Because of the chashivus of fruit of the tree, Chazal made a special nusach of praise for them: “…boray p’ri hoaytz”. (ShA1 – BeH “p’ri”)
Grape wine (including raisin wine) is the most chashuv from all of the fruit products being that it satisfies and gladdens the heart like no other. Chazal made a special nusach of praise for it: “…boray p’ri Hagoffen.” (ShA1 – MB2,3,4)
Say Hagoffen even if the wine has been boiled or ingredients have been added to enhance the wine. If the ingredients are ones common for people to add, then they can even be the majority of the cocktail (as long as they are not 6 parts to the wine) and the beracha remains Hagoffen. But if it is not a commonly added ingredient (e.g. beer) then only if the majority of the mixture is wine will you say Hagoffen. (ShA1 –MB10)
If you added something to the wine that ruins its taste, the beracha becomes Shehakol. (MB7)
Anything growing on a tree but is not the main fruit gets the lower-class beracha of “…boray p’ri Hoadama”. This includes edible immature grapes. Once the grapes are either fully grown or small but seem ripe, say Hoaytz. (ShA2,6 – MB15)
All other immature fruit is Shehakol as long as it is edible. If the fruit is still too bitter or sour to eat, no beracha is said on it at all. (ShA2 – MB18) A LIST OF FOODS AND THEIR BERACHOS
Raw, edible fruit seeds eaten alone – Hoadama. Eaten as toffel to the fruit – covered by the beracha on the fruit. (MB23)
Inedible fruit seeds made edible through heat – Shehakol. (ShA3)
Olive oil plain – no beracha. (ShA4)
Olive oil mixed with another liquid swallowed for a throat remedy – Hoaytz. If it is swallowed as a drink – Shehakol. (ShA4)
Inedible unripe fruit prepared for eating by heat – Hoaytz. (ShA5 – MB18,37)
Candied orange peel – Shehakol. (MB39)
Dates that are completely mashed – Hoaytz because you can still tell what it is. (ShA7 – MB40)
Potatoes that are completely mashed – Hoadama. (MB40)
Jam – Shehakol when you can’t tell what fruit it is. (Rama7)
A fruit or vegetable that is mostly eaten in its pulverized form does not go down to Shehakol. (MB44)
Fruit juices including date honey – Shehakol. (ShA8)
Broth of fruit either soaked or boiled – Shehakol. (ShA10 – MB53)
If you need to say both May’ayn Shalosh and Boray Nefashos, May’ayn Shalosh comes first since it is more chashuv. (BeH “beracha”)
You can’t say Shehakol on water just to get out of a doubt about the beracha of some other food – you must be a bit thirsty in order to justify the Shehakol on water. (BeH “yishteh”)
Any fruit that people enjoy both raw or cooked, Hoaytz is the beracha for both forms. But if most people eat them cooked, Hoaytz is said on them only when cooked; whereas Shehakol is the beracha when eaten raw. (ShA12 – MB63)
If the fruit is eaten by people only when raw, Shehakol becomes the appropriate beracha when cooked. (MB65)
Ripe nuts, shelled and fried in honey are still hoaytz – the honey is secondary. This is true for any fruit, whether Hoaytz or Hoadama, that is improved by frying – it remains with its original beracha. (ShA13 – MB67)
Crushed nuts – Hoaytz. Pulverised to the extent that you can’t identify them – Shehakol. (MB68)
Dried spices used only to flavor other food (e.g. pepper, ginger, cloves) when eaten plain – no beracha. Eaten mixed with sugar – Hoadama. (ShA16 – MB79)
Fresh pepper and ginger – Hoadama. (ShA17)
If you have a doubt if the fruit is the main product of the tree (Hoaytz) or a secondary product (Hoadama) say Hoadama. Do not just say Hoadama on every fruit just because you have not learned – do not eat it until you go learn how to be precise with your berachos. (Rama18 – MB84)
If you have a doubt that the food might be Shehakol, say Shehakol to be safe. (Rama18 – MB86) LAWS OF BIRKAS HAPAIROS