Top off wort with fruit juice?

[andyplank]

Was told by a very trustee source today that if you want to make a real fruity beer, you can do something like a three gallon wort, then when you put that in your primary fermenter, you can top off the final two gallons with fruit juice.



Anybody use this technique? Seems like it would be extremely fruity? What kind of juice would you do this with as far as sugars and preservatives? Lastly, how will it affect gravity/ABV? Thanks!

 

[jekeane]

fruity indeed! at that point you would basically be making a cider type hybrid thing. because of the sugar content of fruit juice you would also be looking at a very dry possibly tart "beer". If you were to attempt this you would want to make sure the juice was pasteurized but not with potassium sorbate as that kills yeast.

It would have a massive affect on gravity and ABV by putting a bunch of simple sugars in the wort.

 

[treacheroustexan]

fruity indeed! at that point you would basically be making a cider type hybrid thing. because of the sugar content of fruit juice you would also be looking at a very dry possibly tart "beer". If you were to attempt this you would want to make sure the juice was pasteurized but not with potassium sorbate as that kills yeast.

It would have a massive affect on gravity and ABV by putting a bunch of simple sugars in the wort.

I don't think potassium sorbate kills yeast.

 

[jtratcliff]

Not really a graff, not a beer, not a wine... Don't know what it would be ... I would think you'd lose a lot of the fruit character from the vigorous fermentation.

 

[Tokoroa_Brewer]

I don't think potassium sorbate kills yeast.

It does.

From Wikipedia.
Potassium sorbate is used to inhibit molds and yeasts in many foods, such as cheese, wine, yogurt, dried meats, apple cider, soft drinks and fruit drinks, and baked goods.[8] It is used in the preparation of items such as Sweet maple syrup and milkshakes served by fast food conglomerates such as Mc Donalds. [9] [10] [11] It can also be found in the ingredients list of many dried fruit products

 

[treacheroustexan]

It does.

From Wikipedia.
Potassium sorbate is used to inhibit molds and yeasts in many foods, such as cheese, wine, yogurt, dried meats, apple cider, soft drinks and fruit drinks, and baked goods.[8] It is used in the preparation of items such as Sweet maple syrup and milkshakes served by fast food conglomerates such as Mc Donalds. [9] [10] [11] It can also be found in the ingredients list of many dried fruit products

You're right, but the word inhibit doesn't mean kill. It just stops yeast production. Not kill.

 

[phyllobeddo]

I've done a similar thing. I made a 2.5 gallon wheat beer and then added about 18 oz of scuppernong grape juice at about 30 hours into fermentation. I used a campden tablet to try and kill off nasties. I bottled the batch, and about two weeks after bottling, it tasted very grape/wine like. Fast forward another week or two and the wine taste has mellowed a LOT. It's turning out to be a very good fruit/wheat beer. If it continues in the direction it's headed right now, then it will be worth making another batch.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=518515

 

[sboyajian]

You're right, but the word inhibit doesn't mean kill. It just stops yeast production. Not kill.

I believe it also requires metabisulfate in conjunction with it to actually do much.

 

[jekeane]

I don't think potassium sorbate kills yeast.

You are right. It basically stops yeast from reproducing and makes it very difficult for yeast colonies to grow. There are work arounds for this but for overall ease of use it should just be avoided.

 

[Tokoroa_Brewer]

You're right, but the word inhibit doesn't mean kill. It just stops yeast production. Not kill.

Ah. True. I stand corrected.