Changes

Performing a fermentation before introducing fruit to a beer can help provide more complex fruit flavors, and in many cases create new savory flavors not found in the raw fruit. Some of the most common fruit based fermented products are simple salt based "Lacto-fermentations" (pickling). These fermentations utilize naturally occurring ''Lactobacillus'' and other microbes on the fruits skin to ferment the fruit, while the salt helps to reduce yeast activity and other harmful spoiling microbes. A common method calls for simply salting fruit at a rate of 2% by weight (20 grams salt for 1kg fruit) <ref>[https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/lacto-blueberries René Redzepi and David Zilber. "Lacto Blueberries". The Splendid Table blog. Excerpted from The Noma Guide to Fermentation. 2018. Retrieved 05/18/2019.]</ref><ref>Dr. Bryan Heit. Private correspondence with Dan Pixley. 05/18/2019.]</ref>. General best practices for food based "Lacto-fermentations" should be followed such as: even salt distribution, minimizing oxygen contact with fruit, and fermentation temperatures at or slightly above room temperature. If the fruit does not release water to create a natural brine, a brine solution can be made to help ensure a more even distribution of salt and create a lack of oxygen in the fermentation vessel. Common fruits utilized for "Lacto-fermentations" include lemons, blueberries, cherries, pineapple, gooseberries, plums etc. Other spices or herbs can also be used to add additional flavors during fermentation. Similar to a brine, another method documented in "The Noma Guide to Fermentation" utilizes a honey/water/salt solution with fruit to produce a ''Lactobacillus'' fermented syrup flavored with fruit and/or spices <ref>[https://www.workman.com/products/the-noma-guide-to-fermentation "The Noma Guide to Fermentation". René Redzepi and David Zilber. Workman Publishing. October 16th, 2018.]</ref>.