Cranberry Saison Question

[Barr]

Brewing up a Cranberry Saison for Christmas season. In the past I've found I've gotten a much better flavour by adding whole berries into fermenter but never tried it with cranberries. Threw them in over a week ago and they still haven't popped. Realizing now that they are water berries and probably water resistant. Duh. Wondering if I should keep waiting in hopes that the alcohol will act like a solvent and eat through the skin exposing the flesh of the berries. Only other option I can think of is possibly using a wine stir rod on a drill to possibly break up the berries. Don't really want to risk infection and oxidation. Anybody have any input?

[dean2k]

I recently did some research on cranberries in brews for a cranberry wheat. The consensus has been to either to put the cranberries in at flame out, or to heat the cranberries a saucepan at 160 for 10-15min to put in the secondary. Part 2 of option 2 to deal with the pectin is that you can strain the juice out of the pulp and put that into the secondary instead.

I went with berries at flame out and initial tasting gives me the tartness, but little indication that the tartness comes from cranberry. I may strain some juice and add a secondary infusion for a few days.

[Keith]

You could always drop a cup of pure cranberry juice in there. May not be the same but will get you the flavor you desire.

[dean2k]

You could always drop a cup of pure cranberry juice in there. May not be the same but will get you the flavor you desire.

I kept my batch as is for this round, just tartness from cranberries at flameout. Next time I revisit the recipe I may try the heat-pulp/mash version. I personally wouldn't want to add cranberry juice because it's hard to find cranberry juice that is actually cranberry juice and not a blend. (Craisin Beer? No thanks.)

[mr x]

There are local suppliers in NS that sell pure cranberry juice in paper cartons.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

[dean2k]

There are local suppliers in NS that sell pure cranberry juice in paper cartons.

Well there you go. I have had Terra Beata (http://cranberryfarm.ca/?page_id=43" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) pure juice in the house before. Powerful stuff. Though at the end of the day I'd personally rather have some leftover cranberries in the house for sauces (etc.) than left over cranberry juice.