Brewing beer & Cider with Fresh Fruit
Tried blending fruit yet?
One of the traditional ways to preserve your harvest is to press the fruit into juice and ferment so start Brewing Beer & Cider with Fresh Fruit.
Fermenting is one of the oldest food preservation practices because alcohol destroys any harmful bacteria making a safe to drink beverage that can last a long time. Brewing vessels unearthed in the Middle East date brewing back over 9,000 years! First brews were likely discovered by accident from wild honey mixing with rain water in tree stumps. Even Elephants have been observed “brewing” by making crude pits, filling them with fruit and water and then covering with leaves. The elephants return in a week to drink the beverage.
Historical texts say King Midas was one of the first leaders to employ brewers for his own enjoyment and his royal court. The vessels discovered in his burial tomb were 2700 years old. These ancient ales where actually hybrid brews. The scientists actually ran analysis on the residue and were able to conclusively say they brewed with malted grains, grapes, and honey! That ancient brew is somewhere in between a beer, wine and mead. They even added Saffron to the mix!
Read this article by biomolecular archaeologist Dr. Patrick McGover to learn more—> Midas Touch
We know from our own experiments and the successful sales from local breweries and cider makers that blending fruit takes beverages to the next level!
One of the best examples of wild brewing is from our partner Jester King Brewery in Austin, TX. We have partnered with them to create an edible landscape of unique and unusual fruits for tasting and brewing.You can check out their website and learn more here –>Jester King
The added fruit juices can create complexity and balance that normal brewing cannot achieve. Fruit is a natural source of wild yeast and so you can often spontaneously ferment your brew by including locally grown fruit. Wild yeasts that are climatically adapted to your region will impart a completely unique flavor!
Seriously who knew your fruit could harbor strains of yeast that work perfectly with your location? Well these Organic and Biodynamic farmers did and they had researchers discover they have strains of yeast found no where else in the world. Check them out –> Cowhorn Vinyard
Another advantage to using fruit is it adds nutrients and antioxidants. Taste and nutrition! WOW!!
Our local friends in Eugene Oregon make incredible fruit juice blended Ciders –> Wild Craft Cider Works
Choose a fruit that adds acids, and tannins for tartness and improved taste. Maybe you want to just add an intense dark purple or red color. You can do all naturally with fruit!
So now you know the idea of using fruit in your brews goes back thousands of years and continues to this day. Give it a try and you will taste the amazing results.
Write us back and share your experiences with Brewing Beer & Cider with Fresh Fruit at info@onegreenworld.com
Try using the following fruits:
More fruit trees to try here too Shop
Happy brewing and growing your own ingredients!