Cranberries in the pLambic primary?

[Bakes]

Hey all - Brewing a pLambic and have both fresh and aged/dried cranberries. Was planning to add the aged/dried cranberries to the primary, then after a week (or when fermentation slows on the ale yeast) rack the beer off into the secondary for a long slow vacation with fresh cranberries and the Marx Brothers (pedio, lacto, and brettano). Any thoughts on this?

My thought was to let the more concentrated aged berry flavor come out in the primary, with the tarter flavor of fresh berries combining with the cultures to give it a ripping punch.

Any input appreciated - after 10 years it's great to have the smell of grains in the house again!

 

[Bobby_M]

As far as I can tell, real Lambics sit in the same vessel from the time they're moved from the innoculating coolship to when they are bottled. FWIW, my latest attempt at a Framboise puts the fresh wort into the barrel with funky wood and additional cultures for 6 months, then the fruit goes right in, then wait another year.

 

[Bakes]

As far as I can tell, real Lambics sit in the same vessel from the time they're moved from the innoculating coolship to when they are bottled. FWIW, my latest attempt at a Framboise puts the fresh wort into the barrel with funky wood and additional cultures for 6 months, then the fruit goes right in, then wait another year.

Cool, thanks! Where did you get the "funky wood"? I was planning on using steamed oak in the secondary unless I can make it over to the Finger Lakes soon to see what I could scrounge from the wineries I know,

 

[Bakes]

Got done pasteurizing the aged cranberries and it smelled like someone was cooking up a batch of Robitussin in the kitchen. Something foul in there. Using the old berries for a coffee cake or something and will take Bobby_M's advice and add the fruit deep into the fermentation.

 

[Bobby_M]

Cool, thanks! Where did you get the "funky wood"? I was planning on using steamed oak in the secondary unless I can make it over to the Finger Lakes soon to see what I could scrounge from the wineries I know,

The funky barrel is on batch 4 that got started with a few cultures from various places but mostly Wyeast lambic blend. The wood is well inoculated by now so you don't have to pitch anything new.