As someone who works in supplying ingredients to breweries, I’ve learned that strawberries are always in demand. But fresh strawberries spoil fast. They’re also hard to store, hard to clean, and the flavor can change from batch to batch. That’s where strawberry concentrate comes in.

Many brewers I work with now prefer concentrate over fresh fruit. It saves them time, space, and hassle. And when it’s done right, the flavor holds up just as well.

What Is Strawberry Concentrate?

Strawberry concentrate is made by crushing fresh strawberries, removing the pulp and seeds, and boiling off some of the water. What’s left is a thick liquid with strong strawberry flavor and a lot of natural sugar.

Most brewers prefer aseptic strawberry concentrate. This means it has been pasteurized and packed in sterile containers, with no need for cold storage until opened.

A good concentrate should be:

• 100% real fruit

• Free from added sugar

• Free from preservatives

• Rich in color and aroma

When I supply it, I always include a full product spec sheet. Brewers want to know exactly what they’re putting into their tanks.

Why Brewers Use It

There are a few reasons why strawberry concentrate is a smart choice for brewers:

• Stronger flavor
  Because the water is removed, the flavor is more concentrated and consistent.

• Shelf stability
  It doesn’t spoil like fresh fruit and stores well at room temperature.

• Easy to use
  Just pour and mix. No chopping, washing, or prepping.

• No waste
  You don’t lose any product to stems, seeds, or skins.

• More control
  Brewers can adjust the level of flavor with more precision.

These benefits matter, especially for small and mid-size breweries that need to move fast and keep costs low.

Best Beer Styles for Strawberry Concentrate

Strawberry flavor is light and sweet, so it works best in beers with soft malt and low bitterness.

Popular styles include:

• Wheat beers

• Blonde ales

• Kettle sours

• Berliner Weisse

• Gose

• Hard seltzers

• Fruit-forward saisons

It also pairs well with other fruits like lemon, rhubarb, or even basil if the brewer is aiming for something a bit more creative.

How Brewers Add It

When a brewery places an order with me, I always ask when they plan to add the fruit. This helps me guide them on how much they’ll need.

Strawberry concentrate is usually added after primary fermentation. That helps keep the flavor fresh and prevents it from getting blown off by active yeast.

Here’s what most brewers do:

• Add concentrate into the brite tank or during conditioning

• Mix slowly to avoid oxygen pickup

• Let it sit for 24–48 hours

• Taste and adjust if needed

• Cold crash and package

Typical usage is 1 to 2 pounds of concentrate per barrel, depending on the desired strength. I recommend starting small and scaling up with each batch.

What to Look Out For

Strawberry concentrate is easy to work with, but there are a few things brewers should be aware of:

• Watch the sugar
  Concentrate is sweet. If added before fermentation is complete, the sugar will ferment and possibly restart activity in the tank.

• Color may vary
  Depending on the season, the color of natural concentrate can shift slightly. It’s usually a deep red or pink.

• Taste before scaling
  Every base beer reacts differently. I always tell new brewers to test in small batches first.

• Store it right after opening
  Once opened, the concentrate should be used quickly or kept cold and sealed tight.

Packaging and Supply

We supply strawberry concentrate in different sizes depending on the brewery’s needs:

• 1-gallon jugs for small batches

• 5-gallon pails for medium-sized breweries

• 55-gallon drums for large operations

All are shipped at room temperature in sealed, food-safe containers. We keep our stock in a clean, dry warehouse and rotate inventory regularly to keep everything fresh.

Delivery usually takes two to five business days. For our regular customers, we offer scheduled shipments so they never run low.

Tips for New Brewers

If you're using strawberry concentrate for the first time, here’s what I tell my clients:

• Choose a clean base beer with low bitterness

• Don’t expect sourness from strawberries—they’re sweet

• Pair with other ingredients for complexity if needed

• Always run a test batch before full production

• Keep oxygen out during mixing

Simple steps like these make a big difference in how the final beer tastes.

Final Thoughts

Strawberry concentrate has become a key ingredient for many breweries I work with. It’s easier to manage than fresh fruit, and the flavor stays true. It also makes brewing faster and more predictable.

Supplying brewing ingredients isn’t just about shipping a product. It’s about making sure brewers get what they need to do their job right. Strawberry concentrate is one of those ingredients that delivers every time—if you know what to look for and how to use it.

If you’re supplying brewing or thinking about getting into it, having strawberry concentrate on your list is a smart move. It’s reliable, flexible, and always in demand.