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Supplying Brewing with Lemon Concentrate

Supplying Brewing with Lemon Concentrate

In my work supplying ingredients to breweries, I get a lot of requests for fruit products.

Table Of Contents

What Is Lemon Concentrate?

Lemon concentrate is made by squeezing fresh lemons, removing the water through evaporation, and then sealing the remaining liquid. What you get is a thick, strong lemon base that can be stored longer than fresh juice.

Good lemon concentrate should have:

  • A strong lemon flavor

  • Natural acidity

  • No added sugar

  • No preservatives (if brewers are your main customers)

It’s not the same as lemon juice from the grocery store. That stuff often has added ingredients. Brewers want clean, consistent products that don’t interfere with fermentation.

Why Brewers Use It

Most brewers I work with choose lemon concentrate for a few simple reasons:

  • Flavor control
    It gives a steady lemon taste from batch to batch.

  • Saves time
    No need to peel or juice fresh lemons.

  • Long shelf life
    Can be stored without refrigeration if unopened.

  • Easy to ship and store
    It comes in drums, jugs, or pouches depending on volume.

Lemon works well with many beer styles. It’s also great in hard seltzers, kombucha, and even ready-to-drink cocktails.

When and How to Add It

From what brewers tell me, lemon concentrate is usually added at one of two stages:

  1. Post-fermentation
    Most common. This keeps the lemon flavor fresh and avoids killing aroma during fermentation.

  2. During secondary fermentation
    Some brewers want the lemon to blend deeper into the beer.

Here’s how brewers often handle it:

  • Measure the right amount per gallon (usually between 0.25 to 1 oz per gallon)

  • Mix it gently into the tank

  • Let it settle for a day or two

  • Test flavor and acidity before packaging

Oxygen is the enemy during this step. So closed transfers and gentle mixing are best practices.

What Brewers Should Know

If you’re supplying lemon concentrate to brewers, be ready to answer a few key questions. They often want to know:

  • Is it 100% lemon with no additives?

  • What’s the Brix level (sugar content)?

  • Is it clarified or cloudy?

  • What’s the pH?

  • Is it pasteurized or aseptic?

Keep a spec sheet on hand. It helps brewers adjust recipes and avoid surprises in fermentation.

Also, remind customers to taste and test in small batches. Lemon is strong. A little goes a long way, and too much can throw off balance.

Packing and Shipping

We offer lemon concentrate in different sizes depending on what the brewery needs. For smaller brewers, we provide 1-gallon jugs or 5-gallon pails. For larger operations, we use 55-gallon drums or 250-gallon totes.

Shipping is usually simple since the product is shelf-stable and doesn’t require cold storage. But once opened, it should be used quickly or kept cold.

We make sure our concentrate is stored in a clean, dry space, away from light and heat. That helps it last longer and keeps the flavor sharp.

Tips for New Brewers

If you’re a new brewer thinking about using lemon concentrate, here’s what I always recommend:

  • Start with a small test batch

  • Use a light base beer for better flavor contrast

  • Avoid overuse—too much acid can stall fermentation

  • Pair with other citrus for more complexity (like lime or orange)

Don’t treat lemon like a sweet fruit. It’s sharp and acidic. That’s what makes it good—but also what makes it tricky if you use too much.

Final Thoughts

Lemon concentrate is one of the most practical ingredients I supply to breweries. It’s stable, flexible, and delivers a clean taste that works across styles. From sour beers to hard lemonades, it’s a go-to choice for flavor and efficiency.

As a supplier, my job is to make sure brewers get what they need, when they need it. Lemon concentrate checks all the boxes: easy to store, easy to use, and reliable in every batch. If you’re not already offering it to your brewing clients, it’s time to start.

Hop Guild

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