Holiday ale with Figs and Dates

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by neildytham, Nov 18, 2012.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. neildytham

    neildytham Initiate (0) May 24, 2009 Oregon

    So I'm making a festive beer, something similar to Jubelale (Deschutes).
    I'm pretty set on the recipe, but wanted to add some figs and dates into the mix, for that kind of figgy pudding flavour. I have some Special B for raisiny taste, but also got 8oz of both dry figs and dates.
    My thoughts are really about how to incorporate these, I've seen a few ideas:
    -steep in whisky/vodka and add to secondary
    -chop (or not) and boil them with some water and add secondary
    -chop and add to last 5/10 mins of boil

    Does anyone have any experience with using these or other dried fruits, or have an idea of how to best incorporate them?

    Also, if anyone has any suggestions on amounts to use, that'd be great - I've read some places that 8oz has been too much for many people....

    Cheers!
     
    #1 neildytham, Nov 18, 2012
  2. Hands22

    Hands22 Initiate (0) Oct 14, 2011 Florida

    The issues I've read about with dried fruit are:

    1. Preservatives - these have a nasty habit of killing yeast and unless you're kegging it could cause issues with carbonating.
    2. Oil - most dried fruit is coated with oil to stop it from sticking together too much. This pretty much kills head retention.

    I find it easier to just use fresh or frozen fruit. Maybe soaking them in liquor or boiling them might help?
     
    #2 Hands22, Nov 18, 2012
  3. pweis909

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

    I used currants and raisins once in a dubbel. I made a syrup, using an on-line recipe for a raisin syrup, and then added the syrup in the boil as I would with a candi-sugar syrup. The fruits I used were not coated with oil and did not have preservatives - picked the up a local organic foods coop and paid attention to ingredients lists.

    I don't recall the exact recipe for syrup, but it was basically mincing in a food processor, boil in water, separating out solids, boiling down to syrup consistency.
     
    #3 pweis909, Nov 18, 2012
  4. GeeL

    GeeL Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2008 Massachusetts

    dried fruit will also result in reactivating fermentation. I wish I knew about the syrup idea back then. I'd try that or slightly smashing the fruit and soak in vodka for several days.
     
    #4 GeeL, Nov 20, 2012
  5. DavoleBomb

    DavoleBomb Pooh-Bah (2,277) Mar 29, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Any sugar addition is going to reactivate fermentation, so I don't know why dried fruit would be any different than syrup.
     
    #5 DavoleBomb, Nov 22, 2012
  6. VikeMan

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

    He was talking about driesd fruit in the secondary vs syrup in the boil.
     
    #6 VikeMan, Nov 22, 2012
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.