fruit puree into primary

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

I have some pineapple in the freezer that I will be adding to a beer. My plan is to let it thaw, puree it in the blender, and add to the primary after about a week. Will this cause a big headache when transferring to keg? In the past, I have put a paint strainer bag in the fermenter and the lid would snap over it. I am now using a speidel and don’t think I could get the lid to screw on over the paint strainer bag.

The other option would be to use a paint strainer bag but knot it and just let it sit in the fermenter. That still may be difficult to get out before kegging…

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

@goschman

I have some pineapple in the freezer that I will be adding to a beer. My plan is to let it thaw, puree it in the blender, and add to the primary after about a week. Will this cause a big headache when transferring to keg? In the past, I have put a paint strainer bag in the fermenter and the lid would snap over it. I am now using a speidel and don’t think I could get the lid to screw on over the paint strainer bag.

The other option would be to use a paint strainer bag but knot it and just let it sit in the fermenter. That still may be difficult to get out before kegging…

If you puree it well, no issues at all. I wait about two weeks after racking onto the fruit in secondary, then keg.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

I was kind of thinking that it would just settle out but wasn’t sure. Looks like I will go the most simple route then. The beer is 5 days in now. I think I will add the pineapple on day 7 and the dry hops on day 14. Thanks!

[pete_baker (pete b)]

I have done something like this successfully a couple times. As long as you plan on letting it sit for awhile after and your not harvesting the yeast your all set.

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

You can always use some nylon mesh over the racking cane when you keg, but after 2 weeks, my beer is generally pretty clear.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

Thanks all. This is a witbier (non-traditional obviously) so clarity is not a concern.

[brewinhard]

A healthy 48 hr cold crash with your primary fermenter will definitely help to settle out the majority of the fruit (puree) to the bottom.  Then it is up to you to rack carefully to avoid any fruit.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

@brewinhard

A healthy 48 hr cold crash with your primary fermenter will definitely help to settle out the majority of the fruit (puree) to the bottom.  Then it is up to you to rack carefully to avoid any fruit.

Since I have a speidel I transfer from the spigot at the bottom. With yeast, dry hops, and fruit puree I will likely need to just dump a bunch of sludge until I am getting beer.

[klickitat_jim]

You may end up with some that sinks and some that floats. If you drain from the spigot it most likely will just plug up. Or the sunk fruit matter will slowly flow out with the beer and you end up with all of it in the bottle/keg. With this beer I’d really concider using a siphon so you can pin point where you are racking from (below the floaters but above the sinkers)

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

@klickitat_jim

You may end up with some that sinks and some that floats. If you drain from the spigot it most likely will just plug up. Or the sunk fruit matter will slowly flow out with the beer and you end up with all of it in the bottle/keg. With this beer I’d really concider using a siphon so you can pin point where you are racking from (below the floaters but above the sinkers)

Got ya thanks for the advice. I planned to ferment this guy in a bucket like last attempt but forgot. It was a piece of cake with the paint strainer back clamped down by the bucket lid. I just lifted the bag out to remove most of the fruit chunks and hops…