Not sure why, but I added Vanilla!

After bottling my APA yesterday, my SWMBO asked if I could add vanilla into it to give it a vanilla flavor. I said "no", but then she asked "what about your Irish Stout in your primary," after much contemplation....5 seconds...I added some vanilla extract into the secondary as I was siphoning.

I was not planning on this but that is the whole fun of the game right! So now it is a Vanilla Stout. I only added 2 tbsp, not sure if that is enough, but I didn't want to go overboard.

Two tablespoons of good vanilla extract should be plenty in a five gallon batch.

As to why you added it, it's because your SWMBO asked you to add it. Smart man!

Yea, you might not taste the vanilla, but you should smell it as the glass moves towards your mouth.

First time brewer here as well, and I was wondering if you typically add in extract such as vanilla durning wort boiling or once fermintation has taken place?

Runyank said:

First time brewer here as well, and I was wondering if you typically add in extract such as vanilla durning wort boiling or once fermintation has taken place?

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Added during secondary or perhaps at 5 minutes or flameout. Added too early in the boil, it's my understanding, and all the aroma of the extract will be boiled off.

Runyank said:

First time brewer here as well, and I was wondering if you typically add in extract such as vanilla durning wort boiling or once fermintation has taken place?

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Add it at bottling to prevent flavor and aroma loss. If you add to the boil or primary fermentation then the CO2 released during fermentation will carry away most of the flavor and aroma.

Chris

Next time, try adding some real vanilla beans soaked in vodka or bourbon instead of the extract. Extract contains oils that could POTENTIALLY effect the head retention of your stout. As a good friend of mine likes to say, "It'll kill head retention faster than a cop knocking on the car window." I don't know if this is true, because I have never used extract, but I have been busted by the cops, FWIW.

Add them late in secondary, just a few days to a week before bottling. Vanilla does dissipate pretty quickly though, so if you don't drink it within a few months, you won't taste it after that. Of course, in my experience, they don't stay around that long. My Vanilla Porter was gone in a just over a month.

I did it as an experiment, and to get a more wintry/holiday flavor.

I don't really want a strong vanilla flavor, but just a hint of an aftertaste really. I think this was my best batch of brew yet and I hope I did not ruin it with the Vanilla.

I will defintely use the Beans in Vodka method next time.

I just did a Rye Bock with vanilla beans. One at boil and one with the aroma hops. I'll report back as it progresses.

Make sure the vanilla beans are nice and plump. Pass on anything hard or dry feeling. Depending on where you shop, you might pay a premium for real beans. $5 or more each!

I buy them in bulk on ebay and it works out to about .30 each.

I tried the beer as I was bottling....FREAKING GREAT!! I hope the extract stays.

I think I am going to enter this into a homebrew competition but do the soaking in bourbon method. I do not think it will be as good by March 28 (according to threads here, flavor may no be present.

DO I add that to secondary or primary? I am extremely happy with this beer so far but need to wait for it to be carbonated.