Considerations When Brewing with Fruit Juices: A Review and Case Study Using Peaches

Beer is traditionally brewed using barley, hops, water, and yeast. Historically, fruit has been utilized in brewing operations as a source of carbohydrates, color, and/or flavor. This practice has been increasing in recent years due to economic and market factors. While many scientific studies have shown that it is both possible and desirable to include fruits in brewing operations, there is little research published on how to properly evaluate their potential for use in brewing. This review aims to introduce and discuss the ways in which fermented products are impacted by the addition of fruit with respect to the following characteristics of the fruit and final product: sugars, volatiles, color, product identity, and microbial factors. To support this review, a case study is included in which peaches were evaluated for potential use as a fruit additive in a commercial brewing application. The peach juice, pre-addition beer, and final product were assessed based upon processing characteristics, sugar content and composition, color, volatile profile, and economic suitability for various applications in fermented beverages. This paper details the methods used to evaluate fruit as a guide for considering fruit as an addition to brewing formulations.