To pit or not to pit?

[Drewch]

I'm plotting a sour with plums ... sort of a poor man's Quetsche Tilquin.

Some sources say to pit stone fruit before adding (to prevent over bittering), others say you can leave the pits in (to add a subtle woodiness).

What does the HBT hivemind think?

 

[Yooper]

Suck on a pit, and then decide.
I take mine out.

 

[jtratcliff]

I made a cherry wheat years ago where I left the pits in... Just sorta cracked the fruit by smooshing it a little.

I got an odd flavor that never really aged out... A little bitter, kinda woody/earthy but not in a good way. A bit harsh, not subtle at all... I wouldn't do that again.

On the other hand, I made a wild yeast plum wine and left the pits in. The fermenter got misplaced and forgotten for awhile. I ended up with some of the tastiest plum vinegar ever. I couldn't do that again if I tried.

Only way to know for sure is to try it. But my first inclination is to take them out... Or at least, most of them... Maybe leave a handful.

Depends on how many plums in how much volume of beer, I guess.

 

[Drewch]

Suck on a pit, and then decide.

I take your point, but if I applied that logic universally, I'd never put hops or yeast in my recipes either.

Only way to know for sure is to try it. But my first inclination is to take them out... Or at least, most of them... Maybe leave a handful.

That's what I'm leaning towards ... or split the batch and try it both ways. According to at least one article from several years ago Tilquin pits their plums for Oude Quetsche.