Kriek advice needed - fresh cherries from the garden

[MikeFallopian]

I have a cherry tree in my garden, and, instead of leaving them for wasps and blackbirds, I plan to use the next crop in a kriek.

I haven't made a kriek (or a lambic at all, for that matter) so I'm looking for some advice on how to use the cherries.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cyclman]

Lambics are rather advanced, but wonderful if you have lots of time.

How about a Cherry mead (melomel). I just did a Quad with dark cherries, bourbon, and oak.

Cherry apple cider.

Lots of options.

 

[ArcLight]

I have a cherry tree in my garden, and, instead of leaving them for wasps and blackbirds, I plan to use the next crop in a kriek!

"leaving them for thw birds?" Our cherries are eaten by birds the moment they turn from green to the faintest shade of red. They never get a chance to ripen


The cherries will have their own yeast on them, but what you can do is crush them and drop them in your fermentor 6 months before bottling. This gives time for the various yeasts to digest the cherries and for the pits to impart some flavor. The only downside of 6 months is the cherry flavor may have already dissipated. So you can try tasting after 2 months, and then each month there after. The problem with that is Oxygen allows acetic acid producing organisms to thrive and that can ruin your Lambic.

 

[MikeFallopian]

Lambics are rather advanced, but wonderful if you have lots of time.

How about a Cherry mead (melomel). I just did a Quad with dark cherries, bourbon, and oak.

Cherry apple cider.

Lots of options.

I'm not too keen on mead or fruit ciders, so I'm up for the Lambic challenge...

 

[bethebrew]

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style17.php#1f