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Vanilla porter question?
I am going to make a vanilla porter this weekend and I've never added flavors like vanilla or fruit to any beer I've made yet. What is the difference in flavor if I put it in during the boil or if I put it in during my second fermentation?
Are you using vanilla beans or extract?
If you're using beans you can cut it in half lengthwise. Then scrape out the insides and chop up the rest of the bean and add the whole thing, including scrapings, to secondary. If you're using vanilla extract then you can just add it at bottling or kegging.
I am using a whole bean. So you would add it to the secondary and not boil it? This recipe says to cut the bean in half and boil it for the last 10 minutes. I have read both so I am looking for the best option.
Hmm, I've added spices 5 minutes left in the boil and that has worked well for me but I think I'd still add vanilla beans to secondary because you wouldn't boil off any of the aroma or flavor. I know Denny Conn's Bourbon Vanilla Porter recipe uses 2 vanilla beans in the secondary and that's how I'm going to do it when I brew it sometime in the upcoming weeks/months. I'm sure people do it both ways and both methods make good beer. Maybe try it one way this time and the other way next time you brew this beer. Its all about experimenting and finding what works for you.
Hey thanks for the info. I will try both and see which one I like best.
I used to do all my spicing in the secondary but I got a couple minor infections in the bottle that way.
So I started adding the spiecs with 1-2 minutes left in the boil.
The difference with the boil is that you often need to add more because the heat and the boil end up releasing much of the flavorful oils into the air.
Now that I have experimented with just adding the spices to a little vodka or burbon for an hour to sanitize then dump the whole solution into the secondary or keg.
You'll have to experiment, but that's the point of homebrewing.
FirePitBrew wrote:
I know Denny Conn's Bourbon Vanilla Porter recipe uses 2 vanilla beans in the secondary and that's how I'm going to do it when I brew it sometime in the upcoming weeks/months. .
I've made Denny's recipe several times, and have a keg of it I just tapped. I usually use 1.5 beans per 5 gallons (I buy the beans cheap by the 3 pack) and I am usually satisfied with the intensity from the beginning, but it will fade fast. this last time I did 3 beans per 5 gallons, and I thought it was way overbearing, but 2 weeks or so for the keg sitting has again mellowed it out, and it is nice and rich now.
Like brewchez said, adding to secondary is best, but give it a soak in (I like bourbon, anywhere from 1/2 cup to a pint dependin on the intensity of that flavor you want, 1/2 cup is not even noticable) and add it to your secondary. Check on it after 10 days or so by drawing off a small sample, (I use a small piece of tubing sanitized and do the soda straw trick) and taste. When it feels like it is just right, I would let it go a bit longer, it will mellow.
Now if you plan on drinking these just as fast as they are carbed and move on, I would look for a mild intensity, however if you are going for a long cellaring, 6+ months, go very intense because again it will be hardly noticable otherwise.
Thirsty, how long do you age that beer? I've read the huge thread on Northern Brewer about this recipe and it seems everyone lays this one down for a bit but Denny always says its great after 2 weeks. I'd like to make this for the fall but don't know when I should brew it.
I want to make a vanilla porter with vanilla extract. How much extract should I use? I plan to add it to vodka and put in bottling bucket with my sugar or should I add it in the last few minutes of my boil? Any suggestions?
I though about making a vanilla porter but after drinking Brekinridge Brewerys Vanilla Porter I changed my mind. It was horrible. Don't know if Brkinridge just makes a terrible vanilla porter or my expectations of a vanilla porter were way off. It sucked big time.
DC
I am getting ready to transfer my Mac & Jacks African Amber over to the secondary and I was going to use the yeast from it to make my Vanilla porter. Can I just make my vanilla porter and pour it right into the yeast slurry of the Mac & Jacks? I was going to use the same yeast anyway so I thought I would try to re-use the yeast.
FirePitBrew wrote:
Thirsty, how long do you age that beer? I've read the huge thread on Northern Brewer about this recipe and it seems everyone lays this one down for a bit but Denny always says its great after 2 weeks. I'd like to make this for the fall but don't know when I should brew it.
Yeah I gotta agree with Denny on this one, ( hard not to agree with him) but I finish my primary usually 2-3 weeks, then secondary with the beans another 2 weeks or so, (taste for intensity) then keg. Then drink. Denny seems to like a lot of beers right out the gate, he seems to be a believer of the same w/ many belgians too. drink em.
One more question. This recipe calls for 1 tsp of gypsum. What is it and what does it do? Also where can I get it?
dpturner wrote:
One more question. This recipe calls for 1 tsp of gypsum. What is it and what does it do? Also where can I get it?
Gypsum is a pH adjuster to add to a stripped out water. If you do not know your original starting water chemistry it may or may not be necessary, and that is just to make it match a traditional (probably Burton) water profile. I wouldnt worry about it. If you are brewing AG, I would however recommend 5.2 pH stabilizer, the shit is awesome.
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