Cherry beer is a frothy drink. Video
Traditional beer technology uses hops, malt, water and yeast. However, at all times, brewers around the world have supplemented the classic recipe with herbs or spices. In Belgium, the masters of brewing went even further – there they once brewed a frothy drink with a cherry flavor, and it became so popular that it soon began to be produced in other countries. Berry beer can also be brewed at home.
Cherry beer – frothy drink
According to legend, the cherry-flavored foamy drink dates back to the era of the Crusades. According to legend, one Belgian soldier, returning home from a campaign, decided to make himself a drink that tasted like red wine (Christ’s blood), for which he added cherries to the local beer. He liked the drink and shared the recipe with the neighbors. Soon the whole neighborhood was drinking cherry beer. Over time, the technology improved until it reached perfection.
Old recipes call for aging cherry beer in barrels for 2-3 months before bottling. The foamy drink should have a rich red color, a pronounced sweet and sour cherry taste, and have a dense aromatic foam.
From other types of beer, including fruit and berry, the cherry drink is distinguished by its original aftertaste. It resembles bitter almonds
In Belgium, the cherry beer is called “Kriek” (“Scream”) – after the name of the variety of dark red cherry, which sounds like this in the Flemish dialect of the Netherlands. It is noteworthy that not only cherry beer is brewed in this country, but also peach (“Peche”) and raspberry (“Frambozen”). And they are also popular with foam drink enthusiasts both at home and far beyond. In addition to Belgian brewers, cherry beer is produced in Germany and the Czech Republic, however, the technology and taste of the drink are slightly different from the original Belgian version. You can find cherry draft beer in Moscow.
Making a frothy cherry-flavored drink
Ingredients: – cherry – 3,5 kg; – granulated sugar – 3 kg; – tartar – 100 g; – lemon – 1 pc.; – natural honey – 3 tbsp. l.; – coriander seeds – 60 g; – brewer’s yeast – 2 tbsp. l.; – water – 20 l.
Wash the cherries, remove the seeds from them, grind or chop in a blender and pour 17 liters of water. Put granulated sugar and tartar in 3 liters of water, put on fire, bring to a boil and remove from the stove. Let cool. Meanwhile, fry the coriander seeds in a dry skillet. Combine the cooled syrup and poured cherries, pouring both into a wooden tub. Add coriander and brewer’s yeast. Stir everything, cover with a clean cloth and place the tub in a warm place for 3 days.
After three days, remove the zest from the lemon and chop it, add honey and put on low heat. Bring to a boil and from this moment cook lemon and honey for 5-6 minutes. When it cools down, add to the beer, toss the zest there as well. Stir, cover with a napkin and leave in a warm place for another 2 days. Then strain everything through a sieve or cheesecloth in two layers, and pour into bottles, cork tightly and put away in the cold. After 2 weeks the cherry beer can be tasted.
The bottle of finished, well-fermented beverage should open with a slight pop and sizzle, just like regular beer. The foam can be either white or pink, depending on the type of cherry
Keep in mind that a homemade, cherry-flavored frothy drink will be different from what is produced in real breweries. After all, masters use such recipes and technologies that, due to objective reasons, simply cannot be reproduced within the walls of a house. However, many beer lovers like the homemade drink no less than the one bought in the store, so it’s definitely worth making it.