[MrDonde]

Hello,
Buddy of mine is asking me to make a custom Hefe for him. He suggested pomegranate and pineapple for some unique flavor. My plan is to use a hefe recipe from the homebrew store and then add POM to the primary for a week. Then add pineapple soaked in vodka to the secondary for another week.

I was wondering what people think about the fruit choices and methods of adding them to the brew? I plan to bottle carbonate these so I was also worried about them being over carbonate, any tips?

Thanks for any help!

[Lori_B]

Newbie here, just learning. Can't say anything about the fruit choices, (though pomegranate wouldn't be my choice) but why bother soaking the pineapple in vodka?

[Stevie]

Newbie here, just learning. Can't say anything about the fruit choices, (though pomegranate wouldn't be my choice) but why bother soaking the pineapple in vodka?

I agree. Just grab some canned crushed pineapple in juice.

[pete b]

I'd do pomegranate molasses or high end grenadine and fresh ripe pineapple once the krausen dies down. Fermentation will start back up and the newly introduced sugars will fully ferment out obviating any worries about overcarbonating, assuming your method is to fully ferment and add priming sugar per a priming calculator.

[erockrph]

I'd do pomegranate molasses or high end grenadine and fresh ripe pineapple once the krausen dies down. Fermentation will start back up and the newly introduced sugars will fully ferment out obviating any worries about overcarbonating, assuming your method is to fully ferment and add priming sugar per a priming calculator.

+1 - For beer, Pomegranate molasses are the way to go methinks to minimize dilution. And nothing comes close to fresh, ripe pineapple for flavor.

That said, hefeweizen is a horrible style to add fruit to. The yeast flavor is a huge clash with berries in particular (I've tried). If you want a fruited wheat beer, then stick with a neutral yeast like an American Wheat strain or even US-05/001/1056.

[pete b]

I generally agree with Eric's opinion about fruit in a heff but  pineapple is intriguing to me. It might meld nicely with the clove and banana notes.

[MrDonde]

I generally agree with Eric's opinion about fruit in a heff but  pineapple is intriguing to me. It might meld nicely with the clove and banana notes.

Thanks for the tips about the pomegranate molasses, I will look into that.

As for the pineapple I have used it before in belgians and I used canned pineapple but I soak it in vodka to help with sterilization, since I add them to the secondary, and it ups the alcohol. (Not much)

I know hefe is not the ideal candidate for adding fruit to but I feel like experimenting and a buddy is funding this experiment so it is a win for me no matter what happens. Also I think it could work, the combination of fruits with the fruitiness of the hefe yeast. I will update the thread with my progress on it.

[brewinhard]

I generally agree with Eric's opinion about fruit in a heff but  pineapple is intriguing to me. It might meld nicely with the clove and banana notes.

Thanks for the tips about the pomegranate molasses, I will look into that.

As for the pineapple I have used it before in belgians and I used canned pineapple but I soak it in vodka to help with sterilization, since I add them to the secondary, and it ups the alcohol. (Not much)

I would think that coming out of a can than it is already good to go and not necessary to soak it in vodka first.

[MrDonde]

I generally agree with Eric's opinion about fruit in a heff but  pineapple is intriguing to me. It might meld nicely with the clove and banana notes.

Thanks for the tips about the pomegranate molasses, I will look into that.

As for the pineapple I have used it before in belgians and I used canned pineapple but I soak it in vodka to help with sterilization, since I add them to the secondary, and it ups the alcohol. (Not much)

I would think that coming out of a can than it is already good to go and not necessary to soak it in vodka first.

It probably isn't required but I just do it to be on the safe side.

As for this recipe I decided to first do a normal hefe and add the pomegranate/pineapple flavors via extract when I am bottling. If the flavors work together I will try to get them via actual fruit.

[JJeffers09]

I think the fruit choice is alright.  I am on the fence about fruit in a weissbier, it has to have balance.  I have come to appreciate tart fruits in a german wheat, but pineapple may add a level of sweetness that would be cloying if hopped to the assumed 8-15IBUs...

Pomegranate... hmmm maybe.  However I think just the faintest amount of fresh juice may be the way to go.  At any rate report back with pictures if possible and let us know what you think.  Cheers!