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Author Topic: Is Secondary necessary with fruit?  (Read 3382 times)

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Is Secondary necessary with fruit?
« on: June 04, 2012, 09:59:12 am »
So I did 10 gallons of a straight forward wheat beer this weekend.

I have the batch split between 2 carboys and planned on adding honey and centennial dry hops to one of them. The other I was going to add 3 lbs of oregon peach puree.

I know I can add the honey after 3 days or so and the bulk of fermentation has completed. Then after another 4 days I was going to add the centennial hops and let it sit for another week in primary with those. 

Is there any reason not to just dump the peach puree into the primary after the bulk of fermentation has completed rather than going to a secondary other than yeast harvesting? I know its been said that secondary is not necessary unless your introducing another fermentation, which fruit would, but why is that necessary?
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline euge

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Re: Is Secondary necessary with fruit?
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2012, 11:41:13 am »
There may be a reason though I can't think of one. Except that maybe a vigorous re-fermentation may drive off some of the delicate aromas and flavors of the peach.

I say go ahead and add the puree to primary. Let us know how it turns out.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: Is Secondary necessary with fruit?
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2012, 07:54:42 am »
Adding peaches to primary this afternoon. Will hold in there for 2 weeks, crash cool, keg, FC and report back if I taste anything off!
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline troybinso

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Re: Is Secondary necessary with fruit?
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2012, 07:59:29 am »
My only worry about adding it to primary would be having enough head space to accommodate the volume of the fruit puree and the reactivated fermentation.

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: Is Secondary necessary with fruit?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2012, 08:03:00 am »
Should be fine, if not I have a blowoff ready!
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.