Lockdown Pineapple Beer : A few newbie questions and requests for any advice or comments

Newbie here ... first post.

Newbie brewer ... first attempt at Pineapple Beer.

I'm posting my narrative, with a few questions at the end.

Feel free to tell me where I could improve or change, or any words of warning.

Comments and advice most actively welcomed !

Background

I'm living in Cape Town, South Africa

  • Currently under Covid-19 lockdown conditions
  • Week #5
  • Sale of alcohol has been prohibited

Necessity being the mother of invention ... and all that.

Starting Point

I am loosely following this Instructable:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Lets-Make-Some-Pineapple-Beer/

Along with some personal experience from a couple of my mates who are onto their 3rd or 4th batches.

My Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 4 Large Pineapples
  • 8 Naartjies (that's our local variant of a tangerine/mandarin)
  • 1 kg brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 sachet instant yeast

Method:

  • Pineapples
    • cut off the crown
    • cubed

  • Naartjies

    • peeled
    • cubed

  • Blended the fruit cubes

    • including the skin from 1 naartjie
    • used a hand electric 'zoomer'
    • into a chunky swill

  • Added

    • 1 kg brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 7.5 litres boiling water

  • Stirred and mixed

    • total volume around 10 litres

  • Poured into a 25 litre food quality plastic water holder

  • Cooled to around 26-28°C

    • then added my yeast

  • Lid placed on top to close

    • but not screwed down the thread

  • Wrapped in a sleeping bag for insulation

    • days here range from 20-25°
    • nights drop down to around 15°C

That was yesterday - so that is the point where I am currently at.

Questions

Fermentation Stage #1

(a) Can I keep the lid screwed on my 25 litre ?

I presume I can leave the lid on, but burp every morning and evening.

I have around 1/3 liquid 2/3 gas space, so there is room for some pressure build up.

Or should I rather leave it loose ... during Fermentation Stage 1

(b) How will I know if the yeast is happy and doing its thing ?

Other than a warm sweet naartjie pineapple smell infusing and permeating the house.

From the pressure build up ? (Assuming lid closed and burping as above.)

(c) How do I know when to start Fermentation Stage #2

Is there a way to tell if the sugar is all nicely converted ?

Or should I just stick to the recipe recommended 7 days.

Fermentation Stage #2

This would be:

  • strain off the chunks
  • bottle into plastic bottles
  • lid screwed on - but burp frequently
  • leave to ferment to produce bubbles

What would be a recommended number of days here ?

Again, should I go with the recipe 2 days guideline - or - is there any 'test' I can do.

Fridge Life : Best Before

Once I chill the carbonated bottles in my fridge, how long can I keep them (safely) for ?

How will I tell when it is no longer good to drink ... or good for me to drink?

I am realising now that my pineapple beer will most probably have a limited life span.

Considering that I will be solo drinking - I need to plough my way through 8 litres before it gets unhealthy or rank.

Strength and Potency

If I have provided enough information, would anyone care to make an educated guess as to my range of possible alcohol levels ?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

And apologies for the long winded story !

Cheers Rich

Topic fruit beer homebrew

Category Mac

1
answered at

Posting an update here for folks who may visit this page in future, and to answer some of the queries I posted.

My final product

My final product

It tastes like a very very dry white wine.

  • No pineapple taste
  • No naartjie taste
  • No sugar taste

All converted to alcohol.

It's a tad tarty astringent, but by no means worse on the palate than a medium low price Chardonnay.

I suspect that is the pectin flavour from the naartjie pith and skin.

Overall it is very drinkable.

The fruit notes are about as strong as say a flavoured bottle water.

(a) Can I keep the lid screwed on my 25 litre ?

Screw the lid on. Turn a half turn loose to break the seal. No need for any fancy bubble trap.

(b) How will I know if the yeast is happy and doing its thing ?

I didn't. I had no signs of bubbles. I had no obvious signs of fermentation at all.

I got quite worried. I even added a new yeast batch which I pre-soaked in warm water on day 4.

I then read in a few places that cinnamon is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial and it could kill the yeast.

In fact, after 7 days, I resigned myself to having made a gross error and was going to toss out and start again.

Instead, I was patient.

Day 8 : I sampled - and it was not bad, and no ugly tastes.

Day 9 : I bottled - and I could now see a pretty clear layer separating and rising to the top. That's the alcohol. You can see it in the photo.

(c) How do I know when to start Fermentation Stage #2

Patience. 7 or 8 days or 9 days.

Fermentation Stage #2

What would be a recommended number of days here ?

Because I left it for a long time in primary fermentation, there was no sugar left to convert.

So I have missed out on the 'make fizzy carbonated beer' option.

But in return for that

  1. I have no danger of exploding bottles
  2. My alcohol levels are way over beer strength

Fridge Life : Best Before

Once I chill the carbonated bottles in my fridge, how long can I keep them (safely) for ?

It seems to be pretty stable in the fridge now.

I reckon it should last 2 weeks or more.

Strength and Potency

If I have provided enough information, would anyone care to make an educated guess as to my range of possible alcohol levels ?

A 350 ml glass full is enough to provoke a silly grin.

A 750 ml amount is enough to significantly discombobulate.

Put it this way:

I usually drink 3 x 750 ml Beers at my local dive bar in an evening - 4.5% alcohol in those. There is no way I could handle that amount of my pineapple naartjie brew.

So I reckon I am up at wine strength. At least 12%.

And lastly ... no hangover !

A bit of a lazy stuffy head the next day, but no headaches or toxin comeback.

Overall Verdict

Very happy with myself for a 1st attempt at a Guerrilla Prohibition Brew.

1
answered at

Do not close the lid of your fermenter. The first 3 to 4 days is when the most yeast action happens and a lot of gas is let out. So keep the lid slightly loose, it will be fine. What I do is close it tight and then give it a slight turn loose.

Just leave it in the fermenter for the 7 days before you bottle it. Make sure everything is super sterile. I'm not sure how long it will last in bottles for. This weekend I will try out my 2 week old pine beer and let you know how it is.

Strength is very low. Maybe 3% max if you're using normal instant yeast. It might be stronger if it gets to age a bit more in the bottles, I'll know this weekend.

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