how much cherry to add.

[Fireman-Mike]

I will be brewing an american wheat tomorrow which i will turn into a cherry wheat. My question is how much cherries do i put in the secondary for a one gallon batch?

 

[allthingsgiant]

A good estimate with fruit beer is 1 lb of fruit per gallon. I would pit and then mince up the cherry in a food processor, then add to secondary.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

Agreed. 1lb per gallon will add a nice cherry flavor. However, that much fresh fruit normally gets kind of a sour lambic taste to it as well. Make sure you are using sweet cherries. If you want something like Sam Adams Cherry Wheat then I would recommend extract. Also I would recommend pasturizing and straining your fruit. A little work ahead of time can save you some work at bottling time.

Here's how I do fruit:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/11/fruit-easy-way.html

And what fruit can do to yeast if you are planning on saving the cake:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-fruit-effects-yeast-viability.html

 

[Fireman-Mike]

Woodland- Do you add the fruit mixture into a secondary or right on in the primary?

 

[WoodlandBrew]

If you want to save the yeast the add it into the secondary otherwise the primary is fine.

 

[cpac2k]

I have a question I want to do a blueberry ale and was wondering if you add the fruit after fermentation is finished or what???

 

[DocScott]

Yes... I've found best way to add fruit is to secondary and rack beer onto it after primary fermentation is complete. Remember fruit has fermentable sugars in it so when you add it, it will kick off another round of fermentation. Give it about 5-10 days on the fruit then package. I agree w the 1 lb per gallon which will impart a significant fruit flavor.

With cherries, consider using a mix of sour(tart) cherries and sweet cherries so it doesn't turn cloying or sour.

 

[cpac2k]

Thanks for the reply. I usually primary for three weeks should I cut this down to two so it can have time in the secondary or just add the extra time in the secondary?? BTW I want to apologize to the OP for hijacking his thread but I figured he was asking questions similar to ones I have I figured I would chime in.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

If you primary until fermentation completion and then rack onto the fruit you shouldn't need to extend your time line much or at all. I've never had fruit leave a cloying taste. It's normally quite the contrary. Fructose ferments out fairly completely leaving just the sourness of the fruit acids behind.