Prune or Date Porter

[floydmeddler]

Wondering if any one has brewed with prunes before? Every time I eat prunes, I can't help thinking that they'd taste great in a porter. So rich and flavourful it seems like an obvious choice to me. Don't know how much to add... Any ideas? Best to add to secondary I reckon...

[Dave S]

Wondering if any one has brewed with prunes before? Every time I eat prunes, I can't help thinking that they'd taste great in a porter. So rich and flavourful it seems like an obvious choice to me. Don't know how much to add... Any ideas? Best to add to secondary I reckon...

Prunes and apricots are the only two fruits that used to make me physically sick. I've grown to like apricots since, but have never plucked up the courage to re-try prunes. Can't imagine what a porter containing them would taste like.

[DaveyT]

I think that about dates, esp those big medjool ones.
Were you thinking tinned or dried? Dried would need soaking first but you could add some cheeky spices to the mix. I made a compote once with dried fruit, cinnemon and lime juice. It lasted a while in the fridge with the liquid getting thicker and richer everyday. I think something like that would be good to add to secondary, as you say. I'd soak it for a good week, like.
You've given me an idea, Floyd, thanks! I've got some medjool that look a bit tired. I could soak them and use with some molasses. Perhaps a stout... Cheers, dude!

[testtube]

Just can't help worry about the laxative effect of prunes!

[floydmeddler]

Glad I've given you an idea Davey! Will prob use dried, yes. Idea was to chop them up, put in a pan with beer and bring to 80c to pasteurize then add to secondary.

Perhaps I I shouldn't do a porter... Maybe a brown ale would be better - just thinking about the roasty flavours... not sure they would work with prunes...

Dates? Mmm... that could work too.

[TheMumbler]

I've never heard of one, I guess the same options as usual

Put in the last 5 mins of the boil
Put into FV once fermentation is up and going

or blend:
Buy or make some sort of extract (steep in vodka?)
Make a fruit wine or melomel (assuming you can make a decent one with prunes)

I suppose you could use prune juice if there are no preservatives in it.

You could always make a porter up and split it into a few demijohns to try different amounts of fruit and/or juice in them

[testtube]

Raisin and plum flavours in dark beers are nice, like a dunkel, so like to think it would work. Maybe as when you make country wine, chop raisins and add them to the must, sort of primary fermentation. Or like lambics they put it into the secondary. Think you'll need quite a lot though.

[killer]

Don't know about prunes, but my local microbrewery makes a blonde (very much like castle rock harvest pale) which has dates in it. It's quite subtle but it's a good beer and you can just about taste the dates - and I don't think he puts a lot in...
I don't see why prunes wouldn't work too - I would be cautious though and use less rather than more.

[DaveyT]

A blond beer with dates? Sounds intriguing. The melomel also sounds interesting. Have you ventured into those parts at all, Floyd?
I started a mead off over Xmas as I haven't had the time to get a beer going. It looks the business and I think prunes would set it off nicely.
I've also dabbled in turbo cider . Seriously, I had to ferment something! Anyway, it got me thinking about dates and all that; I think it could be a good point to experiment with flavours and amounts of fruit added, etc. It doesn't take long, costs little and you can do small batches.
Going back to the beer, I think the brown ale would be better than a porter.

[deanrpwaacs]

I made a nice stout with date syrup in it . Conditioning at the mo .
Adds a nice subtle touch of fruit .
Regards Dean .

[floydmeddler]

I'm now thinking dates will be better. I'm thinking about 1kg in the boiler. Or maybe it should be 500g...

Any ideas?

[6470zzy]

I'm now thinking dates will be better. I'm thinking about 1kg in the boiler. Or maybe it should be 500g...

Any ideas?

Dates have a much more subtle flavour than do prunes I think. Much more of a sweetness and a texture thing with dates as opposed to prunes. Why don't you try stewing 500g of dried prunes and then adding them with the resultant liquor to your secondary? When I brew with fruit I find that the flavour shines a bit more when added to the secondary.

Cheers

[floydmeddler]

Cheers for that. Will give it some thought.

[WishboneBrewery]

You can get Date Syrup (Date Molasses) from Indian/Asian Supermarkets, it worked well in my Abyss Imperial Stout.

[nakeda]

pdtnc wrote:
> You can get Date Syrup (Date Molasses) from Indian/Asian Supermarkets, it worked
> well in my Abyss Imperial Stout.

I recently tried brewing the infamous Gluten Free Beer (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5673) which calls for date syrup. I've never used it before but can imagine it'd be quite tasty in a stout. Floyd - seeing you're in Brighton, Taj on Western Road stock it.