The MCZA (Mid-Columbia Zymurgy Association) quarterly competition is coming up April 16th, and the theme is fruited beverages! Whether you're a seasoned brewer or trying fruit for the first time, here's everything you need to know to make a great entry.
The Easy Way to Add Fruit
Good news: you don't need fancy equipment or specialty ingredients. Hit up your local grocery store and grab frozen fruit. Seriously, that's it.
Why frozen? Freezing breaks down cell walls, which means better flavor extraction. Plus it's picked at peak ripeness and available year-round.
Important note: Freezing doesn't actually sanitize the fruit, but when you add frozen fruit to beer that already has alcohol in it (after primary fermentation), the alcohol and low pH prevent most contamination issues. This is why we add fruit in secondary, not primary.
How Much Fruit?
Here's a simple guide for 5 gallons:
- Light fruit character: 3-5 lbs (subtly fruity)
- Medium fruit flavor: 5-8 lbs (clearly fruity)
- Bold, fruit-forward: 8-12 lbs (very fruity)
Fruit is mostly water, so you need more than you think. Different fruits have different intensities - berries punch above their weight, while something like strawberries or peaches need more volume.
When to Add Fruit
Add fruit in secondary fermentation (after your beer has finished fermenting). This gives you:
- Maximum fruit aroma and flavor
- Clean separation from the main yeast cake
- Control over how much fruit character you want
Just rack your finished beer into a sanitized fermenter, dump in the frozen fruit, and give it 1-2 weeks. The residual yeast will ferment the fruit sugars and incorporate the flavors.
Best Grocery Store Fruits for Brewing
Berries: Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries
- Intense flavor, works great
- Use 1-2 lbs per gallon (5-10 lbs for 5 gallons)
- Raspberries and blackberries are particularly potent
Stone Fruits: Cherries, peaches, apricots
- Amazing in darker beers (stouts, porters)
- Remove pits if using fresh (they add bitterness)
- Frozen works great
Citrus: Oranges, grapefruit, lemon, lime
- Use the zest, not the whole fruit
- Avoid the white pith (very bitter)
- Great with IPAs and wheat beers
Tropical: Mango, pineapple, passion fruit
- Killer in IPAs and pale ales
- Frozen chunks work well
- Pineapple can be tricky—use sparingly
Three Quick Tips
- Use a mesh bag: Toss your fruit in a sanitized muslin bag before adding to your fermenter. Makes cleanup way easier.
- Give it time: Let the fruit sit for at least a week, preferably two. Then cold crash and package.
- Don't worry about haze: Fruit beers can be hazy. It's fine. If you want clarity, add some pectic enzyme with the fruit.
What Base Beer Should You Use?
That's where we come in. We're putting together a couple Fruiting Competition Bundles with a simple, clean base beer recipe that'll work with whatever fruit you choose.
The recipe will be:
- Easy to brew (all-grain or extract options)
- Neutral enough to let your fruit shine
- Ready to fruit quickly
Keep an eye out for the bundle—it'll have everything you need to brew the base beer, and then you just add your grocery store fruit.
Competition is April—Get Brewing!
You've got time, but not a ton. If you want to enter, start your base beer soon so you can fruit it and have a week or two for it to condition before the meeting.
Got questions about fruiting? Ask the club on Facebook (MCZA) or send me an email- josh@pnwbrew.com. Let's get some great fruit beers in the competition!
MCZA meets the third Thursday of every month. Not a member yet? Come check us out—we're always looking for fellow homebrewers. www.mcza.org