tmurph01

Recipes 

I am getting ready to make my second batch of Cream Ale for 4th of July. I use NB's Cream Ale kit as a base. I would like to make this into a vanilla cream ale. Last time I tried just adding some vanilla extract to this whil ine the secondary, but this gave me an off after taste. I am thinking of just using vanilla beans but not sure the best amount to use or best time to add them.

Any and all help is appreciated.


Cheers!

__________________
High Voltage Brewery
Shockingly Good Beer

On Deck
- Capacitor Cream Ale
Primary
- Wheat Stone Bridge
Secondary
- Empty :-(
Kegged
- Empty :-(

JNOYES88

Recipes 

i would get 1/2 cup of smirnoff vanilla vodka, slice two good size vanilla beans down the middle, then across in 1 inch sections Let it set in the vanilla vodka for a week. Put the whole works in the secondary and rack ale on top and let sit for another couple weeks.

JNOYES88

Recipes 

adding a little xylitol or lactose to the vanilla vodka/vanilla bean mix may also help the flavor stand out

scottab

Recipes 

I used a vanilla bean sliced lengthwise then cut into large pieces in the secondary. I then added a second bean into a jar with just enough vodka to cover for the 2 weeks that the brew was in the secondary. I added the jar at bottle time pouring it through a fine mesh strainer to get the seeds and pieces out... it was quite tasty

scottab

Recipes 

Btw mine was brewers best cream ale.

dotJerdot

Recipes 

I have used two Madagascar vanilla beans cut open length wise with the insides scooped out. I put them directly into the secondary on an imperial stout 3 gallon batch that sat for two months. Great flavors.

tmurph01

Recipes 

Thanks for the input!


Cheers!

__________________
High Voltage Brewery
Shockingly Good Beer

On Deck
- Capacitor Cream Ale
Primary
- Wheat Stone Bridge
Secondary
- Empty :-(
Kegged
- Empty :-(

OldWorld

Recipes 

Also try adding the vanilla extract into your priming solution at bottling...you'll boil off any of the alcohol but retain some of the vanilla flavors...

Sometimes less is more with flavorings. I've learned that the hard way many times

tmurph01

Recipes 

This batch will be getting kegged... hehe


Cheers!

__________________
High Voltage Brewery
Shockingly Good Beer

On Deck
- Capacitor Cream Ale
Primary
- Wheat Stone Bridge
Secondary
- Empty :-(
Kegged
- Empty :-(

H-Balm

Recipes 

Wow.... this thread reads delicious!