I need to know what to expect with fruit.

[wulfsburg]

So I am currently brewing up a beer that I am going to putting 10 lbs of Strawberries into secondary. I have done fruit in beer 2 times before and had no success in capturing the fruit aroma and flavor. 1 time I used a can of Peach Puree in a Cream ale, and it only retained the aroma and flavor for a few weeks. I then tried to make a cherry wheat with 3 cans of cherry pie filling (with high fructose corn syrup in the can) and it turned out very sweet (due to the corn sugar) but had only a red color and no cherry flavor. Now I am attempting to do it right by using substantially more fruit.
Here is my recipe.

6lbs of light LME
1 lbs of Pure Clover Honey at flameout

1 oz hallertau 45 min
.5 oz saaz 15 min
.5 oz saaz 5 min

Safale 05 dry yeast

After 7 days (next weekend) I will move it to another 6.5 gallon fermenter (secondary) and throw 10 lbs of strawberries into it.

I have already cored all the strawberries, and put them in the freezer. I plan on pasteurizing them in warm water for a period of time but do not know how long. I have not sliced or cut them (other than the green parts on the top). I will just throw them in there for 2 weeks and then keg and drink.


What I am going for :

I don't care about color, but a light crisp beer with a strawberry aroma and flavor. (This beer is for SWMBO, and doesn't like any of the beers I like) But I also should be able to get drunk off of it. I don't want to end up with a 3.5% beer. Around 5% is what I am shooting for

What I need to know:

Should I slice the strawberries? Is 2 weeks enough in secondary? Are the strawberry seeds gonna get stuck in all my tubing and my siphoning equipment? What is the easiest and cheapest method to pasteurize the strawberries? I have heard of people getting a "sour" taste from using fruit, should I expect that? Should I just throw them into the secondary? Or should I put them in a large mesh bag? Anything else that I need to know, or that you suggest?

Thanks!

 

[Double_D]

Two weeks is, and this will sound strange, to long for what you want. The way it works is the volatile compounds that make up flavor and aroma are carried away via fermentation ( Co2 escaping the air lock). If you want light flavor, light aroma everything goes in when you're talking about. If you want to preserve the flavor and aroma put them in only the last couple of days and don't cook your fruit for f()k sake. You'll just lose everything you're trying to save I add fruit frozen and let it thaw in the wort allowing it to lose all those juices produced by the slow freezing process that is provided by the home freezer. Oh and your flavor is only as good as your fruit, in other words: if your strawberries are sour so to will your beer be.

 

[wulfsburg]

Two weeks is, and this will sound strange, to long for what you want. The way it works is the volatile compounds that make up flavor and aroma are carried away via fermentation ( Co2 escaping the air lock). If you want light flavor, light aroma everything goes in when you're talking about. If you want to preserve the flavor and aroma put them in only the last couple of days and don't cook your fruit for f()k sake. You'll just lose everything you're trying to save I add fruit frozen and let it thaw in the wort allowing it to lose all those juices produced by the slow freezing process that is provided by the home freezer. Oh and your flavor is only as good as your fruit, in other words: if your strawberries are sour so to will your beer be.

Can someone second this? I feel that 2-3 days of strawberries in a fermenter wont do much. I need some more suggestions, or insight. They ARE rinsed and frozen. Can someone post their experiences with 10 Lbs of fruit and or link me to a good article written about what to expect?

Thanks

 

[Double_D]

Do you have "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing"? My info is "second" from Charlie Papazian. Additionally, I work in the food service industry. My card is posted in my pictures.

 

[wulfsburg]

I appreciate your input. I do own that book, but have not read the whole thing, only the first few sections to get me started. Ok, do you think it would be ok to just throw them into my primary after primary fermentation has stopped for just a couple days and then keg it? Or should I throw them in the last couple days of fermentationg? Should I slice them?

 

[Double_D]

The slower the fermentation the better. I put them in during sedondary fermentation when it's almost done you know what I mean? I make a clementine cream ale in the summer and this method hasn't done me wrong. The greater surface area for the fruit provides the highest opportunity for flavor. Something most homebrewers don't want to admit to is using the concentrated flavor from the LHBS. But it's a hell of a lot less work and much more consistent. And it makes a good cherry light. I can tell you that from experience.

 

[cactusgarrett]

Have you searched here for info? There should be a LOT regarding handling, sanitation, freeze/thawing, etc.

I add any fruit to the secondary. That way primary fermentation will not scrub the flavor and aroma you're looking for. Everything (seeds, matter, etc) should settle out just fine given enough time, but i would then suggest a followup by racking to a bright vessel.

In my opinion, 2-3 days won't do much. You'll want to let the beer do it's thing completely, and take grav readings when you think it might be done. Once you reach consistent gravities, THEN you can keg/bottle. Otherwise, you'll be looking at bottle bombs if you bottle too early.

