What is the thinking behind adding fruit later in fermentation?

[Will Smith]

I'm about to start my first fruit (papaya) sour (using the very easy method from this thread Fast Souring - Modern Methods)

I know general practice is to add the fruit after initial fermentation subsides, but what is the reasoning behind this? Is it to preserve the fruit flavour or yeast health?

Thanks for any help!

 

[VikeMan]

II know general practice is to add the fruit after initial fermentation subsides, but what is the reasoning behind this? Is it to preserve the fruit flavour or yeast health?

More the former, IMO.

 

[Cyclman]

Theoretically, yeast prefer simple sugars to the more complex sugars in wort. So letting the yeast ferment the wort, then add enough for later results in a better fermentation. As brulosophy has proved, many of the theories do not hold to be true in Homebrewing.

 

[day_trippr]

CO2-scrubbing avoidance would be #1, imo. Fruit characters are generally fragile to begin with, and as fruit also tends to carry rather modest fermentables by weight I don't think the yeast care either way...

Cheers!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Best bet is to add fruit late in fermentation, but before it's actually stopped.

 

[VikeMan]

As brulosophy has proved, many of the theories do not hold to be true in Homebrewing.

Rather than start a new Brulosophy debate, I recommend reading this presentation, which discusses what their results actually mean (and don't mean):
http://sonsofalchemy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Understanding_Brulosophy_2.pdf