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Which Fruits Work Best with a Smoothie Beer?
Craft brewing has exploded in the last decade, resulting in some new and exciting concoctions hitting the market. Smoothie beers and smoothie seltzers are some examples-- they utilize fruit purees to create delicious, thick, refreshing drinks that you can sip on all year long. If you're unfamiliar with the two, that's ok; they're relatively new drinks at the moment, but their popularity is snowballing.
What Are They?
Hard seltzers became popular during the last few years, and they made an enormous splash on the market, showing no signs of slowing down. Hard seltzers are typically crisp, light, and fruit flavored. Smoothie seltzers take that to a whole new level by adding vast amounts of fruit purees, creating drinks that taste like fizzy daiquiris.
Smoothie beers are exactly what they sound like--thick beers driven by the taste of fresh fruit purees mixed in with the batch. They have the mouthfeel of sipping on a fresh smoothie, hence the name. There are endless options when it comes to creating different batches with fruit pairings. We'll discuss which fruits work best in them so you can start experimenting with flavors to create an exciting variety.
How Are They Made?
The easiest way to make smoothie beers is by adding the fruit purees to the mix after the beer is brewed. The good thing about this method is that it creates a very thick and smoothie-like drink, with lots of fruity texture.
The cons of this method are the eventuality of refermentation taking place. With all the fruit sugars in the keg mixing with the beer's yeast and carbonation, it's only a matter of time before things can explode. This can be dangerous, so be mindful and keep an eye on things!
Another method of making smoothie beers and smoothie seltzers involves fermenting out all of the sugars from the added fruit, so there is no chance for refermentation to happen. This takes a little extra time and effort, but is worth it in the long run. Plus, filtering out all that extra stuff means there won't be any big chunks in your drink, which is ideal.
Best Flavors
Often when you see smoothie beers created by other breweries, they can seem like they randomly chose them from a barrel of fruit. That's because oftentimes, they were. The best way to create interesting flavor profiles is by experimenting and seeing what sticks.
Below are some flavor examples that are proven to work best with a smoothie beer and smoothie seltzer.
Berry Fruits
Fresh berry purees add incredible flavors to any brew they're mixed into. They can be perfect for the summertime, because they're juicy and sweet. However, you can also utilize them in the fall and winter months, because they can mimic the warm spices of a freshly baked pie.
Berries are a universally loved flavor, too. You cannot go wrong adding strawberry or blackberry fruit purees to a batch of beer. You are bound to create a flavorful smoothie beer that tastes delicious no matter what the season is.
Tropical Fruits
You can make super interesting smoothie beers and smoothie seltzers by using fresh tropical fruit purees in your batches. Think 'daiquiris on the beach’ with a pineapple or coconut puree, or an exotic concoction with pink guava or passion fruit infused mixes. Mix and match these flavors to create entirely new blends- the possibilities are endless.
Grab inspiration from your favorite tropical-inspired dessert and try to recreate that in a smoothie beer. Chances are you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you end up with. The more wild and unique the flavors are, the more likely you will draw positive attention to yourself and your brewed batch, so get experimenting!
Citrus Fruits
Adding orange, lemon, and lime fresh fruit purees to your smoothie beers or seltzers will create sweet and sour brews that will refresh you. Consider adding a cream component to your mix to make a 'creamsicle' smoothie beer drink. Your only limit is your imagination, so have fun drawing from inspiration anywhere.
Citrus fruits have an intense flavor when added to anything because of their strong acidity. They're refreshing during the warmer months and have a bright and happy flavor during the colder and darker seasons. There is no wrong time to make a citrus-flavored smoothie beer or seltzer, and they go well paired with tons of other fruits too.
Stone Fruits
Stone fruits like cherries, plums, and peaches are solid and hearty fruits that would taste boldly added to any smoothie beer or smoothie seltzer they're mixed in with. They aren't as commonly used as their other fruit contemporaries, but they certainly should be!
Imagine biting into a juicy peach during spring or summer? Or the explosive taste of sweet cherry during winter? Consider turning those experiences into a smoothie beer that you can sip on any time of the year. It doesn't get much better than that.
Mix and Match
Like we mentioned earlier, the best way to create delicious smoothie beer and smoothie seltzers is by experimenting with different flavors. After you've mastered your smoothie beer-making procedure, you can begin messing around with the various fruit purees available. You never know what you may end up with.
The best part about Fierce Fruit purees is that they are made with natural, sun-ripened fruits with no added sugar. They are also pasteurized and don't need to be frozen. Shop all of the interesting fresh fruit flavor options from Fierce Fruit today!
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