Cranberry brew?

hey guys. Given the time of year I’m writing a recipe for a cranberry brew. I’m taking a California Common beer recipe and thinking about adding 3 lbs of split cranberries to the secondary.

I’ve been looking at a ton of different recipes and it seems like every one of them has a different method for adding the cranberries. Some say to steep them at flameout. Some say whole berries in secondary. Some say make a relish…

Anyone have a suggestion for what might work best for a non-wheat brew?

I would just rack the beer Te berries in the secondary just add it straight to the secondary. You don’t want to get the berries close the boiling temp.

+1

You make cranberry sauce by boiling cranberries. When the Cranberries burst, the pectins mix with sugars to form a gelatin like substance. You don’t want that near your beer. Though… what about cranberry sauce as a clarifying mixture???  ;D

I think they float a little too well.

Do not heat the berries more than 160F or so.  I made a cranberry mead this way and it took YEARS to clear, aside from the problems I had transferring it.

So would you guys recommend cracking the berries first? or put them in whole, as is?

I agree about adding them to secondary - if you heat them you really have to use Pectin enzyme and it takes a while for clarity. I’ve had success with both methods but the secondary is just way, way easier. As far as cracking goes, with all my fruit I always freeze them and thaw. The ice crystals pierce the cell walls and mush it up nice for you without messing around with them too much (i.e. sanitation and messy crushing techniques). Cranberries are a harder fruit but I bet freezing will mush them up just as much. Finally a good 4-6 weeks in the bottle before drinking I find really mellows out fruit beers. They can be so ridiculously acidic, tart and bitter after 1-3 weeks. Longer in the bottle the better. Adding them to a Cal. Common sounds fantastic. Post the recipe if you get a chance.

Yes, freezing the berries first will help immensely.  Add them after the bulk of fermentation is done.

Did you do this?  I’m thinking of a cranberry wheat.  Just wondering if this worked.

Yeah, please post the recipe.  Sounds delicious!