Question aboit adding fruit

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Robusto

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hey all,
What are your thoughts on adding fruit to fermenting beer? When do you add? Primary fermenter? Secondary? How much fruit per gallon?
I have read that fruit should be added after most of the more complex barley sugars have been consumed because the yeast will go for the more simple fruit sugars first. Any truth to this?

I'm specifically looking to add plumbs to an imperial porter.

Thanks guys!
 
I brew a raspberry hibiscus wheat beer, using just under a pound per gallon of fruit (10 pounds of berries for 11 gallons of beer).
I use frozen berries and after pureeing and low-temperature pasteurizing them with pectic enzyme added during the cool-down I dump them in fresh carboys and rack the fully fermented beer on top. There's plenty of yeast to go to work on the fruit and by the end of the week it's ready for crashing and kegging.

Adding fruit at the beginning of or even early into fermentation is generally avoided because the aromatics get blown off by the evolving CO2. I doubt the yeast would care either way...

Cheers!
 
I used to rack beer onto fruit in a secondary. The last handful of times I've just added at tail end of fermentation as suggested by a few brewers. Its worked out well.
 
I put it in a nylon bag and add it after one week of fermenting. I use conical fermenters so i don't rack to secondary.
 
Bump - I'm about to brew a 5 gallon Saison that I will split in half so I can add fruit to one half and then compare later.

I want to add the fruit during secondary, but am debating how to sanitize. I read about using a crushed campden tablet, but I am worried about killing off yeast in the beer. So now I am thinking about using frozen fruit and sous vide to 170 (and then cool) before adding.

-Yea, nay, other suggestions?
 
Last edited:
Bump - I'm about to brew a 5 gallon Saison that I will split in half so I can add fruit to one half and then compare later.

I want to add the fruit during secondary, but am debating how to sanitize. I read about using a crushed campden tablet, but I am worried about killing off yeast in the beer. So now I am thinking about using frozen fruit and sous vide to 170 (and then cool) before adding.

-Yea, nay, other suggestions?

I use frozen bagged fruit all the time . I just defrost then pour in. It hasn't bit me yet........knock on wood as I'm about to toss in some blueberries this weekend
 
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