Question on using cherries

[Monte]

Hi there. So, I'm still kinda new to the hobby (7 batches brewed) and even newer stepping into partial mash brewing (just 3 batches brewed). Although I've used some flavorings in previous batches, I'm about to brew my first recipe with proper fruit flavoring--a cherry stout.

It's a partial mash recipe and it calls for using 2oz of black cherry flavoring, added at bottling (5 gallon batch)

I think that flavor-wise I'd prefer to use real black cherries if possible. So, the questions I have are:
- How much do I need to use for a 5 gallon batch?
- What is the best time to add them--I'm assuming in secondary fermentation?
- Are there any tips I should know in terms of fruit preparation, sanitization, length of time, etc.?


I have read that you should not boil fruit, but possibly you can steep at 170* to pasturize? Specifically for cherries, I've read various comments to de-stem and pit them...some say to freeze them, some say to puree them...thoughts?

As for how to add them, I've recently gotten my hands on a conical fermentor (love!), and what I did for an oak-aged bourbon vanilla porter I brewed was the following: After soaking oak cubes in bourbon and vanilla beans for a few weeks, I took the oak cubes and beans, put them in a small mesh bag, and suspended it into the fermentor using fishing line during secondary fermentation. That seemed to work well, so I'm wondering if the same method would work, suspending the cherries in a mesh bag during secondary fermentation?

Any advice is welcome, thanks!

 

[jpeebs]

I'm only doing extract still, but I did a cherry wheat a while ago that was fairly easy. After primary fermentation, I put a 3lb can of cherry puree that I got at the LHBS (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/VINTNERS-SWEET-CHERRY-FRUIT-PUREE-P3003C283.aspx <--this exact one) into the bottom of my secondary, and just racked right onto that. Let it sit for a couple weeks and it tasted great!

 

[Monte]

Thank you for your reply. Did the puree you used include the cherry skins, or just the pulp? Also, I assume the canned puree was pasturized already?

 

[jtratcliff]

I used 10 lbs of fresh cherries in a cherry wheat, frozen then thawed, de-stemmed but didn't remove pits .

I ended up with a very woody flavor that never fully conditioned out. It got better With age but I could still detect it after several months.

I blame the pits. If I ever do it again, I'll buy purée or pitted cherries.

 

[ong]

One word of advice -- if you use cherry juice or purée, give it a nice long secondary. I had some bottle bombs from bottling a stout with cherry juice after two weeks in secondary.

 

[Monte]

Thanks for the tip on the bottle bombs.

What I was thinking was to use 10 lbs fresh cherries and to:
- de-stem and pit them
- freeze them to break down cell walls
- then thaw and give bath at 170* to pasturize them
- maybe then crush or puree them
- place in sanitized mesh bag, suspend in fermentor until it reaches the desired taste profile.

I could then always adjust at bottling with a bit of extract as needed. Any major flaws or pitfalls anyone sees in that plan?

 

[Cyclman]

I destemmed and pitted a few pounds for a Bourbon Barrel Quad, came out mild flavored but very nice, just what I wanted.

If you add them after most of the fermentation is done, and they were washed, the alcohol and hops will generally prevent infection. But, if you're the typical obsessive homebrewer, you can pasteurize them too.

 

[jtratcliff]

10 lbs is a lot of cherries to remove the pits from.... Set aside a few hours to get 'em all done. I don't know that I would bother pasteurizing or putting them in a bag either. Should be enough alcohol after primary to kill any cooties.

Ferment out in primary, rack onto cherries in secondary, then bottle when ready. I suppose you could rack one more time prior to bottling for clarifying but not really needed.

I bottled with Zer Gut brand sour cherry syrup... I checked the label for sugar content then measured out the proper amount for the carb level I wanted. Worked well.

 

[ong]

When I've canned cherries, I just throw a bunch at a time in the blender with a little water. Pulse a few times and you'll chop without pureeing, and the pits stay whole.

 

[LeonBlurry]

I like the idea but I'm allergic to cherry since childhood!

 

[loucurr]

One word of advice -- if you use cherry juice or purée, give it a nice long secondary. I had some bottle bombs from bottling a stout with cherry juice after two weeks in secondary.

Ditto on the bottle bombs! I used fresh cherries in the secondary for 3 weeks and opened one last night. I still can't find where the bottle cap blew to!

 

[Maltyman]

I am working on a recipe for a chocolate/cherry porter for the holidays. One thing I have done successfully in mead making many times is to layer my cherry flavor by-

1. Using dried montmorency cherries (the kind without preservatives)...I believe they are available at trader joes if you have one near
2. Using the cherries from the can at the local home brew shop
3. Occasionally will add a teaspon of bourbon that I have had sitting on top of a high quality vanilla bean
4. I never use cherry extract b/c it tastes like bad cherry candy...or medicinal

I do find the the blend of dry and regular fruit gives more of that cherry depth. YMMV. Good luck.