Hi everyone and need brewing suggestions

[Iowa27]

My son and I have brewed on and off for the past few years. I have recently acquired a 5 gallon whiskey barrel. We would like to brew an Imperial Nut Brown and add hand-picked cherries sometime in the process.
My questions:
At what point do I add the cherries, and can I add the cherries during the barrel-aging process?

Thanks everyone

 

[GoodTruble]

I usually add fruit after primary fermentation, and leave it for 4-7 days.

I have not barrel aged anything (only used wood chips), but I don't think I would add fruit into the barrel. Too much time/opportunity for the fruit to do things you don't want. I would rather just add more fruit after primary fermentation and before barrel aging to leave more flavor to age over time.

But last year I made a Scottish ale with brandy-soaked cherries and oak chips that turned out great. Good luck!

 

[ItsReck1]

For me it depends what I am trying to do with the cherries. I have added them in the last 5 minutes of the boil to great success as far as aroma and light cherry flavors.

I have pasturized the cherries before as well, which requires a double broiler and you basically mash the cherries and heat to 160 to 170F, hold for 15 minutes. From there you can freeze or add to the secondary/keg without worrying about infections.

You can also do the freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw method. Just freeze the cherries thaw them freeze, rinse and repeat. The freezing breaks the walls of the fruit and can still kill the microbes. I have done this before, no infections but still am on the fence with that method.

 

[mashdar]

Personally I'd add fruit in secondary (or post-ferment primary vessel) and barrel afterwards. Like Goodtruble said, sitting on the fruit for too long seems iffy (but I've never done it). I wonder how lambics do it; that might be a subject to read up on.

Cherries after primary saves some cherry fruit smell from getting scrubbed by CO2.

Re pasteurizing the cherries, if you want the beer to sour you might skip this. My only concern with heating them is pectin which might cause haze.