Fruit flavour before / after fermenting? Pros and cons.

[GabrielKnight]

Assuming youre producing a fruit flavoured brew, how do you decide whether to add the fruit before the yeast or when the ferementation is finished. Presumedly the different methods = very different results.

For a fair comparisson (equivalent alcohol content of final product), assume that the yeast produces a much higher alcohol content at first and that with either method you will add fruit / water until the same %.

[EYE JAY]

usually flavourings are added to the finished product as the base is un flavoured.

[anomalous_result]

Errr... what about hops?

[oblivious]

generally they are keeped low of fruit beer

[anomalous_result]

What I meant was hops are a flavour and they're added to the boil, could you not add some orange zest or whatever to the boil too/instead of? rather than wait until the end?

[Vossy1]

Hops added at the beginning of the boil are primarily added to impart bitterness.
Aromatic compounds that give flavour/aroma are easily driven off by the boiling process and that's why more hops are usually added at the end of the boil.
I've never made a fruit/spiced beer but there are some in the forum archive.

fruit beer

x-mas beer

hoegaarden


And there are many more [/url]

[anomalous_result]

Ahhh, hence the idea of a hop back. Ok. Still the boil though.

[Aleman]

Assuming youre producing a fruit flavoured brew, how do you decide whether to add the fruit before the yeast or when the ferementation is finished. Presumedly the different methods = very different results.

It depends on the fruit, although I am going to assume here that you are talking about adding fruit to the brew not a flavouring.

If its a strong flavoured fruit say cherries, then add the crushed fruit during the last 30 minutes of the boil at a rate of 2lbs per gallon, if its a less strongly flavoured fruit say strawberries/peaches, steep the fruit in the boil at the end of the boil, st a rate of 2-3lb per gallon. OR, add the crushed fruit to the beer in the secondary at a rate of 3lb per gallon and wait for the subsequent fermentation to die down.

If using flavouring syrups ?? I would suggest adding to taste at the bottling stage. (allowing for sugar content of the syrup of course )

[brewsters millionths]

you may want to use a base beer which is only lightly hopped to allow the fruit flavour to show through.
i made a banana beer and added the boiled and strained juice to the fermentation after the vigorous ferment calmed down to avoid the co2 driving off the flavour. (extra gravity readings to be taken before and after the additions)

[EYE JAY]

usually flavourings are added to the finished product as the base is un flavoured.

sorry I was thinking of a spirit base brew not a beer