Peach extract turned out well

[fuji6100]

My peach-wheat ale has been bottled for over 2 weeks now, so I cracked one open to try. I must say I was impressed with the quality of the extract. This was my first experiment with fruit extract, as my Puree'd fruit experience was a disaster. It didn't have the artificial "jolly rancher" flaver that it smelled like in the bottle, and actually tastes pretty darn close to real peaches. Just a nice peach aroma, and then a hint of peach after you swallow.

This probably would have been a great summer beer, but I don't think it's going to last until winter anyway.

[ray m]

I'm glad to hear that your 1st fruit extract experience turned out well, Fuji. I, too, had bad luck with the fruit puree, but I put it in the primary. I've used fruit extract 3 times now and have always had great results, but man that stuff gives me indigestion. My next batch is going to be a honey-cherry ale, with 2 3/4 lbs. of honey added with 20 min. left in the boil, and 6 lbs. of dark sweet cherries added to the secondary. I won't be able to get started on it until late next month, though.

[mortong]

Do you boil or pasteurize the fruit before adding them to the secondary, or just let the alcohol kill off any bacteria and wild yeast?

Just curious, I'd like to try something like this soon.

Geoff

[fuji6100]

as the title of the post suggests, I used extract, not real fruit.

But to kinda answer your question, I added the extract to the secondary directly from the bottle since it is packaged sterile.

[ray m]

If I have read my sources correctly, Mortong, I think you are supposed to pasteurize the fruit (after destemming, deseeding & mashing it a bit) in water @ 160* or so for @ 20 minutes. I am definitely not going to risk ruining my batch hoping that there's enough alcohol to avert any infection disaters. Putting it in secondary, I've read, is better for more fruit flavor (fruit in primary scrubs a lot of flavors away).

[toneyc]

The extracts that I have used (lemon, raspberry, and chocolate) have all been added at bottling/kegging as per the instructions.

:)
Toney.

[mortong]

Thanks guys, that helps out a lot. =) I'm not sure if I'll use extract or real fruit when I do mine, but at least I have an idea how to do both now.

Geoff