Fruit mash

Production methods from starch to sugars.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Jonsmith8608
Novice
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:21 pm

Fruit mash

Post by Jonsmith8608 »

After blending the fruit should I boil the fruit some or just add hot water to it when mashing in?
NormandieStill
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1738
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Fruit mash

Post by NormandieStill »

For the record, you don't mash fruit. Mashing is the process of using malted grains to convert the starches into sugar. Your fruit already has sugar.

As for heating fruit it depends on what you're trying to do. A lot of wine recipes call for boiling water to be poured over the whole fruit to kill wild yeasts and bacteria so that when you pitch your yeast there's less of a fight. If you want to use the natural yeasts then use cold water. If you've already blended the fruit, boiling water will be more likely to cook it somewhat which will change the flavours in the final wash (not necessarily for the worse).
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
Jonsmith8608
Novice
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:21 pm

Re: Fruit mash

Post by Jonsmith8608 »

Ok thank you I poured boiling water on fruit and stirred and let cool till I pitched the yeast
User avatar
Demy
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3084
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:45 pm

Re: Fruit mash

Post by Demy »

Agree 100% with Normandiestill. I add cooking or hot water rarely hence when I use commercial yeast, no problem. On cooking I have always placed this problem, what changes is taste even if most don't cook fruit.
Bryan1
Swill Maker
Posts: 475
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2019 1:55 am
Location: South Oz in the hills

Re: Fruit mash

Post by Bryan1 »

try dicing up your fruit and chuck it in the freezer for a week or so as this does tend to bring out all the sugars, everytime I do it I take a brix reading before and after and the brix always rises a point or 3 depending on the fruit
Post Reply