Adding cherries

[Beer_belly]

We are brewing a mad elf clone and will be adding the cherries this weekend. I have read 2 lbs. sour and 2 lbs. sweet for about 1 month. Any of you guys have experience with this? Also, dry or canned? Pasteurize? Any tips you can give would be much appreciated! Happy brewing!

 

[m00ps]

using frozen fruits is generally recommended by both homebrewers and commercial breweries. The freezing process breaks down the cell walls, netting you more flavor and easier transferring

 

[CarbonTom]

using frozen fruits is generally recommended by both homebrewers and commercial breweries. The freezing process breaks down the cell walls, netting you more flavor and easier transferring

Do the frozen cherries sealed in bags come sanitary enough to put straight into the fermenter?

 

[m00ps]

I would say so. The freezing is suposed to bhelp with sanitation from what ive read. Im doing 3lbs frozen blackberries in a sour (so Im not too concerned with sanitation). My plan is to dunk them in starsan and toss them right into the bottom of the carboy before racking. But ive read others just thawing them in the bag and adding them right in

 

[slym2none]

IDK how true this is, but I have heard if you add fruit in the secondary, the alcohol will fight off most anything that frozen fruits might still have.

I would at the very least go the m00ps route - dunk 'em in StarSan first to at least attempt to sanitize the skins.