Brewing Master

Question:

<snip… So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

I haven’t brewed any fruit infused beers.  However, the best fruit beer I’ve ever had was brewed by taking a part of the fruit and adding it to the kettle (last 5 min of boil I think I was told) as well as adding some to the secondary (sorry don’t know the amounts but it was a raspberry wheat).  Many have suggested one or the other – give both a try.  This way, you get that fruit flavor intermixed with the fermentation flavors as well as a more "dry hopped" or "dry fruit" flavor. — CC To reply, replace nospam with liamtoh spelled backwards.

Response:

Easy…take it out of the freezer, let it thaw and get mushy, put it in the secondary, and rack the beer onto it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Lots of fruit, of course! In a lighter beer like that I find you can get really good fruit flavour with 3 jars of cherries, for example.  The ones I use sometimes come from Poland and are 750ml (about 3/4 US quart), and the ingredients is just cherries and sugar.  I found 2 jars was not quite enough, but 3 was.  Of course, use 5 or 6 for more Speaking in lbs, I would use a minimum of 2-3 lbs of fruit, but have used as much as 11 lbs in a 5 US gallon batch. Hmmmm, strawberries in freezer.  Brewing on friday.  I think I see a fruit beer coming my way – it’s been a while! Well, duh, but how and when to add the fruit?

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I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Thus, I’m gonna split my yeast pack and try a raspberry wheat in a few weeks most likely… In the past, commercial ‘fruit beers’ have been a little less than fruity. My first brew was a rasberry wheat, and you’d never know there was raspberry in it unless someone told you and you thought about it… I want to have someone taste it and go, "Hey, raspberry!" So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

I just brewed two fruit beers.  The first was an apricot ale, for which I used canned apricots (anathema!) and got too watery.  The second was a chokecherry ale, using fresh chokecherries I picked wild off my place.  I think it will turn out fine. In each case I added the fruit to the secondary after the krausen settled.  For the apricot I also added a bottle of apricot essence (fragrance) when I bottled.  You can taste the odor, and it isn’t all that pleasant.  I may end up pouring the apricot out. For the chokecherry I froze about three lbs of the berries, smashed two lbs into a pan of boiling water, and poured them into the secondary.  Then I smashed up the last lb with my corn sugar priming solution when I bottled.  It seemed quite nice when I bottled it last week, and it should be ready to try here shortly.

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Well, duh, but how and when to add the fruit?

Lots of options. http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20020823202232199

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Weisse.. Tomato, tomato… hmm… that doesnt work out well when you type it. Anyway (yeah I know I misspelled it… bad me. Bad!) So, the general consensus is for best flavor, add to the secondary? I’ll give it a shot… and thanks for the blackberry idea… that sounds a hell of a lot tastier than raspberry

I’ve made many fruit beers.  Adding fruit smush to the secondary is the best method.  Raspberry ale is absolutely wonderful, but only if it’s made with actual fruit, not extract flavoring.  Blackberries are equally wonderful. About 5 lbs for a 5 gallon batch of ordinary ale is perfect.  Freeze/thaw, or run fresh fruit through a kitchen ricer to extract small seeds.  In the secondary, there’s already enough active yeast to overcome any wild yeast which may be present.  There’s also enough alcohol to overcome any bacteria. My rule of thumb?  If the fruit is clean enough that I’d feel comfortable eating it as-is, it’s clean enough to put in my secondary fermenter. Keep in mind, though…. your secondary fermentation will take off like a rocket!!!!!  You’ll need to use a tertiary (third) fermenter/clarification carboy or bucket to allow the beer to clarify before bottling.  Also, once in the bottle and fully carbonated, do a crash chill to fully clarify any chill haze…. unless, of course, you’re doing a wheat beer.  Have fun! — –DAsh obvious with attbi)

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I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks.

Weisse.. Cheers, Mike

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Add the fruit to the secondary. After it’s done fermenting, rack off into a tertiary to clear. -Brett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Thus, I’m gonna split my yeast pack and try a raspberry wheat in a few weeks most likely… In the past, commercial ‘fruit beers’ have been a little less than fruity. My first brew was a rasberry wheat, and you’d never know there was raspberry in it unless someone told you and you thought about it… I want to have someone taste it and go, "Hey, raspberry!" So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

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I’ve got a Blackberry Wheat in secondary at the moment.  I used a combination of fresh and frozen fruit (long story), but wahsed and froze the fresh fruit and added it to the wort (to help cool) before adding to the fermenter and pitching the yeast.  I was probably a good 3-3.5lbs of fruit. I racked to secondary after 3 days in primary, leaving the fruit behind. I’ll probably bottle this weekend. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Thus, I’m gonna split my yeast pack and try a raspberry wheat in a few weeks most likely… In the past, commercial ‘fruit beers’ have been a little less than fruity. My first brew was a rasberry wheat, and you’d never know there was raspberry in it unless someone told you and you thought about it… I want to have someone taste it and go, "Hey, raspberry!" So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

Response:

I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Weisse..