From experience, 10lbs of strawberries for a 5gal batch is too much, but that's for my liking. Also, in using fruit, there's gonna be no point in your 15 & 5min hop additions. You're gonna want the hops to get out of the way of the fruit.

 

[Double_D]

Good points..I think the last one i did was 5-6 days

 

[wulfsburg]

Have you searched here for info? There should be a LOT regarding handling, sanitation, freeze/thawing, etc.

I did read a lot of threads about what people were doing, but not how it turned out. The few people who posted their results of their final product, didn't go into details about how they took every step.

It turns out there is approximately 8 lbs not 10. I removed the green leafy tops myself, but did not slice them into quarters or halfs.

I am going to just throw the frozen berries in the 2ndary and wing it. Let it sit for 7 days and see what happens. Afterwards I will keg and throw in the fridge and slow carb it and see how it tastes. I could care less about clearing. My raspbeerry beer I did I put raspberries in at flameout. 3 lbs of them. It turned out sweet with a good aroma. Nice color, really hazy but no raspberry flavor.

I read the small section that Charlie P has in his "The joy of homebrewing" book (or whatever its called). It was very brief and did not cover too much detail, other than I should pasteurize.

This beer will only be kegged, not bottled.

 

[Double_D]

It might be in the companion book then. I know I read it in one of them.

 

[cactusgarrett]

No need to pasteurize. Since you're kegging, it isn't as important to let the fermentation caused by the fruit to finish, but it's a good practice nonetheless. I would imagine the raspberry you tried was really hazy cuz you added them at flameout instead of in the secondary.

Again, 8lbs for 5gal might be a LOT of fruit flavor, but if that's what you're looking for, that's cool. It also depends on your base beer. A softer, more mellow base beer (ie blonde) will allow for less fruit before becoming overpowered, whereas a stronger beer (ie stout) you can get away with adding more that 1lb/gal.

 

[wulfsburg]

No need to pasteurize. Since you're kegging, it isn't as important to let the fermentation caused by the fruit to finish, but it's a good practice nonetheless. I would imagine the raspberry you tried was really hazy cuz you added them at flameout instead of in the secondary.

Again, 8lbs for 5gal might be a LOT of fruit flavor, but if that's what you're looking for, that's cool. It also depends on your base beer. A softer, more mellow base beer (ie blonde) will allow for less fruit before becoming overpowered, whereas a stronger beer (ie stout) you can get away with adding more that 1lb/gal.

Here is the recipe (EDIT : 5 gallon batch)

No grain steeping.

6 lbs of light LME
1 lb of honey at flameout

1 oz hallertau 60 min
.5 saaz 15 min
.5 saaz 5 min

safale s-05 dry yeast

After primary has slowed, what would you suggest for time in the 2ndary?

I want the strawberries to have a strong presence. This is the lightest colored looking wort/beer I have ever made. It is mainly for my friends who have bad taste in beer (like the BMC) and for my gf (who likes fruity stuff). I normally brew double ipa's, hefeweizens, porters, dunkels, and the occasional stout. I have attempted a cherry wheat (no cherry flavor) with 3 cans of cherry pie filling, and of course the raspberry beer.

Thanks

 

[cactusgarrett]

1) To me the use of saaz at both 15 & 5 min are useless. Especially if you want that big fruit presence. But, if you've already brewed, no harm no foul.

2) After primary (1°) has slowed, start taking grav readings. After you reach consistent readings, then you can simply dump the strawberries into the primary fermenter. Since you've already frozen, just thaw and dump.

3) The extra time on the yeast cake won't cause any off flavors if you add directly to the primary fermenter. I, personally, use a secondary (2°) vessel (to which i add my fruit), then a tertiary (3°) to clarify after the beer is done on the fruit. You can just do a 1° & 2° if you want, but i've found the beer clears faster (for me) with a 1°, 2° and 3°.

4) I'd still like to caution you using 8lbs. I've done blondes before where I've used just over 1lb/gal strawberries - the wife likes it that way, I don't. It's way too pink and fruity for my liking. Also, you'll be surprised how much finished beer you actually lose to the berries, too, so keep that in mind.

 

[wulfsburg]

Thank you, I appreciate your input. How long should the fruit sit in the primary before moving to 2ndary?

 

[cactusgarrett]

Till it's "done". I typically leave mine until consistent grav readings show any secondary fermentation caused by the fruit has stopped.

Alternately, you can do frequent samplings and when it reached the desired flavor, you can rack, keg & carb (since you're kegging). In kegging "prematurely", you have the option of putting the yeast to sleep and retaining the unfermented sugar, making it taste sweeter. Up to you.