Dehydrated fruit for flavoring?

[1131morg]

I read somewherer that by dehydrating the fruit such as bannana, strawberries, etc., before putting in the jar with the alcohol will enhance the flavor drastically more than just putting it in wet. I guess by eleminating the water content of the fruit and then putting it in the jar causes the alcohol to soak in releasing more flavor. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this?

[NZChris]

I have done this with brambles, partially dehydrating them before steeping. Nobody has commented that it is different to the non-concentrated batches. All of the batches have been very nice, so I won't be bothering to try it again.

[Doogie]

I am no expert, so take what I say with caution - but I understand that using dried fruit reduces the %abv - the fruit suck up the likker to rehydrate. I use frozen fruit - especially blueberries - it is well known that this method releases a lot of flavor

[BDF]

I am no expert, so take what I say with caution - but I understand that using dried fruit reduces the %abv - the fruit suck up the likker to rehydrate. I use frozen fruit - especially blueberries - it is well known that this method releases a lot of flavor

I think you have that backwards...

Dried fruit will better maintain the %ABV as it isn't exchanging any water with the spirits, while fresh or frozen fruit will release their water into the solution and it will mix into a lower avg abv.

[Doogie]

I am no expert, so take what I say with caution - but I understand that using dried fruit reduces the %abv - the fruit suck up the likker to rehydrate. I use frozen fruit - especially blueberries - it is well known that this method releases a lot of flavor

I think you have that backwards...

Dried fruit will better maintain the %ABV as it isn't exchanging any water with the spirits, while fresh or frozen fruit will release their water into the solution and it will mix into a lower avg abv.

However, again, I am no expert since I only use frozen fruit, is that I heard that the dehydrated fruit absorbs water and spirits to rehydrate - thus dropping the ABV (since it goes into the fruit). I do not know if it is linear the absorption of likker to water, or if it takes one component more than the other.

Also, I would believe that the water content of the frozen/fresh is minimal (related to the qty of fruit to likker).

[Tokoroa_Shiner]

If you put dried fruit in to steep. Your ABV wouldn't change. You just end up with less likker as it would have absorbed into the fruit.

[NZChris]

Strawberries are 92% water, bananas 74%. Take their water out of the equation and the ratio of flavour compounds to alcohol goes up accordingly. This has nothing to do with dehydration making it easier for the alcohol to release more flavor.

You don't necessarily lose much of the alcohol in the fruit. Depending on the fruit, it can be pressed, distilled, eaten, or any tricks you can invent. I have two jars of the same grapes, both in the same grappa, one sun dried, the other fresh. They are very different and both are nice in their own ways.

[BDF]

I am no expert, so take what I say with caution - but I understand that using dried fruit reduces the %abv - the fruit suck up the likker to rehydrate. I use frozen fruit - especially blueberries - it is well known that this method releases a lot of flavor

I think you have that backwards...

Dried fruit will better maintain the %ABV as it isn't exchanging any water with the spirits, while fresh or frozen fruit will release their water into the solution and it will mix into a lower avg abv.

However, again, I am no expert since I only use frozen fruit, is that I heard that the dehydrated fruit absorbs water and spirits to rehydrate - thus dropping the ABV (since it goes into the fruit). I do not know if it is linear the absorption of likker to water, or if it takes one component more than the other.

Also, I would believe that the water content of the frozen/fresh is minimal (related to the qty of fruit to likker).

Adding a dry sponge to your booze would soak up liquor, but not add any water, so you'll have less boozer but the concentration won't change.
Adding a wet sponge to oyour booze will increase the volume and eventually the water and liquor will mix and equalize lowering the overall concentration.

The change in ABV will be low with fresh/frozen fruit, but it will be alot closer to zero if the fruit is dehydrated first.