Tomato, tomato… hmm… that doesnt work out well when you type it. Anyway (yeah I know I misspelled it… bad me. Bad!) So, the general consensus is for best flavor, add to the secondary? I’ll give it a shot… and thanks for the blackberry idea… that sounds a hell of a lot tastier than raspberry

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In your previous post you wrote; So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

Well I too have done a few of these type beers and I find the best method to be this.  Steep the fruit prior to adding it to your brew. Bring the temp of your water up to just below boiling but "DON"T BOIL". After its been there for approx.10- 15 minutes lift it out and trasfer it to your secondary with out splashing. This will help you avoid any creepies riding the friut into your brew as well as avoid pectin hase. Have fun!                                    Steve

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Hi There, I have done a few things lately that have included some honey as well as some Strawberry, Cherry and Ginger additions.   These were all partial mash 5 gallon batches for what that is worth.  I have come to a few conclusions from my own experiences.  The earlier in the brewing process (ie. the boil or the primary fermentation step) any fruits or adjuncts are added the weaker their flavor has been (for me) in the final product.  Adding fruit/honey to the secondary or using honey for priming with say perhaps corn sugar has allowed me to carry much more flavor into the beer which (I bottle).  I have also added Too much flavor by doing this so.. it can take some judgement based on how strong the fruits flavor is if you were eating it now…if the flavor is weak today it won’t be much better in the beer.  I have used 8 pounds of strawberrys in a secondary fermenter 5 gallon batch (local farmers market) and had good results,  I also did an experimental brew which contained 12 pounds of lemons which I knew were really going to be strong, even though I added them to the primary they are still too much at the moment for the brew, although the flavor is weaker now (tertiary) fermenter.  Some of it seems to be timing, I am definately still learning but I am glad to share, hope that helps. Elliott

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Thus, I’m gonna split my yeast pack and try a raspberry wheat in a few weeks most likely… In the past, commercial ‘fruit beers’ have been a little less than fruity. My first brew was a rasberry wheat, and you’d never know there was raspberry in it unless someone told you and you thought about it… I want to have someone taste it and go, "Hey, raspberry!" So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

Response:

So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor?

Lots of fruit, of course! In a lighter beer like that I find you can get really good fruit flavour with 3 jars of cherries, for example.  The ones I use sometimes come from Poland and are 750ml (about 3/4 US quart), and the ingredients is just cherries and sugar.  I found 2 jars was not quite enough, but 3 was.  Of course, use 5 or 6 for more Speaking in lbs, I would use a minimum of 2-3 lbs of fruit, but have used as much as 11 lbs in a 5 US gallon batch. Hmmmm, strawberries in freezer.  Brewing on friday.  I think I see a fruit beer coming my way – it’s been a while! cheers, -alan

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I’ve used Oregon canned fruits (only blueberry so far) with good results.  I have a very small batch (1.5 gal.) of blueberry melomel (or blueberry mead) going now.  It seems to be the brand most of the brew shops sell.   I have no experience with fresh but from what I’ve read, everyone says to freeze fresh fruit and thaw it before brewing to help release the sugars.   Ed – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Thus, I’m gonna split my yeast pack and try a raspberry wheat in a few weeks most likely… In the past, commercial ‘fruit beers’ have been a little less than fruity. My first brew was a rasberry wheat, and you’d never know there was raspberry in it unless someone told you and you thought about it… I want to have someone taste it and go, "Hey, raspberry!" So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

Response:

Lots of fruit, of course! In a lighter beer like that I find you can get really good fruit flavour with 3 jars of cherries, for example.  The ones I use sometimes come from Poland and are 750ml (about 3/4 US quart), and the ingredients is just cherries and sugar.  I found 2 jars was not quite enough, but 3 was.  Of course, use 5 or 6 for more Speaking in lbs, I would use a minimum of 2-3 lbs of fruit, but have used as much as 11 lbs in a 5 US gallon batch. Hmmmm, strawberries in freezer.  Brewing on friday.  I think I see a fruit beer coming my way – it’s been a while!

Well, duh, but how and when to add the fruit?

Response:

I’m making a honey weis from my mother-in-law this week, but am only brewing a 2.5 gal batch, incase it sucks. Thus, I’m gonna split my yeast pack and try a raspberry wheat in a few weeks most likely… In the past, commercial ‘fruit beers’ have been a little less than fruity. My first brew was a rasberry wheat, and you’d never know there was raspberry in it unless someone told you and you thought about it… I want to have someone taste it and go, "Hey, raspberry!" So, whats the best method to get the most noticeable flavor? I’ve been doing all-grain lately, if that matters.

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