Crossword Genius

Very quietly putting beer around fruit (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

apple

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'fruit' is the definition.
(I know that apple is a type of fruit)

'very quietly putting beer' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'quietly' could be 'pp' (musical abbreviation for pianissimo) and 'pp' is located in the answer.
'beer' could be 'ale' (type of beer) and 'ale' is present in the remaining letters.
This accounts for all the letters.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

'around' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for apple that I've seen before include "something to eat" , "Beatles' record label" , "Jonathan, for example" , "Tree of the rose family" , "Pomaceous fruit" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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