Sanitizing the cherrys for homebrew?

[jjmeldrum]

Hello fellow brewers . This is my first time making a fruit beer and cherry's where the choice. I made the beer 1 week ago and now I want to add the cherry's but I don't know where to start. I talked to a local brewer and he said to crack the cherry's and just add them to the second fermentation. I don't know how to clean them or if I should crack them. Iam also wondering how long I should leave them in the second fermentation for? If you have any advice it would be appreciated thanks for your time.

Jeffro

 

[deafcone]

If they're frozen you won't need tosanitize them or crack them.

If they are fresh you should crack them and soak them in vodka for about 20 minutes, then add the cherries, minus the vodka. you can sanitize a strainer to strain the cherries.

DC

 

[cactusgarrett]

I've found the easiest way add any fruit is to freeze, then thaw and add to the secondary. The freezing breaks down the cell walls of the fruit allowing for a greater "availability" of fruit to the beer. Kind of like nature's frappe setting on a blender. The already present alcohol in the beer at the secondary stage will prevent bugs from spoiling the batch.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Did you mean whole, fresh cherries?

I would wash them, pit them, mash them up with a potato masher, then heat them to 170*. Let cool, add to secondary, then rack your beer on top. Let it set for a week, then bottle or keg.

I did my last batch of cherry wheat that way. I used 5lbs of cherries, a combination of canned tart cherries and frozen black cherries.

It turned out pretty darned good.

 

[Greenmeadow]

I was told by my supplier to add Camden tabs (1 tab/gallon brew) to the mix to eliminate any wild yeasts on this mead I just brewed. He was advised to do this by some lady in his local brew club who does meads very often and very successfully, too.

I can't tell you anything about the results since it's still in the primary ferment. It is doing well at this point, though.

 

[beerocd]

I add at the end of a boil by taking half a pitcher of hot wort and blending the cherries with it. Cherries get sterilized, wort gets aerated, no issues with this technique to date. I've got a blueberry bock going right now using this technique.

-OCD

 

[jjmeldrum]

Thanks again guys for the advice. Home Brew talk rules.