Raspberries and Cherries - What to Brew?

[Calder]

I have around 6 lbs of raspberries and 3 lbs of cherries in the freezer that my wife wants moved. It was basically very-ripe fruit that was collected over time.

I'm looking for suggestions on what to use it for. I have plenty of sours; I'm not making Kriek or Framboise, as I have lots of fruit sours.

My thoughts, make 6 gallons of Porter with lots of Chocolate and Coffee malt, but no Black or Roast.

Split it into 3 x 2 gallons and add to each something like:

1) 3 lbs Cherries and some chocolate (nibs or cocoa) and vanilla

2) 3 lbs raspberries and some chocolate (nibs or cocoa) and vanilla

3) 3 lbs raspberries and some coffee and vanilla.

Looking for suggestions. What would you do? Maybe I will end up with using a blond as a base beer.

Will probably start the base beer next weekend, so and suggestion would be appreciated.

I'm open to any suggestions, even adding some peppers with the cherries if they go well.

Plan on using PacMan or an English yeast (Thames II), although I have Chimay and Brett-C slurries ready to use too. I'm restricting myself to these yeasts as I have them going. Not intending to wake up any of the other yeast in my arsenal.

 

[riceral]

Raspberries in a saison might work well. Maybe an American Blonde ale. Of course, putting them in a porter is a good idea also.

I think cherries would work well in a wheat beer. Like your idea of using them in a porter.

Disclaimer---I like porters!

Opps! Just reread your post and noticed you only want to use those specific yeast strains.

 

[Calder]

Raspberries in a saison might work well. Maybe an American Blonde ale. Of course, putting them in a porter is a good idea also.

Opps! Just reread your post and noticed you only want to use those specific yeast strains.

I have Chimay or Brett-C available for a Saison.

 

[Calder]

Just had a thought - probably a bad one. How would fruit do with Brett-C as a secondary yeast? Will I loose all the flavor by the time it is ready to bottle?

 

[Calder]

Would appreciate any constructive comments.

For the base beer, 6 gallons, OG: 1-060:

9.75 lbs Pale malt
0.25 lbs Honey Malt
0.5 lbs Crystal 60
0.75 lbs Chocolate malt
O.75 lbs Coffee Malt
Goldings to bitter to about 30 IBUs
Licorice stick.
Thames II Yeast, fermented at 70 F.

#1) Cherries and Chocolate
2 gallons of the base beer
3 lbs of frozen cherries including pits + 4 ozs LME + 4 ozs Cocoa powder, made up to 0.5 gallons, pasteurized ae 150 F, cooled and added to base beer.
Vodka tincture made with vanilla beans.

#2) Raspberries and Chocolate
2 gallons of the base beer
3 lbs of frozen raspberries + 4 ozs LME + 4 ozs Cocoa powder, made up to 0.5 gallons, pasteurized at 150 F, cooled and added to base beer.
Vodka tincture made with vanilla beans

#3) Raspberries and Coffee
2 gallons of base beer
3 lbs of frozen raspberries+ 4 ozs LME, made up to 0.5 gallons, pasteurized at 150 F, cooled, and added to base beer.
Vodka tincuure made with vanilla beans
1 ozs whole coffee beans added to fermenter for 1 week.