New Member Flavor / Fruit question

[GMO3]

Hello,
I have 15+ years experience making home wine, just hit 45day mark into the brewing hobby. I've made 6 beers thus far (2 NEIPA, Milk Stout, Imperial Stout, Blonde ale, and a Czech Pilsner, which is still lagering) I tend to jump into things head first.

My wife is a BIG fan of fruity beers, like Genesee Ruby Red Kolsch here is link Genesee Ruby Red Kolsch | Genesee Brewery and lemon summer ales.

My question: How does one add the flavor profile to the beer? I've been researching heavily, and see most people go the extract fruit flavoring route. Example Fruit Flavorings - Grapefruit (1/2 oz) | MoreBeer

Considering myself somewhat a perfectionist, is extract the best option? does that leave that "fake" taste on the palette? Has anyone tried frozen concentrates?

Appreciate any and all wisdom.

Regards,
Gmo3

 

[GMO3]

I should have included, I'm All Grain brewing with Brewzilla, Fermzilla and serving from ballock kegs. Goal is minimal oxygen exposure.

Cheers

 

[Cyclman]

Purée is great, dried fruit without preservatives, sometimes extract + real fruit (The extract gives it that oh I know what that flavor is, the real fruit rounds it out big time), oh yeah, frozen when it is on sale. I have done canned, preservative free juice too.

fruit can also go really good with spices, one of my favorite commercial beers at this time of year is Samuel Adams Summer ale beer.

experiment!

 

[AJinJacksonville]

I've had good luck with toasted coconut, and have added canned and/or fresh pineapple into the boil with good results. Don't get me wrong, they are not up-front powerful flavors, nor did I ever intend them to be. I've never been a 'just extract' type of guy. I figure if I'm making beer with grains, yeast, hops, etc., I should try to introduce another 'purer' form of whatever flavor I'm trying to target. That's probably part of the reason why I don't do too many fruity beers. But the 'real' pineapple added to an IPA, and the 'real' coconut added to a brown...is simply divine.

 

[Leezer]

I used a black cherry flavoring once but it did have a fake taste to it, although I suppose that could vary depending on the amount used. I had much better success making a lemon lime hefeweizen using Simply Limeade juice. And I get really nice flavor using fresh then frozen fruit to make a raspberry wheat and a strawberry rhubarb wheat.

 

[GMO3]

Thank you for the responses. Does anyone have experience adding Grapefruit to a beer? Leaning towards a frozen concentrate and possible some dehydrated peelings.