Fruit Puree for a sour mash summer beer

[MatthewS]

I am thinking about putting together a summer beer. I have a few ideas on some different fruit options that you don't see around too often.

the beer will likely be a sour mash with only late hop additions with either tangerine or Kiwi added. haven't really decided, so I figured I would ask my fellow brewers.

Puree vs. Concentrate? Any thought on usage rates for these fruits. Looking for subtly here not a full blown fruit beer.

I am thinking about buying from Greenwood Assoc.
http://www.greenwoodassociates.com/products.html

any info will help
Thanks Probrewer!
Matthew

[Matt Dog]

I have used thier concentrates with success. Found it was best to add directly to the server before transfer. Plan on a dry base beer or it could be too sweet. Sour mash would probably bring out the fruit flavors nicely. Kiwi sounds interesting but would probably be pretty mild like strawberries. Id go for it. Think I used the whole 5 gallon container in 14 bbls. Wasnt overwhelming. I remember the shipping was high because they had to ship frozen so its a good idea to buy several containers. Puree is nice to but a bit harder to deal with. 15-20lbs per bbl or more if you really want strong fruit. Its also nice to have a gallon or so of natural extract like Mane to do a final tweak if neccessary. In my experience the average customer likes over the top fruit flavor. My rule of thumb was always if I liked it then it needed more fruit flavor! I should mention Im referring to brewpub beer. I wouldnt bottle w unfermented juice. Id even be leary of sending kegs out with that method.

[theBrewMeister]

I should mention Im referring to brewpub beer. I wouldnt bottle w unfermented juice. Id even be leary of sending kegs out with that method.

Matt is exactly right here.

Several kegs of my Strawberry wheat beer were removed from the cooler for 5 days to make room for something else. I use puree and no preservatives. One weekend I get a call; they cant get the Strawberry to pour right at the brewpub. Turns out those kegs refermented and now they're all way over-carbed.

So, not only do I have to de-carb every single one of these kegs, the ones that were lefted out picked up some phenols from this fruit fermentation. Nothing terrible, and nobody's noticed except me, but it wasnt part of the flavor profile I had envisioned.

The pressure on the kegs (from refermentation) is only about 28psi, so the kegs wont explode, but bottles will blow their top.

There are preservatives you can use for fruit beers that are going to be sent out. I use potassium sorbate.
If you have a philisophical difference to preservatives, you can always ultra-filter and hope to get any remaining yeast out. Of course, my guess would be that unboiled/unfermented fruit could potentially have some bugs that may get past the filter. Then your only option is to not do fruit beers.