fermenting with fruit

chefzach

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Anyone have their opinion on using fresh fruit, cooked down fruit, frozen fruit, freeze dried fruit?

In pastry, I like to use freeze dried fruit, the natural flavor is more intense without having to add any additional liquid. I brewed a chocolate milk stout that I want to add the cherry and vanilla to.
 
Adding what you say... Use Vanilla beans in the secondary . Adding cherries there are a few different way Could use canned in secondary ( transfer wort on top of) . You could cook down raw cherries then soak in some vodka , to sanitize then transfer wort on top of in secondary. Frozen , thaw then soak in vodka for a couple of day then transfer wort on top of in secondary.
Hope this helps.
 
I have used fresh fruit (picked and store bought) a handful of times after primary fermentation. Since i was paranoid about contamination I did some research among different forums and came to this process.

1. cut up the fruit into chunks - usually use 1lb / gal - but depends on fruit intensity
2. throw fruit in a food grade sanitizer or vodka solution
3. load up in nylon bag (sanitized) - smash up to break down more surface area
4. stash in freezer for however long - this will help break down cell walls of fruit
5. drop in beer - i have dropped in primary fermentor and racked on secondary - primary is easier.

After saying this - i doubt the fruit really needs sanitizing. Once the beer has been made the ethanol and hops should do a good job protecting from contamination. I also mainly brew farmhouse style so I do not mind a little wild in my beers. Issue with fresh fruit is the water content and potential to "water down" the beer slightly. This varies fruit by fruit. Definitely do not boil the fruit before adding.
 
I've used fresh strawberries and frozen blackberries in the past. With the Strawberries I used to blanch them but found that they did in fact water down the beer and didn't give as much flavor to the beer. Now I just rinse them off and quarter them and I have never had any contamination problems. With the frozen fruit I let it thaw and mashed it up, again no contamination problems. I'm pretty much on board with what Bret said. Do it during secondary and you should be just fine.
 

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