Fruit Beer

What is Fruit Beer?

Fruit beers are beers flavoured with fruit. Some brewers use whole fruits or purées to impart flavour; others use flavour extracts or syrups.

Typically, fruit beers are brewed from ales, though much of the original ale character may not be prominent as the fruits overshadow the malt aroma and flavour and the low hop content allows the fruits to dominate.

The most famous fruit-flavoured beers include lambics, such as cherry beer kriek, raspberry beer framboise, and peach beer pêche.

Origin Story

Before hops entered the world of brewing, various herbs, spices, and fruits were used to flavour beer. Archaeological findings indicate that fruits have been used in beer for thousands of years. For example, it is known that ancient Egyptians used dates and pomegranates in beer brewing.

As hops became widely used in the Middle Ages, the utilization of alternative flavourings in beer declined. Nevertheless, fruit beers persisted, albeit in smaller quantities, throughout history.

The birth of modern fruit beer can be traced to the late 19th century when kriek brewing began in Belgium. Before that, it was common practice in Belgian cafes and bars to add puréed fruits to beer before serving to offer customers a wider range of flavours. Breweries took notice and began using fruits in brewing: cherries were initially used, and a bit later raspberry beer framboise and peach beer pêche followed.

Subsequently, the practice of infusing beer with fruits extended to other nations, leading to the adoption of a diverse range of fruit and even vegetable beers.

Many of the fruit beers produced today have overwhelming fruit aromas and tastes, dominating the nose and palate to the extent that some may no longer be identifiable as traditional beers.