caramel flavor?

I'd like to add a noticeable touch of caramel flavor to a stout, since I will also be adulterating it with cherries and am going for a chocolate cherry cordial concoction for the holidays (special request).

Would you use just an additional amount of caramel 30, or spread across a range? Has anyone gotten that caramel flavor to come through (like actual caramel, the sugar concoction you put on ice cream or in chocolate treats)?

I've got the rest worked out I think, but that would be a nice little flavor to come in there that would really cement it as what I'm trying to achieve.

I think you'd be best served just adding caramel to it. Making your own is probably ideal, and it's not that hard... search around on some cooking websites and you'll find instructions.

I've been thinking to one of these days try and brew up a clone of Saranac's Caramel Porter, and I'm pretty sure they just add a bunch of caramel.

Additional crystal malt will help add more caramel flavors. Say 40L.

I've heard that carastan (a type of caramel malt, about 38L) has more toffee type flavors than regular crystal 40, but I haven't noticed this myself the two times I've used it.

I've seen some recipes that call for taking a gallon of wort and boiling it down to a pint or so (then adding it back into the main boil) to achieve a more intense malty caramelly type flavor. I think some scottish ale recipes call for this. I've never done it myself, though.

That sounds like it would be great beer, keep us posted with what you use and how it turns out.

There used to be a microbrew called Zebra they had a Lager which had Caramel and Vanilla in it, really good stuff.

Beerthoven said:

I've seen some recipes that call for taking a gallon of wort and boiling it down to a pint or so (then adding it back into the main boil) to achieve a more intense malty caramelly type flavor. I think some scottish ale recipes call for this. I've never done it myself, though.

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That's the traditional way of making a scottish ale, yeah.