Black cherry concentrate

[MotoGP1000]

Hi !

I have a chocolate porter I plan on using black berry concentrate with.
Anyone use this before and how much would you use for a 5gallons batch?

thanks

 

[myelo]

These are hard to predict unless you have a specific recipe someone has tried. And it depends a lot on which specific concentrate you're using. I used the Amoretti brand and added 4 oz to a 5 gallon sour stout and it was about right for a mild flavor, which is what I wanted.

 

[myelo]

Sorry, just noticed that your post said black berry while your title was black cherry. It was the black cherry I used. I've never used blackberry, but in general that tends to be a milder flavor than black cherry I think.

 

[hjblwme]

Just be very careful with concentrate adjuncts. I experimented with some and if not careful you could end up with a beer the resembles cough syrup. Try with a glass at a time so you can get the amount per glass right and then scale up from there.

 

[MotoGP1000]

Sorry, just noticed that your post said black berry while your title was black cherry. It was the black cherry I used. I've never used blackberry, but in general that tends to be a milder flavor than black cherry I think.

I mean black cherry. I guess the auto correct police got me

 

[MotoGP1000]

Just be very careful with concentrate adjuncts. I experimented with some and if not careful you could end up with a beer the resembles cough syrup. Try with a glass at a time so you can get the amount per glass right and then scale up from there.

ive heard of this cough medicine phenomenon. I guess if the quantity of concentrate is too high I could see that happening. I have a conditioning keg I typically use for my neipas. Maybe I’ll add 5oz in first and see what it does. If it’s not enough then add more when I push it to the serving keg.
When do you put the concentrate in and did it kick off more fermentation?

 

[hjblwme]

ive heard of this cough medicine phenomenon. I guess if the quantity of concentrate is too high I could see that happening. I have a conditioning keg I typically use for my neipas. Maybe I’ll add 5oz in first and see what it does. If it’s not enough then add more when I push it to the serving keg.
When do you put the concentrate in and did it kick off more fermentation?

When we did the experimenting it was with a carbed beer and was to see where it would go. We had a base recipe that were were tweaking. So I’m not sure what it would do. If you have a cheater bottle that you can carbonate separate I would try it there first. Just my .02.

 

[MotoGP1000]

Update:
Used 14oz of Black cherry concentrate in 5gallons of chocolate porter. Result..... zero cherry. Maybe a little tartness but nothing to write home about and the vanilla is going to round that out.

 

[hjblwme]

Next time don’t use extract and throw some Briess Cherrywood smoked malt in there. I use 1lb in my stout. I don’t get much if any smoke off of it, but I get a ton of cherry flavor.

 

[bucketnative]

Next time don’t use extract...

He's talking about concentrate, which is very different from extract.

@MotoGP1000 there's a thread here, that probably has an answer for you: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...t-cherry-juice-concentrate-in-a-stout.277391/

 

[AzOr]

If it's not too late.......
Black cherry doesn't offer much in flavor. If it were my beer, I'd buy tart cherry juice. Then I'd freeze concentrate it. The process is very easy. Mine came in a 40oz plastic bottle (like a big gatorade bottle). I took about a cup out (to allow for expansion) then stuck in freezer for a few days. Then I let it thaw upside down and collected roughly half and discarded the rest of the ice/weak juice.

This way you won't be diluting your beer too much and also saving a bunch of money.

Good luck either way.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Black cherry concentrate (the kind you dilute with water to make juice) offers a good amount of flavor and even if you over due it a little it will not taste artificial. I’ve used this in a stout with good results as an addition, and I primed a wheat beer in a mini keg with it. The stout was great the wheat beer tasted good, but was pretty nasty looking, so I wouldn’t do that again. As far as the amount to use it depends on how much concentrate you’d use for a gallon of juice and how much cherry flavor you want.

 

[MotoGP1000]

Next time don’t use extract and throw some Briess Cherrywood smoked malt in there. I use 1lb in my stout. I don’t get much if any smoke off of it, but I get a ton of cherry flavor.

I have never heard of this but I’m extremely curious

 

[hjblwme]

I have never heard of this but I’m extremely curious

It’s good stuff. The best way I can describe the aroma of the malt is like the inside of my Big Green Egg. I used it in a stout and everyone asked how much cherry I put in it. Then for some reason after aging for a year I am now also getting a bourbon flavor. I can’t figure that one out.

 

[MotoGP1000]

It’s good stuff. The best way I can describe the aroma of the malt is like the inside of my Big Green Egg. I used it in a stout and everyone asked how much cherry I put in it. Then for some reason after aging for a year I am now also getting a bourbon flavor. I can’t figure that one out.

That’s wild. and you didn’t use any other cherry additives?

 

[hjblwme]

That’s wild. and you didn’t use any other cherry additives?

None whatsoever.

 

[MotoGP1000]

None whatsoever.

I gotta try this. What percentage of the cherrywood took up your grist?

 

[hjblwme]

I gotta try this. What percentage of the cherrywood took up your grist?

1 lb Cherrywood Smoked Malt
12 oz Carafa 1
8 oz Chocolate Malt
8 oz Flaked Oats
8 oz Malted Oats
4 oz Flaked Barley
4 oz Roasted Barley
8 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt 60L
1 lb Dark DME @ boil
6.6 lb Pale Liquid Extract
.75 oz Magnum @ 60
.25 oz East Kent Goldings @ 15
1 lb Lactose @ 15
1 pk SafAle S-04


This is the recipe.

 

[MotoGP1000]

1 lb Cherrywood Smoked Malt
12 oz Carafa 1
8 oz Chocolate Malt
8 oz Flaked Oats
8 oz Malted Oats
4 oz Flaked Barley
4 oz Roasted Barley
8 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt 60L
1 lb Dark DME @ boil
6.6 lb Pale Liquid Extract
.75 oz Magnum @ 60
.25 oz East Kent Goldings @ 15
1 lb Lactose @ 15
1 pk SafAle S-04


This is the recipe.

Awesome thanks for the suggestion. I’m genuinely curious about this. Going to have to drink through this 5gallons of Porter quickly so I can brew again

 

[hjblwme]

Awesome thanks for the suggestion. I’m genuinely curious about this. Going to have to drink through this 5gallons of Porter quickly so I can brew again

The original batch of this got consumed rather quick. Although listening to my LHBS owner he said to set some back to age. Which I am glad I did. So after a year in the bottle I opened more and it’s even better then when young.

A month ago I did another brew and added some Chocolate nibs soaked in a shot of bourbon (to sanitize of course) and when I went to bottle it I couldn’t hardly contain myself with how wonderful it was coming out. It’s been bottled for a week and I am fighting the urge to crack one open to see how it’s coming along.

Awe damn it. One is now going to be chilled for dessert.