Fruit in Beer

[footballhead220]

If you was going make my beer with peaches, when would I add them?

 

[dm1217]

Most here will recommend racking it to a secondary. Add the peaches first, then siphon in your beer on top of it. I've researched this topic quite a bit on the forum, and like everything else here, there is no 100% "right or wrong" way to do it. But the overall concensus is that a secondary is helpful when doing fruit additions.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

After the base beer ferments, rack it into a secondary vessel with the peaches (add peaches, then rack). The beer will referment, wait for that to finish and the FG to be stable. Make sure you prep the fruit by skinning, cutting, cleaning, etc.

 

[STEVESKI]

How would you "clean" the fruit?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Wash it before you cut or skin it, to remove pesticides or whatever else may be on it. Lots of fruits have wild yeast and stuff on 'em, not to mention whatever was sprayed on or around it, etc.

 

[footballhead220]

Thanks ill try that.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Thanks ill try that.

Make sure that FG is stable again before bottling. Fruit can take awhile to ferment out, and thus the gravity will drop more slowly.

 

[kblankenship11]

Make sure you "pasteurize" the fruit as well. Washing by hand may not be enough to get all the wild yeast off them. Chop them up and put them in a wide shallow pan with water just high enough to cover them. Bring the water to 160 for 20 minutes. Let it cool then pour the whole lot into your secondary.