Sam Calagione Sour Cherry Ale

MikeyLikesIt70 · 03-05-2009, 09:30 PM

I am going to try this recipe, but have a few questions:

Fermenting times? It isn't defined in the book
If I am doing secondary fermenting, do I strain out the cherries or leave them in?

Thanks!

Mike

**brewmasterpa** · 03-05-2009, 11:02 PM

well i cant seem to find any of the recipe information that youre going off of. you should never strain your already fermented beer because it will come out tasting like wet cardboard. the cherries should be introduced into a fruit beer in the secondary if youre using fresh (or frozen) fruit, not the primary. fermenting times for most ales are pretty standard, 14 days in primary, 7-14 days in secondary. i would go with 14 days in the secondary due to the introduction of the fruit. you have to remember to add about .75 gallons of extra water to your brew to compensate for the loss due to the cherries when you rack from the secondary to the bottling bucket/keg. fruit takes up a lot of space in the fermenter. try to give some recipe/method information so i can get specific.

MikeyLikesIt70 · 03-06-2009, 01:31 AM

I am going from the Sour Cherry Ale from the Extreme Brewing book. It actually has me adding the cherries after the boil, when the wort has cooled.

The recipe don't speak to a secondary fermentation, but I would like to see if that's something I should do or filter them out if I move to the secondary.

Mike

BeernuT100 · 03-06-2009, 02:34 AM

If you put them in the primary then do not move them to the secondary.

TCJosh · 03-06-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewmasterpodunkarizona

you should never strain your already fermented beer because it will come out tasting like wet cardboard.

So when racking from primary to secondary....don't use a strainer? I have done this with all the brews I've done (granted only 5) and I have not experienced this wet cardboard taste you're talking about. What is it within that process that would cause that flavor?

llazy_llama · 03-06-2009, 11:58 AM

Oxidation. You've been lucky so far, but you don't want to press your luck. Using an autosiphon, you really shouldn't have to worry about sediment too much, especially not anything large like a piece of fruit.

CBBaron · 03-06-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCJosh

So when racking from primary to secondary....don't use a strainer? I have done this with all the brews I've done (granted only 5) and I have not experienced this wet cardboard taste you're talking about. What is it within that process that would cause that flavor?

If your strainer aerates the beer like what would happen if you pour it through a screen then the beer will become oxidized. This off flavor can taste like wet cardboard.

If you post the recipe and process we can help give you some ideas. There are a number of ways to get a sour ale and they involve very different steps in the fermenter. So we need to know what the recipe intended.

Craig

**brewmasterpa** · 03-06-2009, 01:37 PM

you can add the cherries to the wort either during the last 10 minutes of boil so as to pasteurize, but if you dont want pectic haze, you can add after the boil. i always boil to pasteurize because as ive said before, i prefer the haze over wild yeast in the beer. then you can put it all in the fermenter, the only problem with that is an, OH MY GOD ARE YOU KIDDING ME amount of trub in the fermenter. you might be susceptible to a stuck fermentation. personally, i would put the cherries in the secondary, then rack your fermented beer out of the primary over the cherries. thats what ive always done, just seems to work out just fine. and by the way, NEVER EVER STRAIN YOUR FERMENTED BEER. if youve been doing this STOP THAT!!!!! youll be pissed when you ruin a batch from oxidation.

TCJosh · 03-06-2009, 01:49 PM

Im glad i learned this. I must have been really lucky so far. Good to know, Im racking to 2nd this weekend and won't be using a strainer

MikeyLikesIt70 · 03-06-2009, 05:25 PM

Preboil:

8 oz crushed wheat malt
8 oz crushed Munich malt

2 teaspoons gypsum

Boil

6.6 lbs light malt extract (Can I use DME here?)
1 oz Northern brewer hops
.5 oz Fuggles
.5 oz Tettanger (Same as Tettang?)
1 teaspoon Irish moss
2 lbs of dried cherries

End of Boil

4 teaspoons of pectic enzyme

Wyeast Belgian Strong Ale

I'm supposed to add the cherries after the boil at 170 degrees. Then add the pectic enzyme once I get wort into the primary.

So, when primary fermentation stops, do I just siphon it off into the secondary without the cherries? I am wanting to go for max sour here, but I'm not sure if keeping the cherries in the secondary will give me that result.

Hope this is enough info, let me know if I've missed something.

Thanks again!

Mike