Brewing with fruit

[The Baron]

I use frozen fruit from Aldi and it works a treat just let it thaw and bring it to room temp before adding.

 

[Zoiks]

Have you considered farting on your Krausen?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Google fu says that the fart taste and smell of beer is typically an off flavour due to under-pitching of yeast as the yeast cell walls deteriorate when yeast is stressed it produces a compound similar to that used to put the smell into our domestic gas supplies.

I have been reviewing my yeast pitch rates recently as I've come from AG kits that tend to be supplied with one 11g packet of yeast for 19litre batch, which, if you plug into the yeast manufacturers pitch rate calculators is not enough and typically 1.5 or so packets are needed. So I've now upped my yeast pitch rate across the board now I'm no longer brewing from AG kits.

I've never had a batch that exhibits typical under pitch off flavours, but then again I'm a serial yeast nutrient user..I know there are those who say it's pointless, but maybe that has saved my bacon so far after 70 batches of under pitched beer. My Goggle fu has not turned up anthing to explain yeast/fruit reactions that cause a fart smell/flavour in fruit beers, at least from a chemistry point of view, though I appreciate there are those who have had issues. I'm wondering if it's potentially due to contamination on the fruit..e.g. other wild yeasts present on the fruit or due to undertpitching of yeast? I know it doesn't explain why these off flavours are not present in batches that don't contain fruit.

However google fu also says there are alot of brewers who take the beer off the trub before adding fruit i.e. add in a secondary vessel, and those that don't and use it in the fermenter while primary fermentation is still active. Gotta love this hobby...like the English language, there is always an exception to the rule!

 

[The Baron]

I use nutrient and also put my fruit in while active fermentation is still going say day 3ish, I know that the Fart smell taste is usually a yeast thing especially in lager yeasts infact some lagers have it as part of their taste but only a small fart I also let my yeast clean up after removing the fruit then crash

 

[Zoiks]

Well to be fair does any sour resemble beer?

Was thinking dry hopping with complimentary hops for a couple of reasons...my assumption is the addition of the fruit (2kg of puree in this case in 23litres of beer) wont turn the beer into Mango juice as the majority of the actual fruit matter will drop out after fermentation, but I'm assuming it will leave some Mango elements for a nice Mango vibe running through the beer. But it will still be a beer with some bitterness, then the dry hops will just compliment the Mango vibe with some of the broader citrous and typical tropical fruity notes you get from modern US style hops. I'm kind of imagining something like Stones Tangerine Express, which is heavy on the tangerine thing but also has other citrous elements going on in the background.

Might be overreaching myself here, but I'll give it a go.

Yep I like the look of what he's made in that video, quite partial to Yonder pastry sour, so want to find an economical way of doing it, although frozen Aldi blueberries would be £20 rather than £60, I appreciate I could go trial and error with the volume, but don't think I have it in me to end up having to drink 100 pints of blueberry sour.

Also pondering how to puree the fruit, would whacking thawed frozen fruit be sufficient?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Think he liquidised the fruit in a blender then boiled or heated it up. I don't like the idea of this as I think the boiling process might impact flavour or something...though jam is boiled. I just took the financial hit and bought a couple of packets of puree. If it turns out nice and fruit beers become a regular thing for me I'll look at more cost effective ways.

 

[dad_of_jon]

It's best practise to get your beer off the yeast before you put the fruit in.

The first time I didn't do this (it was the husband actually) the beer tasted like farts.

I have one in secondary at the moment that has apricot puree in.

I've heard of fart-in-mah whitbread (famous javelin athlete) but never fart in my FV

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

I've heard of fart-in-mah whitbread (famous javelin athlete) but never fart in my FV

My brother used to call me that when we were growing up cos I was overweight LMFAO!

 

[dad_of_jon]

Google fu says that the fart taste and smell of beer is typically an off flavour due to under-pitching of yeast as the yeast cell walls deteriorate when yeast is stressed it produces a compound similar to that used to put the smell into our domestic gas supplies.

I have been reviewing my yeast pitch rates recently as I've come from AG kits that tend to be supplied with one 11g packet of yeast for 19litre batch, which, if you plug into the yeast manufacturers pitch rate calculators is not enough and typically 1.5 or so packets are needed. So I've now upped my yeast pitch rate across the board now I'm no longer brewing from AG kits.

