can get Amoretti Artiasian products that's what I would use. Excellent flavor and no waste, just be sure to mix it well with a small amount of boiled and cooled water.

 

[Cloud Surfer]

If you can get Amoretti Artiasian products that's what I would use. Excellent flavor and no waste, just be sure to mix it well with a small amount of boiled and cooled water.

I want to get experience using whole fruit, so I’ll start with that. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Halfakneecap]

I want to get experience using whole fruit, so I’ll start with that. But thanks for the suggestion.

Prepare for a lot of sludge at the bottom of your fermenter. No drama, just be aware. I made a strawberry wheat beer for my wife when i started brewing. I drank 95% of it, it was awesome. My wife isnt a big drinker, but enjoyed it a lot.

If you google it, i'm sure there are tables for how many grams per litre for each different fruit. Really depends on the fruit too, acidic or sweet. For strong beers, i think a strongly flavoured fruit will work better.

 

[hungupdown]

I use blackcurrants, which seem to have the most intense flavour.
I know they were historically (wrongly) banned in the States. Hope you can get them now.

In a beer using Philly Sour yeast. I used 1kg blackcurrants to 4kg malts + 500g sugar.

I'll be trying, a lesser amount, in my next Schneider Weiss. As blackcurrant tartness, might balance the wheat beer apparent (but not high FG) sweetness nicely.