Adding Fruit To The Keg

[donburke]

everything i seem to read about adding fruit to your beer involves either adding during the boil or adding during fermentation (mostly secondary)

the issue seems to be is that the fruit is subject to fermentation, which means that the sugars in the fruit will add to the alcoholic content, and the process of fermentation also tends to scrub out or alter the fruit flavours to an extent

how about adding the fruit (puree) to the keg with no further fermentation ?

i.e. ferment your beer per normal using an ale yeast, crash chill, then keg, adding say a litre of freshly fruit puree

is there any inherent problem in this ?

would say wy3068 continue fermenting (albeit very slowly) at a temperature of 3 degrees ?

would the fruit puree not mix well with the beer and settle to the bottom of the keg, meaning you'd get a litre of fruit then 18 litres of unfruited beer ?

does anyone have any experience doing it this way ?

 

[J.T]

I added juice/sieved puree from a kilo and a bit of mulberries to the keg after letting it sit on another kilo and a half in the secondary for a while.

As you suggest, if i was to do it again id keep the keg cold to stop any further fermentation. I unfortunately stored my keg at ambient temps which let the yeast kick into gear again which scrubbed a fair bit of the flavour away, whilst also adding a layer of trub in the bottom of the keg!

 

[Florian]

Don, I have done similar to what you suggest.

Normal ferment with 3068, crash chilled to 3 degrees, then racked onto 2kg of frozen fruit and keep at 3 degrees. In about two weeks time I will transfer to keg, leaving the fruit behind.

My thought was to keep as much of the fruit sweetness as possible. Should work alright as long as the beer is always cold I'm hoping. Will be able to tell you in about two weeks time how it turns out.

 

[donburke]

Don, I have done similar to what you suggest.

Normal ferment with 3068, crash chilled to 3 degrees, then racked onto 2kg of frozen fruit and keep at 3 degrees. In about two weeks time I will transfer to keg, leaving the fruit behind.

My thought was to keep as much of the fruit sweetness as possible. Should work alright as long as the beer is always cold I'm hoping. Will be able to tell you in about two weeks time how it turns out.

well this will be interesting, have you noticed any fermentation since adding the fruit ?

what fruit have you used ?

please be sure to post your results after you keg it

 

[Jace89]

I always use fruit in the fermenter after final gravity is reached. I just simply crash chill to below 5 and wait a week or two intill I reach a flavor I'm happy with. I have done this with mango, strawberries and recently with chilli.
If you keep the beer cold and sitting on the fruit it should be fine, I don't see why a keg would be any different. Just make sure you can keep it from blocking the dip tube (obviously).
Another option which I recently completed was make a small "hop randall" with one of those aldi water filters. It's so easy to just cut up some watermelon and run a wheat beer thro it...and it's even easier to drink!

 

[Jazzafish]

well this will be interesting, have you noticed any fermentation since adding the fruit ?

what fruit have you used ?

please be sure to post your results after you keg it

Don. I did this with honey a while ago. A bit different than fruit/syrup, but the honey was obviously heavier than the beer and sunk to the bottom near the dip tube and would draw a lot more than expected up the dip tube. So add half of what you think is the right amount and then build up to taste. I was lucky I got distracted as I added much less than I planned and could have easily killed the brew had I added what I intended. I didn't notice an issue with extra fermentation as the keg was cold and was only on for say 3 to 4 weeks. When the keg blew there was still a little honey blob at the bottom.

I have made a lambic with blueberries but that was intentionally fermented by the blueberries... bits of the fruit did get caught in the keg out post early on when taking samples. I was able to blow it back with gas. They eventually broke down and were not an issue... and this with a shorter dip tube. Was a pretty average beer though.

The best way to stop ferment is to sterile filter the beer and pasteurise the fruit/syrup (hold at say 80*C for x time instead of boiling). Adding vino or is it bino (never used but know of it from listening to wine guys) will stop ferment I believe?

To summarise MHO...

If kept cold and consumed within a month, fermenting will occur but nnot to a problematic level.
Sterile filter will get the yeast out, pasteurisation will kill bugs on fruit/pulp.
Be careful of pulp size as not to clog keg, this is the only reason I use a secondary vessel if i'm scared of clogging kegs.
Add half your intended addition, then taste and tweak. Once in it is in. Applies to everything but hops... in this case add enough until your scared, then add more.

What is the worst think that can happen? You won't break anything, there will be a way to fix any problems and if it is undrinkable, you get the honour of brewing again! Personally I have more fun making than drinking.

GO FOR IT!