My Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale attempt - Page 6

MrSparkleQ · 02-03-2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry22

If you can get your hands on it its quite tasty. I got my parents to bring me down some KBBA and Kentucky Light when they came to visit.

Yea, I had my wife pick up 6 4-packs a couple years back when she went down that way. I have had to ration them so they last.

I kegged my batch this morning. It finished at 5.2P (about 1.020), so hopefully it isn't too sweet as that is a little higher FG than expecting. It is still 6.6 ABV with 70% attenuation. I decided that I am going to force carb this one and add the oak in the next couple days.

Henry22 · 02-03-2012, 08:54 PM

I was thinking that maybe the reason Ohiosteve's KBBA clone came out more bourbon is because he used a bourbon barrel stave chopped up and soaked in bourbon. Thats like 2x the bourbon flavor. Im curious for yall to report back about how yours taste.

I just ordered the ingredients off of brewmasterswarehouse and it was like $31 which isnt bad at all for everything. Im going to soak my oak chips in bourbon and see how that works out unless yall report back that it still has a lot of bourbon flavor.

Henry22 · 02-08-2012, 02:26 PM

Bump, how are everyone's going?

**DoubleAught** · 02-08-2012, 11:52 PM

I will be adding my oak chips this coming weekend after 3 weeks in the primary.

Henry22 · 02-09-2012, 12:02 AM

Brewing mine this weekend. Still thinking that Ohiosteves is overly bourbony because of the bourbon barrel stave and then the soaking. I am going to soak my chips and only add them. If more bourbon flavor is needed, Ill add it for botttling.

Let me know how everyones goes.

**DoubleAught** · 02-09-2012, 12:05 AM

I'm oaking for 7 days, then adding 675 ml of Makers Mark during bottling. This has worked well for porters, not sure how it will on the lighter body of the ale..we shall see.

Henry22 · 02-09-2012, 12:11 AM

Any thoughts on adding vanilla beans/extract? Read in another thread of a KBBA clone that there wasnt enough vanilla flavor. They werent using the recipe Ohiosteve posted and since thats directly from the brewer, Im hesitant to follow their advice.

**Stevo2569** · 02-09-2012, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry22

Brewing mine this weekend. Still thinking that Ohiosteves is overly bourbony because of the bourbon barrel stave and then the soaking. I am going to soak my chips and only add them. If more bourbon flavor is needed, Ill add it for botttling.

Let me know how everyones goes.

Im on batch 5 of a similar recipe posted in another KBBA thread. Every time I get a little closer. Ive come to the conclusion that until I get a barrel that the beer will not be exact. On my last couple batches I have added the oak for 3 weeks and then the rest of the bourbon to taste. My current oaking process is to soak the oak and 1 Madagascar vanilla bean and repeat above statement. Batch 2 got infected and had to drink it quickly before the sourness took over too much. Which was no problem with a few bros help. I added some more bourben and even slightly soured it was well recieved. So I bake then char the American white oak since then.
IMO the grain bill is not nearly as important as the oaking process. I hopping to have a once used 5 or 15 gal barrel next time I brew it. Cheers and good luck.

**rasdas** · 02-09-2012, 01:09 AM

Did the NB kit on monday and it is fermenting away...curious to see how everyone's turns out...

**DoubleAught** · 02-09-2012, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry22

Any thoughts on adding vanilla beans/extract? Read in another thread of a KBBA clone that there wasnt enough vanilla flavor. They werent using the recipe Ohiosteve posted and since thats directly from the brewer, Im hesitant to follow their advice.

I've never thought about the vanilla taste, but now that you mention it I realize that I have tasted vanilla in it. Perhaps a little extract might do the trick, however no clue on the amount.