First time using fruit, advice on how to add

[Mothman]

I'm going to be adding some mango (frozen chunks) once my primary fermentation is done.

I'm thinking, unless convinced otherwise, that I'll just add it directly to my primary rather than racking to a secondary.

My question, is what advice is there for *how* to add the fruit?

By that I mean:

1 - am I best off to puree it? Or just add the chunks?

2 - will the fruit settle out with the rest of the trub over a week or two, and allow me to rack off to my bottling bucket when it's time?

3 - if the fruit is likely to stay in some form of sloppy suspension, am I better off adding it in a large grain bag, so I can pull it out a couple days before bottling? I use buckets for fermenting, so a bag would be easy to manage.

 

[JimRausch]

Adding to primary will work and lessen the chances of oxidation damage. I'd either whip the chunks through a blender, or let them thaw and beat the poop out of them. I did this with papaya in a tropical stout and yes the fruit settled down with the trub. I think I left it for 2 weeks and did cold crash it before racking to my bottling bucket.

 

[TwistedGray]

I'm going to be adding some mango (frozen chunks) once my primary fermentation is done.

I'm thinking, unless convinced otherwise, that I'll just add it directly to my primary rather than racking to a secondary.

My question, is what advice is there for *how* to add the fruit?

By that I mean:

1 - am I best off to puree it? Or just add the chunks?

2 - will the fruit settle out with the rest of the trub over a week or two, and allow me to rack off to my bottling bucket when it's time?

3 - if the fruit is likely to stay in some form of sloppy suspension, am I better off adding it in a large grain bag, so I can pull it out a couple days before bottling? I use buckets for fermenting, so a bag would be easy to manage.

1 - I would not puree; I have done that and getting the beer off the puree was a mess. I sacrificed a fair bit of beer because it was more of a milkshake than clean, clear beer. Go for small chunks (something around the size of a sugar cube or larger).

2 - If I am not mistaken, mango will float. I think all fruit floats from what I recall...I know my berries do, and I think the mango did as well when I was adding just chunks.

3 - If you puree, it will be sloppy milkshake (my experience). If you maintain chunks you can just rack off the primary into a bottling bucket or keg. Just make sure the chunks are larger than your method of racking (ie: tubing).

 

[Rob2010SS]

Sounds like you're using some kind of fermenter with a large enough opening to get the fruit in through the top without dropping it and creating a lot of splashing? If that's the case, then yes, you can just add it to primary.

I always smash and freeze the fruit myself. I'll pull it out a few hours before adding to let it thaw a bit. Even if it's not thawed, I will put it in the bottom of my secondary partially frozen and then transfer the beer on top of it.

It regards to it settling, it varies sometimes. Cranberries usually float for me when done whole or partially mashed. When I've pureed fruits, they usually sink to the bottom. If you have the ability to cold crash, just cold crash for a couple of days and that will drop the particulates as well as any fruit floating. If you don't have the ability to cold crash, I'd probably add the fruit in the form of chunks to make it easier to get more beer out of the fermenter.

 

[Mothman]

Thanks for the advice.

Yes, I ferment in buckets, so easy for me to access.

I'll be using frozen mango chunks... I might try just leaving them as chunks this time, and see how that goes.

I can "sort of" cold crash... I use a fermentation cooler, and if I load it up with a few frozen milk jugs, I can get it fairly cold, though maybe not quite cold enough (maybe down to 10C or slightly lower)... and this brew is a small 1.5 gallon test batch, so would be even easier to chill that way.

Worst case, I could move it outside for a couple days, but I'm not sure if the fluctuating temp's between night (~3-4C) and day (~9-10C) would be an issue.

My main concern is just about how much of a challenge it's going to be to rack the beer off for bottling after, especially because it's a small batch... I'd rather not lose a half gallon of beer on a 1.5 gal batch. lol

I'm gathering though, that if I add it as chunks, it will remain as chunks? ie. it won't turn into a sloppy 'milkshake' as TwistedGray referred to it when using puree?

And, TwistedGray brought up the point of the fruit floating... if I just add the mango chunks free-floating, and they do float on the surface, does that matter? Is there increased risk of mild or similar if the fruit is exposed? Not that there's necessarily anything I could do about that, unless I bag it and weigh down the bag?

 

[Calder]

Being frozen, the cells are already broken down, so no need to mash or puree.

If you use a cane to rack, go get a 5 gallon paint straining bag from the hardware store and put that around the cane before putting the cane in the bucket (sanitized of course). That will keep the fruit out of the bottling bucket. You can hold the bag on the cane with a twist tie.

 

[Tulsahomebrewer]

I am debating between peach purée v/s fresh peach. Did I understand correctly that if I skin, pit and cut fruit into chunks, then freeze them....I can just use them in my fermenter without sanitizing it (boil and purée)???

 

[JimRausch]

I am debating between peach purée v/s fresh peach. Did I understand correctly that if I skin, pit and cut fruit into chunks, then freeze them....I can just use them in my fermenter without sanitizing it (boil and purée)???

Yes, that is my experience. If I'm doing a fruit wine I do use Camden , but if adding to an already fermented beer, I don't. It's an acidic, hoppy, alcoholic environment filled with yeast that will overcompete any few bacterial cells you might possibly add.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Without either heat pasteurization or proper sulfite, there is some risk of contamination.

Freezing does not sterilize.
Microbes live inside fruit, not just on the surface.

 

[TwistedGray]

I've never sterilzed fruit, and knock on wood never had an issue. Of course, you will

 

[Tulsahomebrewer]

Without either heat pasteurization or proper sulfite, there is some risk of contamination.

Freezing does not sterilize.
Microbes live inside fruit, not just on the surface.

Dang it!! I had almost made up my mind. But what about the issue of ending up with a thick slurry making it difficult to bottle off the fermenter? Or is that not an issue and puree just settles to the bottom?

 

[RPh_Guy]

I used my own blackberry puree once in a cider. It sank and didn't cause any trouble.

 

[JimRausch]

Freezing does not sterilize.
Microbes live inside fruit, not just on the surface.

Absolutely true, but.... while there is some risk, for me it is an acceptable one. Because of the environment we are adding the fruit to. I'll let everyone know and mea culpa when I get my 1st infection.

 

[JimRausch]

But what about the issue of ending up with a thick slurry making it difficult to bottle off the fermenter?

After cold crashing it, siphon it off the 'sludge' into a bottling bucket. That will take care of >95% of the sludge.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Absolutely true, but.... while there is some risk, for me it is an acceptable one. Because of the environment we are adding the fruit to. I'll let everyone know and mea culpa when I get my 1st infection.

Do you bottle or keg?

 

[JimRausch]

Do you bottle or keg?

bottle.