The Use Of Dried Fruits

[azabeer]

Gday all

Just wondering has anyone used dried fruits in their brews. e.g sultanas, currents, or even candied peel. What type of flavours do they impart, if any, and how much would you use.
Like many of you Im always trying to think of new and differant things to try in my brews, But with this one Im thinking along the lines of a Christmas pudding/ Christmas cake type of flavour, something that would be quite rich and filling. It could even be a bit higher in alcohol than usual, would this require a differant type of yeast?
It seems a bit left of centre but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[muckanic]

I did a raisin stout a while back. Generally, I'm not a great fan of fruit beers because of the combination of home-brew taste from the fructose, and possibly acidity as well (not such an issue with raisins). Having said that, these qualities can work in the right sort of beer, usually something dark and high gravity. A nice part about dried fruit is that you can boil it up with worrying too much about losing delicate volatiles. Raisins seem to benefit from a few hours rehydration soak as well. I pureed the fruit last time chasing extract, but it is possible that is not necessary. Fruit will obviously throw large amounts of sediment if it is fermented on the pulp, but it also seems to do that even if it is strained out first. So, be prepared to syphon off the top and reclaim 5-10L of sludge if you have the filtering capability.

I am currently eyeing off an old jar of Christmas fruit mince that was threatened with disposal. Apart from the dried fruit, it is full of spices and brown sugar as well. There is a non-trivial amount of oil in there which is something that would have bothered me once, but is something I have become a little more comfortable about.

 

[reviled]

I have a bottle of 12% belgian ale in my fridge made by a mate who used sultana's, I havnt tasted it yet tho due to the high alcohol and he gave it to me only a week after bottling :blink:

 

[Fourstar]

Hi Azabeer,

Ive been tempted to get around 1kg of dried cranberries, give them several rinses (they are usually oiled) and pitch them @ flameout into a Cranberry Cream Ale.... Mmmmmm

Back on topic, the style of beer you are looking at making is a Spice/Winter Ale, common in Germany to celebrate the turn of the season. You can get those fruit flavours from the types of malt you use (caraaroma in specific) giving plum/raisin characteristics along with spices such as Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, etc.

see style guideline for tips: http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style21.php#1b

Cheers!

 

[Effect]

Hi Azabeer,

Ive been tempted to get around 1kg of dried cranberries, give them several rinses (they are usually oiled) and pitch them @ flameout into a Cranberry Cream Ale.... Mmmmmm

Back on topic, the style of beer you are looking at making is a Spice/Winter Ale, common in Germany to celebrate the turn of the season. You can get those fruit flavours from the types of malt you use (caraaroma in specific) giving plum/raisin characteristics along with spices such as Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, etc.

see style guideline for tips: http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style21.php#1b

Cheers!

Don't think they are at all common in germany...didn't see one when I lived there (mulled wine on the other hand was all the go)...

Think it has something to do with their anal retentive-ness when it comes to the purity law...

 

[Swinging Beef]

...Im thinking along the lines of a Christmas pudding/ Christmas cake type of flavour, something that would be quite rich and filling. ..

I recommend you taste one of these first (available from the international beer shop, mail order from perth).
I have never tasted as much christmas pud in a beer as there is in this one.
I suspect tho, they do not use raisins or the like in the formulation.

 

[brettprevans]

have a look at the christmoose beer in my sig. nice sorts of flavours that your looking after. you could always add more fruit in secondary if you likek,

 

[Bizier]

A local fruit shop selld dried cranberries and strawberries... I am interested to hear if anyone has used these.

 

[petesbrew]

Gday all

Just wondering has anyone used dried fruits in their brews. e.g sultanas, currents, or even candied peel. What type of flavours do they impart, if any, and how much would you use.
Like many of you Im always trying to think of new and differant things to try in my brews, But with this one Im thinking along the lines of a Christmas pudding/ Christmas cake type of flavour, something that would be quite rich and filling. It could even be a bit higher in alcohol than usual, would this require a differant type of yeast?
It seems a bit left of centre but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I tried one of the Hills Brewers fruit mince belgian last christmas.
From memory, his wife made the fruit mince (lots of sherry/brandy) and he racked a dark strong ale on top of it for a few weeks.
Oh man, it was delicious.

 

[hayden]

Hi Azabeer,

Ive been tempted to get around 1kg of dried cranberries, give them several rinses (they are usually oiled) and pitch them @ flameout into a Cranberry Cream Ale.... Mmmmmm

Back on topic, the style of beer you are looking at making is a Spice/Winter Ale, common in Germany to celebrate the turn of the season. You can get those fruit flavours from the types of malt you use (caraaroma in specific) giving plum/raisin characteristics along with spices such as Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, etc.

see style guideline for tips: http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style21.php#1b

Cheers!

woo something ive already done. my parent did their monthly clean out of their cubboard and send it to me. one time i got a bag of cdried cranberries.

i secondary fermented them straight from the bag with no problems, interesting colour good flavour. would really recommend it

 

[reviled]

woo something ive already done. my parent did their monthly clean out of their cubboard and send it to me. one time i got a bag of cdried cranberries.

i secondary fermented them straight from the bag with no problems, interesting colour good flavour. would really recommend it

You must tell me more halffix - ive been eying up a packet of 'craisins' in the pantry... I love cranberry juice :icon_drool2: Would be keen to get that dry tartness in a beer..

 

[Fourstar]

Think it has something to do with their anal retentive-ness when it comes to the purity law...

Yes, i think you are right, i remember hearing it somewhere, now you say that, i don't know why i didn't quirk sooner. Maybe Belgian then? They are however, happy to introduce woodsmoke into their beer, as well as use wheat in the modern era! Not that i'm complaining!

 

[hayden]

You must tell me more halffix - ive been eying up a packet of 'craisins' in the pantry... I love cranberry juice :icon_drool2: Would be keen to get that dry tartness in a beer..

i used a coopers draught kit, let it ferment out, then put it into secondary adding about 4 bags of those craisins, and left tit for about another week, the cranberries will rehydrate and float to the top saving the need to filter them out before bottling.

will still need to prime kegs/bottle h/e

 

[azabeer]

Thaks guys
Obviously Im not the first to think about this.
What works better Raisons, Sultanas, Currents or even Prunes.
Do I have to worry about certain fruits having vegetable oil on them or do I wash it off before hand.
And as for the spices, Ive had a look at a few recepies and they very a lot , any hint please.

 

[base2aau]

i used a coopers draught kit, let it ferment out, then put it into secondary adding about 4 bags of those craisins, and left tit for about another week, the cranberries will rehydrate and float to the top saving the need to filter them out before bottling.

will still need to prime kegs/bottle h/e

How was it?

 

[rackemup]

Gday all

Just wondering has anyone used dried fruits in their brews. e.g sultanas, currents, or even candied peel. What type of flavours do they impart, if any, and how much would you use.
Like many of you Im always trying to think of new and differant things to try in my brews, But with this one Im thinking along the lines of a Christmas pudding/ Christmas cake type of flavour, something that would be quite rich and filling. It could even be a bit higher in alcohol than usual, would this require a differant type of yeast?
It seems a bit left of centre but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

G'day aza, alot of dried fruit contains preservative 220/E220 (sulphur dioxide) i'm not sure if this would affect your beer in a bad way(eg. kill the yeast) but check the package when you buy fruit and maybe give them a bit of a wash before use to be on the safe side. Good luck and happy brewing! :icon_chickcheers: