Making fruit beer

[Wolfsden]

My first time using fruit in a beer. Specifically blue berries. Any reason you can't add the frozen berries to the wort post boil say @170-190 degrees to help cool the wort quicker?

 

[Double_D]

You could and it would cool it. Putting fruit in before primary fermentation has finished usually gives you a finished product that has a lot of color from the fruit and just a slight aroma. Depends on what you want out of the blueberries.

 

[Wolfsden]

Better to put in the secondary? Don't want so much color as flavor and aroma....

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Yeah, I would prefer to put the fruit in secondary, after the majority of fermentation is over. That way, you will get the most from the fruit.

 

[Xalwine]

I did one last month or so, added my blueberries for only 5 days in secondary. turned my beer red! awesome color though. works for the beer. you'll get the color no matter what.

 

[LKABrewer]

Putting the fruit in at a high temperature will cause pectins and haze in your beer.

 

[Mpavlik22]

I always add fruit to secondary.

Depends what your looking for. Adding to boil will add flavor but less to no aroma. Adding to secondary will add alot of aroma and less flavor.

 

[Bombo80]

I made a cherry lager a few years ago, and it turned out fantastic. I had the cherries prepped and after the wort finished the 90 minute boil, I chilled it just a bit, down to 180*. I then added the cherries to the wort, and left if steep for 20 minutes. I then finished chilling the wort and transfered it to the primary, along with the mascerated cherries, and fermetned for one week. The end product looked like a strawberry soda, and had a wonderful cherry flavor. It was the favorite beer at the Memorial Day party we had.