Where to put the real fruit? (not extract)

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Where to put fruit puree?

  • Begin Boil

  • End boil

  • Primary

  • Secondary


Results are only viewable after voting.
First choice is secondary, but remember you're adding fermentables.
So you want to have some active yeast to do the work.

Boiling fruit will cause pectin haze.
I pastuerize at 180F for 10 minutes and hope that the alcohol and CO2 will kill any remaining nasties.
 
Why? What happens in primary? Does it convert the sweet fruit flavor to alcohol?
 
Yes, but that happens in secondary too. I add to secondary because all of the CO2 bubbling out of the beer in the primary might carry off some of the fruit flavors and aromas. It might not be noticeable, but that's what I do.
 
Yes, but that happens in secondary too. I add to secondary because all of the CO2 bubbling out of the beer in the primary might carry off some of the fruit flavors and aromas. It might not be noticeable, but that's what I do.

Now that makes sense to me.
 
Crash cool, rack to secondary on top of fruit pulp or puree, keep it very cool (cold) to prevent, or at least reduce, secondary fermentation (fermented fruit = wine flavor).
 
Crash cool, rack to secondary on top of fruit pulp or puree, keep it very cool (cold) to prevent, or at least reduce, secondary fermentation (fermented fruit = wine flavor).

I have not heard anyone else say this, in fact I make sure to grab some flocculated yeast while racking to ensure that the sugar from the fruit ferments. You're not going to prevent that, you might as well be trying to keep a primed bottle from carbonating. It might not if you keep it cold but it is going to eventually.
 
In the trash, fruit doesn't go in beer.
__________________

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primary- Tangerine Dream, SWMBO slayer,
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What's that in your sig? ;)
 
Crash cool, rack to secondary on top of fruit pulp or puree, keep it very cool (cold) to prevent, or at least reduce, secondary fermentation (fermented fruit = wine flavor).

As soon as you rack the beer onto the fruit, all that sugar is going to go into solution. You might prevent some of the fermentation at cooler temps but if you bottle the batch you are going to have bombs. Unless you add a lot of fruit, I do not think you are going to any off-putting wine like flavors.
 
As soon as you rack the beer onto the fruit, all that sugar is going to go into solution. You might prevent some of the fermentation at cooler temps but if you bottle the batch you are going to have bombs. Unless you add a lot of fruit, I do not think you are going to any off-putting wine like flavors.

I keg. ;)

This is 5 pounds of cherries in a wheat secondary. I got a LOT of secondary fermentation and quite a bit of wine-like off flavors:

IMAG0037-1.jpg


That batch came out with a 7%ABV. I think I will have a pint of it next (the wine flavor is not THAT bad).

:mug:

ETA: I haven't had a pint of the cherry in a couple of weeks (have some new batches kegged) and it has mellowed. The wine flavor has subsided and the cherry flavor is very nice now.
 
That's good to hear. I was thinking of 5 lbs of strawberries for the straberry blonde I am doing. 1 week in primary, 2 weeks in secondary on top of the fruit and three weeks in bottles.

How long has it been since you bottled or kegged it? I would like to avoid wine flavors at all costs.
 
Strawberries are actually pretty low in sugar.

Are you going to keg or bottle? If you are going to bottle, you will need some yeast.
 
Really? After 1 week in primary and 2 in secondary? All the yeast will be gone/dead/out of suspension? I hadn't heard that. Good to know.
 
figured I would chime in as the one person who said primary. I added my fruit to the primary as soon as rigourous fermentation has ceased. I do this because in my mind, it seems like a good idea to add where there is still a ton of yeast. Also, since the main primary has already occured, the alcohol content is high enough to help avoid contamination from the fruit. Also this way, when you rack to secondary, all the fruit is left behind, so theres no need for an additional racking, thus cutting down on risk of contaminiation again. I also feel like putting in the secondary and restarting up a fermentation is just going to build up a huge amount of yeast that your just gonna have to spend etra time getting to settle out. Again, this is all just speculation, and I bet in reality it doesn't matter all that much where you put it.

cheers
 
OK so if you add pasteurized fruit to your secondary and are concerned about the eventual haze can't you just add peptic enzyme at some point? Seems like that would clear it.
 
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