Adding Fruit to the Secondary

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by CaineHackmanTheory, Jun 21, 2018.

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  1. CaineHackmanTheory

    CaineHackmanTheory Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2017 Canada (AB)

    I am going to try adding apricots to a small 1 gallon batch of saison I brewed. How much do I add? Would freezing be enough to kill the bugs (I don't want a sour beer), or should I pasteurize too? How do I do the latter (excuse my ignorance. I am new to this)?
     
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Technically, freezing will not kill all the bugs. In practice, freezing always or almost always kills enough to make the fruit safe to add directly to beer.
     
  3. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    1lb of fruit per gallon is a standard rate for adding fruit. Freezing won't kill bugs, but when you add the fruit in secondary the beer already has antimicrobial properties that will help fight against infection. Wash the fruit thoroughly and freeze should be fine.
     
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  4. CaineHackmanTheory

    CaineHackmanTheory Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2017 Canada (AB)

    Awesome, Thanks!
     
  5. CaineHackmanTheory

    CaineHackmanTheory Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2017 Canada (AB)

    Awesome, Thanks!
     
  6. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I used apricots 1x. Liked it at 1 lb fruit to 1 gallon beer but would have preferred double that.
     
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  7. WildMontana

    WildMontana Initiate (0) Jun 26, 2018 Montana

    How do you propose you might pasteurize? The difficulty with trying to pasteurize your fruit puree (or whatever other form you might intend to pasteurize it as) is that you risk creating a pectin haze using thermal pasteurization. Similar to what others suggest I agree you likely won't have trouble with microbes from the surface; if you're particularly concerned just give them a good rinse in hot water. You realistically won't be able to get the fruit aseptic with the techniques you have available at home without causing other difficulties.
     
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