Cherries (or other fruits?) in a Flanders red?

[TipsySaint]

I've got a 6 month old flanders red with roeselare yeast....was thinking of racking it onto 10 lbs of cherries when they come into season.

Anyone ever try this?

Any other ideas for fruit additions?

 

[Laszlo]

I made mine on 2-8-14. Sitting in the secondary about a year now. Thinking about the the same.

 

[passedpawn]

Yep, I've made a few red flanders. I use Oregon brand tart cherries in a can. You can buy them at walmart. Put as many into your carboy as you can.

I also add zante currants in there. Grocery store carries these, too, dried in a box.

 

[Laszlo]

As a kid growing up in Hungary (Europe) I remember to pick the red current off the bushes. What a flavor explosion of sweet and sour. I think that would be the perfect addition for this kind of brews. I live in upstate NY, no such thing in the stores here fresh or dried. Ever.

 

[passedpawn]

As a kid growing up in Hungary (Europe) I remember to pick the red current off the bushes. What a flavor explosion of sweet and sour. I think that would be the perfect addition for this kind of brews. I live in upstate NY, no such thing in the stores here fresh or dried. Ever.

The best place to get black currants: www.currantc.com

They were banned for a long time in this country.

 

[TipsySaint]

how long do you usually age the beer on the cherries or currants?

 

[Laszlo]

The best place to get black currants: www.currantc.com

They were banned for a long time in this country.

I never heard about this why?

 

[passedpawn]

I never heard about this why?

100+years ago currants were part of a chain of infections of some tree in the US. I can't remember what, but Google would find it for you. So they were outlawed until only VERY recently. Maybe they are still not legal in all states, not sure.

Anyway, there's nothing dangerous about them. And, given the time when this ban was invoked, they might not have been responsible for anything.

 

[passedpawn]

BTW, zante currants, which are available in the stores, are actually from a grape plant. Try to get the real deal if you can.

 

[TipsySaint]

so how long do you age the beer on currants? What sort of flavors do they impart? How did they work out in the FR?

 

[passedpawn]

so how long do you age the beer on currants? What sort of flavors do they impart? How did they work out in the FR?

Mine on the left, Russian River Consecration on the right.

My notes from my first two Flanders batches:

Flanders Red, Batch #1
Brewing Classic Styles recipe, on Roeselare. Fermented @ 75F.

• 2 wks: Slight sour
• 2 mo: Nicely sour, slight tart
• 2.5 mo: medium sour;
• 4 mo: added toasted oak chips, 2# dried currants
• 4.5 mo: noticebly tart, drier than before, acidic.
• 6 mo: added 1# cherries
• 6.5 mo: bottled.

If you want sour and funk, it has it in spades. I have some Russian River Consecration to compare it to and mine is a little more sour.

There was a little too much acetic acid in there from too much fiddling (sampling!) during the 6 months. I let too much O2 in there.

It's been in the bottles for about 5 months. They are perfectly carbonated, probably about 2 volumes CO2. They foam perfectly, but won't hold a head for the pH I guess.

Flanders Red, Batch #2

• Pitched onto the yeast/currant/oak/cherries cake of the previous batch.
• Sat undisturbed for 4 months.
• After 4 mo, transfered to secondary.

Tastes perfect right now, does not have that acetic acid of the last one. I'm going to let it go for at least another 6 months.​

 

[TipsySaint]

That is awesome! ever do any other type of additions?

 

[passedpawn]

That is awesome! ever do any other type of additions?

Not in a flanders red. (I've used limes in a berliner weisse, dates in a belgian dubbel, beets in an irish red, etc)

Add more cherries than I did. They just make it better.