The use of fruit in brewing beer

As an operator and brewer of home-brewed beer, the reason for choosing home-brewed beer in addition to the low cost is that the variety and taste of home-brewed beer are unconstrained and varied. Brewers can brew beer of various flavors and styles according to their own preferences, such as dark beer, red beer, sour beer, chili beer, etc.

Among them, the use of fruit in beer has a long history, but what fruit is used and how to use it is very particular in brewing. The sugar content and pectin content are the key points for brewers to consider: the sugar content is too high, in order to obtain For a dry beer, it is bound to prolong the fermentation time; if the pectin content of the fruit is too high, it is easy to make a "one pot porridge" - unless you want to make a thick milkshake IPA.

Common brewing fruits

Citrus Fruits:

The most common fruit in winemaking is citrus, such as oranges, oranges, grapefruits...their pulps have high pectin content and low sugar content, so winemakers often Use the peel instead of the pulp - the peel has a stronger citrus flavor without worrying about sugar and pectin.

Sour citrus peels are a perfect match for sour beers, couscoes, and more, creating a light, easy-drinking character. Of course, the flavors of citrus fruits and hops can also be well combined, and most of the fruit IPAs born from this are also tried with citrus fruits.

DEGONG craft beer brewing equipment

Berries:

Summer is the ripening period for all kinds of berries, and winemakers can’t do without these colorful little cuties. Whether blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, these berries are low in sugar (less than 10%), have no strong sweetness, and have high acidity, so you can see them in many sour beers and dark wines. figure. Typically, brewers use a variety of berries to add a little acidity to the body, and the extra sugar can also help when making high-alcohol beers.

Using them in light-colored wines is a particular challenge because they don't have the rich skins of citrus fruits, which can only be brought out in a beer by adding a lot of berry fruit and then forced to So extend the fermentation time - or, pour in the juice directly after fermentation is complete.

Apricots:

Ripe apricots in summer are naturally also a good choice in winemaking.

A sour beer is probably the best home for apricots: apricots lack enough aroma, are overwhelmed by strong citrus aromas in an IPA, and have an unimpressive flavor, but the acidity in a sour beer really shines .

Passion fruit:

Passion fruit is an amazing fruit, you must seldom see anyone eating it directly, but you can see it in almost all styles of beer: IPA, sour, cousco, stout, wheat, lager ...because the intense tropical scent of passion fruit is reminiscent of all things summer.

At the same time, passion fruit is also very easy to use, with moderate sugar content, just right acidity, and extremely low pectin content. The strong aroma can quickly penetrate into the beer. A cup of passion fruit wheat or IPA can be regarded as enjoying summer.

Chili:

Don't worry about whether chili is a fruit or not. In fact, chili brewing has long been popular, and more and more wineries have begun to explore chili: Beer with heavy hops has a little spicy flavor, why not add some chili Spicy on top? Hops and chili complement each other, which is an interesting experience. This particular chili beer is exactly what it uses to take away the heat and humidity of summer.

In addition, cucumbers, sour lemons, peaches, plums, watermelons... The fruits you can see in the fruit store are almost without exception moved into craft brews, just waiting for you to discover.

There is no end to the quest for fruit by winemakers, and maybe combinations that we thought were impossible yesterday—like high-sugar lychees, kiwis, and high-pectin reds and blackcurrants—will be a big hit tomorrow. What fruits and beers have you prepared for yourself in front of the screen?