Cherry Brown Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.055 FG = 1.013 IBU = 34  SRM = 14 (pre-cherries) ABV = 5.3%

Ingredients

8 lbs. (3.6 kg) British pale ale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) aromatic malt
1/2 lb. (0.23 kg) Belgian caramel Munich malt
1/4 lb. (113 g) home toasted malt (see step by step)
1/4 lb. (113 g) Belgian Special B malt
1/2 lb. (0.23 kg) Demarara sugar
7.5 AAU Northern Brewer hop pellets (75 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 7.5% alpha acids)
2.3 AAU. East Kent Golding hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) bing cherries (pitted & crushed)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) sour pie cherries (pitted & crushed)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) Or White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Mangrove Jack’s M15 (Empire Ale) yeast

Step by Step:

Toasted malt is made from pale  malt, spread on a cookie sheet and toasted in the oven at 300 °F (150 °C) for one hour. All grains mashed in at 130 °F (54 °C) for 1/2 hour. Raised to 154 °F (68 °C) and held for one hour. 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort were drawn off and boiled for 90 minutes. Wort was chilled and aerated, and a vigorous ale yeast culture was added. I’m partial to ale yeasts with a noticeable diacetyl (butter) flavor, such as Wyeast’s 1968 London ESB. After primary fermentation was completed, the beer was racked onto the fruit in an open fermenter. A new, vigorous fermentation kicked in (lots of sugar in those cherries!) and was allowed to finish out. The beer was racked again into a carboy and allowed to finish. After that, all procedures were normal.