Adding fruit to beer

[npf3275]

I plan on brewing a raspberry Hefeweizen soon. For the raspberry I plan to add about 2 pounds of raspberries to the secondary fermenter for about a week. Will the sugars from the raspberries use up the remaining live yeast cells in the beer? I am concerned about not having yeast available in the beer still when it comes time for bottle conditioning resulting in very little or no carbonation. Should I add any extra yeast for carbonation purposes?

 

[myndflyte]

Assuming you aren't making an imperial hefe (do those even exist?) where ABV will be really high, there will be more than enough yeast to ferment the beer and fruit and carb it up nicely.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I've done exactly what you are doing. There was plenty of yeast for carbing.

 

[TripleC223]

I have used raspberries, strawberries and apricots in different brews, all racked onto in a secondary fermenter. They carbonated just fine in the bottle.

 

[BrewInspector]

You can't "use up" the yeast. They will continue to eat and propagate as long as there are sugars to consume and a survivable environment.

 

[JPDosey]

You may consider increasing the amount of Raspberries by a pound or so. Last year I did a Cherry wheat, & used 3.5 lbs of cherries. The color of the beer changed & I had a slight cherry flavor on the nose & "backend". I know that I will increase the amount on my next attempt at my cherry wheat. Hope this helps.

 

[wmubronco]

I've made a Peppered Raspberry Wheat before, used about 4lbs of raspberries. Just about the right amount for a 5.5 gallon batch.

 

[TwistedGray]

While I agree with @JPDosey I will add it depends on what you're looking for. Raspberry color and aroma will likely come through fine with your addition; however, if you want to add more flavor then add another 1-2lbs as noted. If you don't want it to override, and you're just going for appearance and aroma stick with the plan.

...for me, I like overarching fruit flavors in fruit beer so long as it's not a fruit extract. If you're using raw/real fruit then I'd chuck in another 1-2lbs.

 

[TGFV]

Most of my beers are now fruit beers (personal and fan favourites lol), and trust me, they all carbonate fine, even imperial hefes/wits/wheats should.

While I agree that you should probably up the amount of fruit, 2lbs is a great starting point to see how flavours come out.

My Blonde I use both juice and fruit for the flavour and to dry it out a bit (makes it a great lownmower beer and a hit with BMC and non BMC crowd), and with 1.75L rasberry juice and 2.5 lb rasberry it is noticeable but subdued.

 

[bigplunkett]

Seconding adding another pound or two

 

[Lefou]

Can't wait until mid-June.
Tart and sweet cherries will be ripe and I'm gonna fill a couple buckets from a large grove of trees down in Washington Township, just like last year. I plan to sanitize a few pounds, pit the fruit, then freeze it for brewing later on.

 

[bigplunkett]

I also cant wait ill be going to Washington right when marion berries are ready gonna put 7# in my sour

 

[Lefou]

Sweet cherries are going to be ready to pluck by the handfuls in mid-June. The plan is to get a couple buckets and freeze a few pounds for a fall brew BEFORE I eat them all.
Ideas for brews are always clinking around in my head, a lot like marbles in a Mason jar. A good fruit beer is one of them.

Oh wait .. a squirrel. Noticed I repeated myself. Damned Alzheimers.

 

[SolarClint]

I have not brewed in 10 years and I'm having to start all over again with new equipment. I have ordered a fermentasaurasus and I am wondering if I can pitch the 4 pounds of raspberries or juice/fruit mix into the fermentasauraus and not into a secondary?

 

[NGD]

Can't wait until mid-June.
Tart and sweet cherries will be ripe and I'm gonna fill a couple buckets from a large grove of trees down in Washington Township, just like last year. I plan to sanitize a few pounds, pit the fruit, then freeze it for brewing later on.

@Lefou Curious how you sanitize such a large amount. Any tips to impart?

 

[Lefou]

I plan to use one Tbsp of household bleach per gallon of water in a 6gal fermenting bucket that's on hand.
A good soak should kill most organic threats. If we can use OneStep as a bottle wash, I don't see how it could hurt using the prescribed amount OneStep to help sanitize fruit like cherries, either. It's sodium percarbonate and can be rinsed off with tap water prior to bagging and freezing ... well, that's what I plan to do, anyway.

 

[Bk2X]

I have not brewed in 10 years and I'm having to start all over again with new equipment. I have ordered a fermentasaurasus and I am wondering if I can pitch the 4 pounds of raspberries or juice/fruit mix into the fermentasauraus and not into a secondary?

Did you do this method yet? Results?