Sour Cherry Ale - Extreme Brewing

[drhall23]

I am very new to the home-brewing scene, so I am still very by the book and doing everything step by step. I am in the process of fermentation my 3rd batch of beer, but these first 3 have all been brewers best kits.

My wife just got me the Extreme Brewing: An Enthusiast's Guide to Brewing Craft Beer at Home, by Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery, for Christmas. As I have been skimming through the book, I came across the Sour Cherry Ale Recipe. I would like to make this as my 4th batch, but would that there is no description about how long to leave it in there or to put it in secondary or anything. Can someone help me with the process?

Has anyone come across this and know the missing steps, or could outline for me what do in order to get this beer to bottle?

Thanks!
-D

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I'm sure he just leaves that blank in the book because not all batches will act the same. I'd give it 3 weeks in the primary before you bottle it. Secondary isn't really needed for this beer.

 

[dummkauf]

Leave in primary until your hydrometer says it's done, after that it's a matter of opinion.

I would probably leave it on the yeast for another week or 2 after fermentation is complete and then bottle/keg, or you could rack to secondary to let it clear and/or age for a while. But whatevery you do, do NOT touch it until your hydro reading are stable.

 

[drhall23]

Thanks for the help!
Stupid question...."Leave in primary until your hydrometer says it's done,"

Can you explain this to me like I am 8? I am still very new to all this. I have been trying to talk to others that I work with and have been doing some reading...but still am trying to get the lingo done and the process.

 

[corbomite]

A good rule of thumb is that if your hydrometer reading hasn't changed in 3 days it is done. I'm looking at the book now and the OG is 1.066 so I would probably leave it in for a minimum of 3 weeks.

 

[dummkauf]

Thanks for the help!
Stupid question...."Leave in primary until your hydrometer says it's done,"

Can you explain this to me like I am 8? I am still very new to all this. I have been trying to talk to others that I work with and have been doing some reading...but still am trying to get the lingo done and the process.

Your hydrometer measures the sugars in a solution, in this case wort. The more sugar you have in the wort, the higher the gravity will be(bigger number), as the yeasties eat the sugar and convert them into alcohol and C02 the gravity drops(numbers get smaller). The biggest misconception new brewers have, myself included when I first started, was to assume that no bubbles in the airlock meant it was done fermenting, or just go on a set number of days/weeks to determine when it's done. Both of those options are dangerous because if you bottle before fermentation is done you risk making bottle bombs. There are a number of factors that determine how long it will take to ferment(temp, yeast strain, starting gravity, etc...), so what might ferment in 2 weeks for me may take you 3 to 4, the only way to tell is with the hydrometer.

To check if it's done, you need to take a hydrometer reading, write it down and wait a couple days. Then take another reading, write it down and wait. You could probably get by with 2 readings, but since you're new I'd recommend grabbing 3 in case you misread the hydrometer sample on one of them. When the gravity quits dropping it will stay the same. Pulling 2 to 3 samples a few days apart and getting the exact same reading means it's done fermenting. If you start pulling those samples and the numbers are still dropping, it means the yeast are still working and the beer is actively fermenting.

I'd wait atleast 2 weeks before you pull the fist sample too.

 

[drhall23]

Thank you!
Stay tuned for results!

 

[DirkDiggler]

What yeast are they using? There would be a big difference in how you ferment it if it's just a straight yeast strain versus a yeast/brett/lacto/... mix.

 

[Dogphish]

i have the book in hand. he says to cool the boiled wort to 170 degrees, add the cherries, and let them sit in the fermenter during primary fermentation. he does not use a secondary fermenter in this recipe. he goes straight from primary to bottling bucket. be sure you add the bottling sugar when necessary. he does not mention that.

i would also suggest that you could soak the cherries in no rinse sanitizer for a minute, then freeze them to sanitize them then break the skin and allow for more flavor diffusion.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

What yeast are they using? There would be a big difference in how you ferment it if it's just a straight yeast strain versus a yeast/brett/lacto/... mix.

The recipe just calls for a sach yeast. Nothing fancy. I think it was actually an ESB yeast. So...not "sour" like we think in brewing...but sour flavor.

 

[drhall23]

I am ready to bottle my fermented Sour Cherry Ale...how much priming sugar should I add? The recipe doesn't say.
Thanks.