Popping the Cherry

[MFED]

So i want to add some cherries to the batch I am running, it is a brown ale, and I just had some From Bare Bones Ale, from Rotunda, and I was knocked out by the cherry taste in a lite brown ale.

I plan to do this in my secondary, so:

Do I use frozen, fresh or extract?
I see warnings of fruit with preservatives in beer, is that the case even if I put them in the secondary?
I am reading that 1.25 lb per gallon.. does that sound right?

Anything I should avoid?

Thank In Advance

MFED

[brew_cat]

That's an unfortunate heading

[MFED]

Get your mind out of the gutter and help me make better beer.

[wilcolandzaat]

I like to use frozen cherries. But fruit purre as well. Our host does sell. Vintnersharverst. Fruit puree. Cans as well. Nice product. On 5.5 gal. Do use 3 cans. Or 5 lbs. Frozen cherries

[MFED]

Yes, our benevolent sponsors has a 3lb can..
Two questions; are you saying use 3 3pound cans? or one can that has 3 pounds?

Also, I am making a one gallon batch of this, so I can do the math for 1/5th of a dose.. can the puree freeze? Because I may not be able to convince the wife to have Cherry smoothies for the rest of the week if I have to use up the can...

MFED

[wilcolandzaat]

Think 1 can is 49 oz. Or 3 lbs. So means 2 cans on 5.5 gal. Beer. During secondary. You can scale the amount of puree down. To 1 gal. Or flavour. You do like. Yeah you can freeze. The puree. Haha know what ya mean. Storing products. The wife. Sometimes. Damn what you doing with all these fruits. Last time. Got some puree. Left. Did ask my wife to make. A cherry cheesecake. And she loves to bake. So no need for any discusion

[dannyboy58]

Some guys will do anything for attention...

[WMNoob]

Fresh fruit has a tendency to be inconsistent in how it affects the end product. My rule of thumb for cherries is 1 lb./gallon for one week in the secondary. I made a batch that colored up so fast I kegged after three days. It had great color and and flavor in the glass.

[MFED]

That seemed to work, I had 2 lbs frozen cherrys for 2 gallons secondary fermenting for a little more than a week. It was an interesting beer, not great.. but that is why we do this. The cherry flavor came out strong, I would put the 1 lb/1gal at a maximum level.