I have an apple tree in my backyard and I'd like to use those apples in a beer. I don't have a cider press, so I would like to add the apples to the secondary... using the apples for flavoring, not as a primary sugar source. I thought about peeling them, coring and chopping them up, and then freezing them. I would thaw them out before adding them to the secondary. I've read that freezing fruit causes the cells to burst, thereby releasing more flavor. I have to main questions:
1) Will freezing the fruit effectively sanitize it? Or will bacteria and wild yeasts survive the freezing process?
2) I know peeling fruit is necessary if you boil the fruit, but would it be necessary for what I'm doing? (I don't want to peel apples if I don't have to)
The beer I'm going to add the apples to will be the second runnings of a belgian strong golden ale (around 1.094). I'm not trying to re-create the Unibroue "Ephemere", but it's the same idea, especially since I'm using the Unibroue yeast.
Thanks for any feedback!