I've never had a batch that exhibits typical under pitch off flavours, but then again I'm a serial yeast nutrient user..I know there are those who say it's pointless, but maybe that has saved my bacon so far after 70 batches of under pitched beer. My Goggle fu has not turned up anthing to explain yeast/fruit reactions that cause a fart smell/flavour in fruit beers, at least from a chemistry point of view, though I appreciate there are those who have had issues. I'm wondering if it's potentially due to contamination on the fruit..e.g. other wild yeasts present on the fruit or due to undertpitching of yeast? I know it doesn't explain why these off flavours are not present in batches that don't contain fruit.

However google fu also says there are alot of brewers who take the beer off the trub before adding fruit i.e. add in a secondary vessel, and those that don't and use it in the fermenter while primary fermentation is still active. Gotta love this hobby...like the English language, there is always an exception to the rule!

rehydrating yeast instead of just pitching it into the wort can help make up the gap. I've only used 2 packets once and no farts present in the beer (only after drinking perhaps )

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

However google fu also says there are alot of brewers who take the beer off the trub before adding fruit i.e. add in a secondary vessel,

Yes exactly, it's risky if you don't, due to off flavours, farty or otherwise.

Like I say strawberries was the offender for me (husband), as they seem give off a load of sulphur every time we use them. Nothing to do with under-pitching yeast, not in that brew anyway lol. I haven't risked it since.

I know @Hazelwood Brewery always racks to secondary when he makes a fruit beer and there'll be others.

Your beer, your choice.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I know @Hazelwood Brewery always racks to secondary when he makes a fruit beer

Yes that’s right. I allow fermentation of the base beer to effectively finish then rack to secondary and add the fruit purée along with pectolase to clear the beer (omit pectolase if you want thick fruit-juice looking beer).

 

[Zoiks]

Think he liquidised the fruit in a blender then boiled or heated it up. I don't like the idea of this as I think the boiling process might impact flavour or something...though jam is boiled. I just took the financial hit and bought a couple of packets of puree. If it turns out nice and fruit beers become a regular thing for me I'll look at more cost effective ways.

I've read that boiling blueberries is problematic

 

[AJA]

The first time anybody gets farty flavours, don't say I didn't warn you

Farty flavours are often H2S. Common in homebrew and farmyard cider. It's volatile, so you can wait it out before packaging. Otherwise, run through copper pipe, or chuck an old penny in.
OH made a cider kit which stank. We stirred with a copper pipe ===> Smell gone completely.

I've read that boiling blueberries is problematic

Boiling any fruit is problematic, causes very murky beer without pectolase

 

[TonyT]

It's best practise to get your beer off the yeast before you put the fruit in.

The first time I didn't do this (it was the husband actually) the beer tasted like farts.

I have one in secondary at the moment that has apricot puree in.

I’ve never tasted a fart

 

[MickDundee]

I’ve never tasted a fart

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

I’ve never tasted a fart

I have - I have a husband who has a leaky ar$e in his sleep

 

[hoppyscotty]

Well here she is. Thankfully not a hint of fart or other unpleasant aroma's.

Its turned the beer from what normally is a crystal clear beer with this grain bill to opaque.Its still a lovely refreshing pale ale flavour, but sadly not a hint of Mango!!

Went pretty light on hops as I wanted to see what Mango came through...maybe should have dry hopped with some complimentary hops. Used 2 litres of Funkin puree in a 23 litre batch. An expensive fail of an experiment given the cost of the puree!! Think next time try a pretty pale and flavourless grain bill. This one might have had too much malt flavour and hidden the fruit. Having said that this was the last 4 litres overflow from a 19 litre corny fill, so might have better results from the corny.

At least its drinkable.

Thanks for all y your help/advice/warnings/suggestions. will have to do more research!

 

[Bzee]

That's a shame I love the funkin pro passion fruit in a pale ale base but 2kg per 20 litres makes it as expensive as a top dollar neipas hop bill. I tried tinned mango pulp it didn't really work so I was hoping yours would.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Well to be honest it spent longer in the fermenter than intended due to life! It did taste quite sweet and syrupy before carbonation so was initially worried about it being too fruity and sweet but after a week of carbonation the flavour has totally changed. This sample came from 'keg overflow' so will see what the main keg tastes like in a few weeks. Might even drop some hops into the proper keg to give it some complimentary hop flavour.