Cherries in Beer

[PieOPah]

With the brew I made yesterday, I plan on adding cherries into the secondary. Just a couple of things I'd like to be prepared for...

Firstly, I am looking for a very subtle (but noticeable) flavour rather than something overpowering like a Kriek. I have 2 bags of cherries in the freezer. An 800g bag and a 700g bag (this is the weight after stones were removed). Would this be too much for a subtle flavour? Should I just use the one bag?

Secondly, I will obviously need to sanitize. What would be the best method without losing too much of the flavour? A short boil adding everything to the fermenter (water 'n all)?

Finally, will the cherries sink or float? I don't want them blocking up my tap making it difficult to empty my fermenter.

Thanks

[tubby_shaw]

I did a batch with 700g of cherries in 10L of beer and the cherry flavour is only just there, so for 23 litres bung the lot in
As for sanitation, boiling the fruit will set the pectin which will cause cloudiness in the finished beer You could try pasteurising them with hot water at 80C or giving the fruit a soak in 1 pint of cold water with a crushed campden tablet dissolved in it.
The cherries float once fermentation starts as the CO2 lifts them through the beer.

[PieOPah]

I like the simplicity of the campden tablet. Being cold water, not of the flavour is likely to be leeched out so I won't need to dilute my beer.

I assume that with the water poured away, the campden tablet won't have any effect on the yeast after I add the cherries?

[louthepoo]

i thought about doing a beer with cherries before i chose the elderflower ale, let us know how it turns out Pie

[PieOPah]

Will do

[mysterio]

I don't sanitise the fruit before I add it (to the secondary)... works out fine.

Randy Mosher (Radical Brewing) says simply freezing it is enough to reduce the microbial load enough so that the alcohol in the beer will kill anything, and that most of the stuff on the skins is brewing yeast anyway.

[PieOPah]

That seems even better to me....

[mysterio]

That seems even better to me....

There's an episode of basic brewing radio where he discusses fruit beer, very interesting & full of tips.

[PieOPah]

You could try pasteurising them with hot water at 80C

Just a thought, does the fruit need to be in the water or could it be kept sealed in a plastic bag? I would really prefer not to lose too much of the juice and don't want to be watering down an already weak beer (about 3.8% ABV)

[oblivious]

Could you steam them?

Also is there a risk with the heat of getting a pectin haze in the beer?

[PieOPah]

Yeah I can steam them no problem - this could cause pectin haze though.

If I keep the temp @ 80 then I shouldn't get pectin haze.

[PieOPah]

Well, I have added the cherries to my beer. In the end I did nothing....

I was considering a spray of Iodophor solution, but I didn't bother with this! I am going on the idea of faith Everything should be okay. The beer is 4.5ish% alcohol so should be enough to kill any beasties. I guess I will find out in a couple of weeks

The beer has gone from a pale golden colour to a rich dark red. Obviously in bulk this looks darker than it is. I think that once in a glass it will have that lovely red colour I am after.

[Western Brewer]

I tried Kreik cherry beer yesterday. I was without doubt the most disgusting tasting beer I have ever tried . It went down the sink. Yet I enjoyed Belhaven fruit beer
Don't ruin a good beer by adding cherries Pie

[tubby_shaw]

I tried Kreik cherry beer yesterday. I was without doubt the most disgusting tasting beer I have ever tried . It went down the sink. Yet I enjoyed Belhaven fruit beer
Don't ruin a good beer by adding cherries Pie

It all depends on which Kriek you bought WB, if you bought the Belle Vue stuff it deserved to go down the sink
But Leifmans and Lindemans beers are something else

[Western Brewer]

It all depends on which Kriek you bought WB, if you bought the Belle Vue stuff it deserved to go down the sink

Yup! That's the stuff