Vanilla Bourbon Oaked Winter Strong Ale - Page 3

Evan! · 12-12-2006, 06:51 PM

Fer drinkin', my choice is Evan William Single Barrel. My namesake, but that's not the only reason. It's damned good vintage-dated stuff.

Fer adjunctin', I'm using Evan Williams, but not the single barrel.

Hey, Pain, how much bourbon are you using? I have 2 cups. My vanilla bean has been steeping for 3 days now, but the bourbon masks it. I've been adding small amounts of extract to make up for that, but just a few drops at a time. I just got my oak cubes in the mail yesterday. I put an ounce of them into the bourbon, and it definitely smells...woody.

pain++ · 12-12-2006, 08:21 PM

Hey Evan,

I'm using just shy of 2 cups <dratted bottle of Elijah was emptier than I thought!> The 2 beans have been steeping for just a day now, they smelled rather bourbon-esque this AM, but still with strong vanilla odors. I'll check them when I head home, and post back to let you know.

I used the same method you did, scraping out the seeds and adding both the seeds and the pod to the bourbon, along with my oak chips. I'd imagine that the extraction process is going to take a few days to really settle in, so I wouldn't be too concerned about your lack of vanilla. I plan to taste the mix before putting it in, as I figure that the taste may be much different from the aroma, since the bourbon is so powerful.

Happy brewing!

Matt

pain++ · 12-13-2006, 01:50 PM

Just an update:

Checked my mix this morning, the aromas seem to be evening out. The bourbon is less overwhelming than it was before. We'll see how it progresses, I hope the vanilla doesn't do a massive takeover.

Matt