Adding Vanilla Extract Powder to Secondary?

I'm in a bit of a toss up with one of my beers. I recently brewed a partial mash kit from AHS, the Blueberry Cream Porter. The recipe calls for 2oz of Vanilla Extract Powder to be added to secondary. Since it's powder, shouldn't it first be diluted? What is the best way to go about this? The instructions don't say anything other than to add it to secondary. I figured maybe bring 1-1.5 cup(s) of water to a boil, add vanilla extract powder and then boil for another 15 minutes, cool, then...

... pour into primary carboy, or into empty carboy and then rack beer on top?

As per the recommendations here and elsewhere I've mostly forgone the practice of transferring to secondary vessels. Can this be added to primary, and if so, how will it mix to be evenly distributed? Or rather must it be racked atop in a secondary vessel?

There is also 2oz Liquid Blueberry flavoring which is to be added before bottling. I'm assuming to do this by pouring it into the bottling bucket along with the priming sugar solution, correct?

Thanks in advance - Cheers!

I would go with your plan to dissolve the powder in water and add it to the primary. I would not boil the powder though. Boil the water, remove it from the heat, then mix the powder in. The water will remain hot enough for sufficient time to take care of any bad stuff.
I don't think the vanilla being dissolved in liquid will be abosrbed or diminished by the trub and break material in any way since it will be in suspension.
The way the recipe is organized I would say you are right about the blueberry extract being added to the bottling bucket. The extract could be mixed with your priming sugar for even dispersal when you rack on top of it.
Wouldn't hurt to gently stir the beer after racking to make sure the blueberry/corn sugar mixture is distributed evenly.

Thanks for your post. I have their vanilla porter kit arriving on Friday. Their page just says vanilla flavouring. I assume it has the same vanilla powder. I will be watching to see if anyone has other suggestions but if it is powder I will probably mix with water as well.

Is there anything fermentable in the vanilla powder? If not, you could probably just add it at bottling as well.

flars said:

I would go with your plan to dissolve the powder in water and add it to the primary. I would not boil the powder though. Boil the water, remove it from the heat, then mix the powder in. The water will remain hot enough for sufficient time to take care of any bad stuff.
I don't think the vanilla being dissolved in liquid will be abosrbed or diminished by the trub and break material in any way since it will be in suspension.
The way the recipe is organized I would say you are right about the blueberry extract being added to the bottling bucket. The extract could be mixed with your priming sugar for even dispersal when you rack on top of it.
Wouldn't hurt to gently stir the beer after racking to make sure the blueberry/corn sugar mixture is distributed evenly.

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This was my first inclination as well, but when I'm uncertain, I like to look/ask around first. Noted about not boiling the powder — good call, thanks!

vNmd said:

Thanks for your post. I have their vanilla porter kit arriving on Friday. Their page just says vanilla flavouring. I assume it has the same vanilla powder. I will be watching to see if anyone has other suggestions but if it is powder I will probably mix with water as well.

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It probably is, the powder comes in a bag with AHS label. Not sure where they get it from, or if they make and package it themselves.

>>Here it is:

peterj said:

Is there anything fermentable in the vanilla powder? If not, you could probably just add it at bottling as well.

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None that I can tell, there is a link in the above quote to the actual powder extract. The link doesn't state anything and there is nothing on the package other than saying what it is. It smells sweet, but then again so does vanilla. Maybe I should give it a taste when I get home.

Thanks for the replies so far, everyone!

Multifaceted said:

It probably is, the powder comes in a bag with AHS label. Not sure where they get it from, or if they make and package it themselves.

>>Here it is:

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In the description in the link you posted it states to add it during the bottling, with priming sugar, or kegging process to preserve the flavor.

twistr25 said:

In the description in the link you posted it states to add it during the bottling, with priming sugar, or kegging process to preserve the flavor.

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Yes, I did notice that. What doesn't correspond are the recipe instructions - it says to add the vanilla extract to secondary, the blueberry flavoring at bottling.

I suppose I could at it to the priming sugar at bottling... but 2 oz sounds like a lot, I'm just a little concerned it might be a bit cloying. I don't know... hmmmm

Multifaceted said:

Yes, I did notice that. What doesn't correspond are the recipe instructions - it says to add the vanilla extract to secondary, the blueberry flavoring at bottling.

I suppose I could at it to the priming sugar at bottling... but 2 oz sounds like a lot, I'm just a little concerned it might be a bit cloying. I don't know... hmmmm

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Well I think it should taste pretty much the same whether you add it at bottling or to the secondary. It just seems like it will be easier to do it all at bottling.

Best part of doing it at bottling is you can taste it before it goes in the bottle and adjust accordingly. If you're afraid it'll be too much, start small and work up.

peterj said:

Well I think it should taste pretty much the same whether you add it at bottling or to the secondary. It just seems like it will be easier to do it all at bottling.

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I see your point. It does seem like it'd be easier. I don't know how it would get evenly distributed in just by dropping into the primary, whereas it would get mixed when racking on top in the bottling bucket.

twistr25 said:

Best part of doing it at bottling is you can taste it before it goes in the bottle and adjust accordingly. If you're afraid it'll be too much, start small and work up.

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You're right... that sounds like safe approach. Is it safe to assume that if the description on AHS says to add during bottling or kegging — then it probably doesn't have any fermentable sugars? If it does, I'd imagine that could be trouble if adding along with the priming sugar.

I may need contact AHS and confirm this.

Multifaceted said:

You're right... that sounds like safe approach. Is it safe to assume that if the description on AHS says to add during bottling or kegging — then it probably doesn't have any fermentable sugars? If it does, I'd imagine that could be trouble if adding along with the priming sugar.

I may need contact AHS and confirm this.

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I would be very surprised if it had any additional fermentables in it. **Quick Google search says no sugar in vanilla extract powder, but that does differ from vanilla sugar (Obviously )

I typically give a gentle stir to my bottling bucket even after racking onto the priming sugar just to make sure it's mixed well, so you could do the same while testing your flavoring levels. Just make sure to keep things sanitary and it should be fine.

Where can one buy vanilla powder?

twistr25 said:

I would be very surprised if it had any additional fermentables in it. **Quick Google search says no sugar in vanilla extract powder, but that does differ from vanilla sugar (Obviously )

I typically give a gentle stir to my bottling bucket even after racking onto the priming sugar just to make sure it's mixed well, so you could do the same while testing your flavoring levels. Just make sure to keep things sanitary and it should be fine.

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I'll make sure to give it a good gentle stir in the bottling bucket. That's sound like a great idea. My batches seem to have at least one or two over-carbed bottles, perhaps that is due to the priming sugar not being evenly distributed when racked.

I just received an email reply from AHS, they said adding when bottling is fine, often recommended - as there are no sugars. So this is what I'll do. Thank you all for the replies and input - very helpful Cheers!

rocketsan said:

Where can one buy vanilla powder?

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Well, there is: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_74&products_id=10660"]>>this

rocketsan said:

Where can one buy vanilla powder?

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AHS has it

I have not used it before from them so I have no idea about quality, finished product, etc.