Forget making just a “sour beer with fruit” and start over on your flavor considerations. How do you adjust acidity, bitterness, tannin, and acidity to create a beer that evokes real, delicious fruit in people’s minds? Or would you rather have a beer that balances the flavors of the fruit with that of the base style? And what should you consider when it comes to yeast and fermentation?
In this full chapter from his video—an extended peek at the kinds of tips and details you can find in our library of more than 100 courses—Urban Artifact cofounder Bret Kollman Baker dives into the details.
In the complete 93-minute course, included in your All Access subscription, Baker opens the books on what he’s learned about brewing tasty, fruit-first beers that drink well below their strength. Along the way, he covers:
- why you should cook your strawberries
- the smart sourcing of whole fruit
- the benefits of leaning into purees
- what to know about using fruit juices and concentrates
- why you should avoid dehydrated fruit but experiment with freeze-dried
- aseptic versus frozen purees
- delivering the fruit flavor promised on the can
- the careful use of fruit-flavor extracts for top notes
- using WONF products (those “with other natural flavors”)
- what to ask your supplier about their fruit
- working directly with farmers for custom purees
- making connections at the farmer’s market
- adjusting beer’s other flavors to emphasize the fruit
- the importance of yeast nutrient when fermenting fruit beers
- adding manganese as a nutrient for Lactobacillus
- when to add the fruit
- fruit-first or beer-first, and choosing a base beer style
- key considerations for natural-tasting acidification
- respecting the power of vanilla
- spices, hops, and pragmatic flavor considerations
- adding and dialing in tannins for greater drinkability
- how yeast selection affects fruit flavors
- the Urban Artifact approach to brewing fruit tarts
- fermenting for a cleaner lactic acidity
And much more.
Plus, be sure to check out our Fruit Dilution Calculator tool, based on calculations provided by Baker at Urban Artifact.
Want access to more video courses like this one? All of our subscriptions come with a 100 percent money-back guarantee. Get your All Access Subscription to tap into a library of more than 100 full courses on a diverse range of brewing topics. If you don’t love it, we’re happy to refund your money.