Brewing with cherries- questions

Ingredients
1

I would like to brew a bourbon cherry stout, and have found a few recipes.  I have a few questions:

Should I soak the cherries in bourbon, or soak oak chips in bourbon, and add the cherries to secondary by themselves?

Do I need to take any steps to prevent infection with the cherries?

Should I freeze fresh cherries and then put them into secondary in frozen state?

Is it okay to leave in the pits, or will this affect flavor adversely?

Is it preferable to use cherry concentrate or fresh cherries?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

2

I had good luck with store bought frozen pitted cherries. The beer is 4 months in the keg and no infection so they must have been pasturized or sulfideded. Next weekend im fruit secondarying two sours and I’ll be using Oregon Fruir Co. Puree

3

Every July (cherry season) I brew a cherry stout using 10 lbs of fresh Montmorency tart cherries (pitted). I freeze them to break up any membrane and fibrous material. I’ll allow them to thaw for about 24 hours so they aren’t like dumping ice cubes into the beer. I’ll bag them in a five gallon paint strainer bag and use a bucket as a secondary. I have little fear of infection at this point in the game. I just brewed my third batch of it a couple weeks ago and just racked it onto the cherries yesterday. This is one of the best beers I brew. It won a blue ribbon in the first round of NHC last year.

On another note… I just drank a bottle that was brewed in July of 2012 (award winning batch). It is better than ever and no hints of infection after two years.

4

Frank, is that recipe floating around on here anywhere? Sounds awesome

5

I’m sure it is somewhere lol… but here’s what I brewed this year…

MBW’s Cherry Poppin’ Stout 2014

Batch = 5.5
OG = 1.078
90 minute mash @ 148

24 hour cold steep in 1.75 gallons of water (2 quarts per pound)
Roasted Barley – 2 lb
Chocolate Malt – 1.5 lb

Mash:
62% American Two Row = 10 lb
18% Maris Otter = 3 lb
15% Flaked Barley = 3 lb
5% Flaked Oats = 1 lb
½ lb Rice Hulls

60 minute = 1 oz Perle
20 minute = Add 1.75 gal of dark grain tea – return to boil to restart count

White Labs 007 Dry English Ale (Yeast Starter)

Add 10 pounds of tart Montmorency cherries to secondary – Purchased at White House Fruit Farm

I’ve modified this beer a bit every time I’ve brewed it. The first year was 80% two row and 20% flaked barley. Last year, I used some C60 in it and only 7 lbs of cherries. The cherries didn’t taste as good last year. This year, they were a bright red and tasted dandy. This year, I’m trying some oats in it. I also subbed some two row for some Maris Otter. The yeast and hops have stayed the same. I’ve also adjusted dark grains a touch from the original… we’ll see. If you bottle, you’ll want to drink some early. They will be good but will be very tart. If you can wait 5-6 months, you’ll of a fantastic brew. I’m going to keg it for the first time this year. I plan on tapping it in January.

6

Looks great, now to find the time to brew it. Second attempt at a hazelnut double brown Sunday and Oktoberfest to brew next Saturday. That will fill up my fridge and chest freezer. First lager as well. Sorry for high jack

7

Get to your local farm market and get your cherries now to freeze. There’s a short window for them. Pie bakers buy them up lol. They’ll come in a 10 gal white tub. Decent price this year at $22.50.

8

Thanks, we have a great market in cincy’s Over the Rhine neighborhood. I do miss west side market in Cleveland though

9

If you are concerned about sanitation then soaking the cherries in bourbon would be a good way to fix that problem.