Advice on adding fruit.

[Monoxide1355]

I am brewing a honey ale that I want to add frozen fruit too. It is a 5 gallon batch and I was going to do a secondary fermentation. This will be my first time doing both adding fruit and secondary fermentation, any advice would be appreciated

 

[Minbari]

When you say "secondary". Are just transferring the beer or actually fermenting it a second time?

As for the fruit, just thaw and throw it in.

 

[Monoxide1355]

When you say "secondary". Are just transferring the beer or actually fermenting it a second time?

As for the fruit, just thaw and throw it in.

Just transferring it to a secondary carboy

 

[GFHomebrew]

Freezing the fruit is good it ruptures the cell walls to get more juice out of it.

Adding it once primary fermentation is done is more safe seeing alcohol has been produced and yeast are consuming sugars.

If any spoilage microbes are introduced with the fruit the alcohol and yeast will out compete any other bugs.

Throwing it in loose is fine.

But if you do pressure transfers and don't want that poppet getting clogged with a stray fruit strand you can bag it or add to stainless hop cylinder remember these can present contamination in themselves so thorough cleaning and sanitation must be done.


One extra trick that I do when adding fruit to my beers is use a smidge .4g of Metabisulphate to kill any bacteria and it is also an oxygen scruber so will take care of any introduced O2 when adding fruit into fermenter.

Cheers hope that gives you some options.

 

[Donoroto]

Kept at fermentation temperatures, the sugars in the fruit will ferment. Cold storage will inhibit that.

The effect of more fermentation will be a reduction in sweetness as the sugar is consumed and an increase in CO2, increasing the pressure inside whatever it is being stored in. If being stored in a glass bottle, you need to be careful because the pressure could increase enough to break the bottle.

 

[Monoxide1355]

The fruit is currently frozen, the wort is currently in the fermenter and has started actively fermenting (c02 bubbles in the airlock) I was going to do the transfer in a couple days (about 4 days after being put in the fermenter) I have a food grade mesh bag I will sanitize and use for the fruit. And then let it sit for approximately 2 weeks.

Just thawing the fruit is enough or does it need to be mashed?

I don't have Metabisulphate, is there anything else I can or should do to help with oxygen or bacteria besides sanitize everything. I am transferring from a 6.5 gallon bucket to a sanitized 6.5 gallon bucket.

 

[Minbari]

Just transferring it to a secondary carboy

Just make sure you have a reason to do that. More risk for oxidation and infection than just leaving it where it is

 

[Monoxide1355]

Just make sure you have a reason to do that. More risk for oxidation and infection than just leaving it where it is

The instructions suggest doing it for clarity, so I figured that would be a good time to add the fruit

 

[GFHomebrew]

The instructions suggest doing it for clarity, so I figured that would be a good time to add the fruit

You can just add it all to primary.

Less risk of oxidation racking to another fermentation vessel

Think there is a blanket of co2 ontop of the fermenter you'll loose this if you transfer.

Just add The fruit ontop of the beer in primary and let it hang out.

Come to think of it the secondary fermentation from the fructose in the fruit will mitigate any o2 ingress.

Win win I think

 

[Monoxide1355]

You can just add it all to primary.

Less risk of oxidation racking to another fermentation vessel

Think there is a blanket of co2 ontop of the fermenter you'll loose this if you transfer.

Just add The fruit ontop of the beer in primary and let it hang out.

Come to think of it the secondary fermentation from the fructose in the fruit will mitigate any o2 ingress.

Win win I think

So are you saying do the secondary?

 

[Herm brews]

The idea is to add your fruit into the primary fermenter. Don’t transfer, as that involves the potential for oxidation and/or microbial contamination. Except in very limited circumstances, secondary fermentations are an obsolete brewing practice.
In my own experience, time and patience do wonders for beer clarity. I have left beers in primary for 6 weeks without ill effect. Never have I done a “secondary” on any beer.
Good luck!

 

[Monoxide1355]

Yeah after I re-read that it clicked a little better

 

[Donoroto]

Yup. Comes out as good or better, one less vessel to clean.

Because if the existing alcohol, risk of infection is very small. It you really must sanitize the fruit (not necessary tho) then some vodka (a cup or two) will do that. Frozen is fine, but just know, a pound of frozen might drop your temperature a couple degrees, but again, no big deal.

 

[Mark Farrall]

Adding in a bit of history/pedantry about 'secondary'...

When older homebrewers and articles use 'secondary' they generally aren't talking about fermentation. They're generally referring to a clarification step, where you move the beer off the trub and let it clear up. Similar to adding the beer to a bright tank in commercial brewing. And just to confuse it even more, they'll often use 'secondary fermentation' when it has nothing to do with the fermentation. It had it's place when yeast sources were poor, but it's generally unnecessary these days and increases the chance of oxidation.

So in your case if you add the fruit after the first fermentation is finished you will be doing a secondary fermentation. It's your choice whether you do it in the primary fermenter or another fermenter. Generally there's no need to transfer, but I do for long term aging of sours. Others do it because cleaning the fruit out of their primary fermenter will be a nightmare. Unless you've got a reason to transfer I wouldn't do it.

 

[GFHomebrew]

So are you saying do the secondary?

No all into primary .

 

[Minbari]

The idea is to add your fruit into the primary fermenter. Don’t transfer, as that involves the potential for oxidation and/or microbial contamination. Except in very limited circumstances, secondary fermentations are an obsolete brewing practice.
In my own experience, time and patience do wonders for beer clarity. I have left beers in primary for 6 weeks without ill effect. Never have I done a “secondary” on any beer.
Good luck!

Same here. 10+ years doing this. Have never used a secondary

 

[TetersMillBrewing]

t is a 5 gallon batch and I was going to do a secondary fermentation.

I think Mark Farrall provided the best history on secondary. I would agree with the group, moving to a second vessel opens you up to more problems than you really want with very minimum gain. When I started brewing I was fermenting in 5 gallon buckets that I would transfer to a bottling bucket when I was ready to bottle. The one beer I added fruit to, I just opened up the lid and dumped the fruit in, worked out great.

 

[Box of Rocks]

Be sure to let it thaw prior to adding. Don't want to create lower pressure - a vacuum that draws in oxygen.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

The fruit will ferment very easily, so you will be doing a secondary fermentation. This will create CO2 and more alcohol in the process,
As stated above, just open the bucket and add the thawed fruit in, close it back up and keep the temperature stable.
Depending on the fruit, you may consider adding some pectic enzyme as the fruit pectins won't ever clear up without it. This is purely optional but based on your comment that you were moving to a secondary vessel to clear your beer, I thought you may like this option.
Also, Potassium Metabisulfate or Sodium Metabisulfate can be added in very small amounts and come in powder form or a Campden tablet. This is a great product to treat brewing water with to remove chlorine or chlorine.
Good luck,
Brian

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Oh, and one late thing, make sure the fruit doesn't have any Sorbate in it.
That can mess up some things.
Cheers