bourbon soaked cherries - what beer?

[yock]

A friend gave me about a cup of black cherries that have been soaking in bourbon for about a year (they were in the freezer, but not frozen). I'd like to use them in a beer but am perplexed on what beer style to use. I'm thinking a stout or a porter. I would just brew the beer, then put the cherries in the secondary for about a week, then bottle. I might also add a few vanilla beans in the secondary. I only want a hint of the cherry/bourbon flavor, nothing overpowering. If I do a stout, what style would work - a creamy stout? I've read all the forums relating to cherries, but people were adding them to chocolate stouts, or coffee stouts. I want to add vanilla beans, so I don't want too much going on in flavor other than that. Any ideas?

 

[passedpawn]

Denny's vanilla bourbon porter would be a good choice. I've got it on tap right now and I could imagine the addition being nice (if it was noticable at all; with fruit, you need to add a LOT to have an effect).

If I had them, I'd put them in some homemade ice cream.

 

[HLSheppard]

I keep thinking a nice RIS would be a good vehicle for them...

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I'm having a harder time with trying to come up with a beer style it *wouldn't* be good in.

Maybe rauchbiers or double IPAs? Actually scratch the rauchbier, the smoke and bourbon would be good together. Maybe not good in a sahti, then again I have had the sum total of 1 sahti ever, so I cant say for sure if bourbon and cherries would be bad in it.

If I was going to use them, I would put it in something malty with a lot of wheat/munich malt with a healthy dose of brown/biscuit malt to try and give it a toasty bread crusty flavor so I am drinking bourbon cherry pie.

 

[Dan_K]

Belgian Dubbel
Belgian Dark Strong
Belgian Quad
Barleywine
Double porter
Imperial Stout

 

[woo_pig]

Why waste them .You can just do cherries and bourbon chips .

 

[ColeVet67]

something along the lines of what ArkotRamathorn said.. what about an ESB.. ? or English Style Brown ale.. ?
I'm not feeling the Rauchbier.. but that's personal opinion. i think too much smoke.. for the flavor of cherries to come through.. i also agree.. perfect ingredients for a stout..

 

[IchLiebeBier]

I once brewed a half-recipe of Jamil's Black Forest Stout to see if my wife would like it. I think they'd go very well in that recipe.

 

[imasickboy]

Belgian Dark Strong
Belgian Quad

If you want "just another boozy, fruited, beer" put them in whatever you want. But if you want the mythical unicorn beer that you'll be talking about 15 years from now, go with one of those Belgians. Just be sure you can make a great example of either of those, first. Leave them in the freezer until you can give them the proper home they deserve.