Beer Forum

Has anyone had any experience using dried figs in the fermenter. I am fermenting a Belgian Styled Dark Ale and when fermentation slows, I will be adding some Dark Candi Sugar and Figs. I bought some dried turkish figs and black mission figs from Whole foods (I wasn't sure which ones were better). I plan on chopping them up and steeping them in a small amount of hot water to sanitize and rehydrate.

Has anyone done this? Any Tips? Are Turkish Figs any better or worse than Mission Figs?

You'd probably be better off using a premium fig juice concentrate or manufactured fig syrup. And yes, both exist commercially.

One of our guys made a fig wheat. "Started at about 1.070 or so BEFORE adding the figs. After fermenting for 2 weeks I added the figs and let it set for 2 weeks. FG is about 1.008".

I sampled it and thought it was rather good. I certainly didn't find anything about it I didn't like. I believe he used fresh figs, he didn't post the procedure.

Here's what you're looking at sugar-wise.



That info is from this paper.

http://edergi.sdu.edu.tr/index.php/zfd/article/viewFile/191/86

If I were to do do dry figs I'd probably start with your small amount of hot water to sanitize and rehydrate, and then make a fig puree with wort to disperse it adequately.

Charlie

Never used 'em for beer, but as far as taste goes, I really like dried mission figs. They have an unsmoked-cigar taste to them. I bet they would be good in a stout.