Vanilla beans

Williams 728
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d3track

d3track

Are you sure about that?
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So I am going to try doing a secondary with vanilla beans for the oatmeal stout in primary.

In looking around, I'm not fully sure on the process, so thanks to everyone for helping to clarify if this is correct:

Spray beans & knife with starsan
Split beans lengthwise, scrape insides, and cut into 1" chunks
Add everything - pods & insides - to fermentor
Rack beer on top, age for 2-4 weeks

If I should do anything differently, I'm all ears n eyes
 
When I've added vanilla beans to secondary, this is the process I followed...

1. Split pods lengthwise and scrape out beans into a small container, along with the pods cut into 1" lengths.
2. Add about 1 oz of vodka.
3. Place lid on container, shake it all up, and store out of sunlight.
4. Shake the container once per day for at least a week.
5. Pitch entire contents into secondary and rack beer over it. Leave for at least 2 weeks.

You're essentially making vanilla extract. The vodka will sanitize and will not be noticable in your brew.
 
LLBeanJ said:
When I've added vanilla beans to secondary, this is the process I followed...

1. Split pods lengthwise and scrape out beans into a small container, along with the pods cut into 1" lengths.
2. Add about 1 oz of vodka.
3. Place lid on container, shake it all up, and store out of sunlight.
4. Shake the container once per day for at least a week.
5. Pitch entire contents into secondary and rack beer over it. Leave for at least 2 weeks.

You're essentially making vanilla extract. The vodka will sanitize and will not be noticable in your brew.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I was going to post. You can use other alcohols instead of vodka, just be aware that you'll get the flavor of the alcohol in the brew. Depending on what it is, it could be rather evident.

For the vodka, you want the cleanest you can get. At least three distillations and three or more filterings. The more of each, the cleaner it will be, the less flavor you'll get from the vodka. I actually picked up some Skyy vodka to make my extract. It's been in process for about four months now. In another month, or two, I'll filter and bottle it up.

Something else to keep in mind... You can get vanilla flavors from aging on/with oak.
 
I did the process using a couple of oz of good bourbon and two vanilla beans for a 5-gallon batch of a porter. It turned out AMAZING! I'm about to duplicate it for an imperial stout using 3 or possibly 4 vanilla beans.

1 - cut vanilla beans in half lengthwise
2 - scrape out all the gooey goodness
3 - cut beans into 1/2" to 1" pieces
4 - put in plastic container with 1 to 2 oz of good liquor (bourbon or vodka would be my first choice)
5 - shake the container a couple of times a day for at least a week
6 - dump the whole container, liquor and all, into the fermenter and leave it for at least a week
7 - cold crash for 2 to 3 days
8 - rack to keg or bottling bucket for packaging
 
Randy Mosher suggests in Radical Brewing that quality of vodka is irrelevant for making extracts, that the extra dollars will only make you feel better about your choice. I've only done it once with Smirnoff, and it was OK, so I'm not much of a source myself. I think I'd use more than one bean next time, though.
 
dynamobrewing said:
Randy Mosher suggests in Radical Brewing that quality of vodka is irrelevant for making extracts, that the extra dollars will only make you feel better about your choice. I've only done it once with Smirnoff, and it was OK, so I'm not much of a source myself. I think I'd use more than one bean next time, though.
Click to expand...

I was going with information I found on making vanilla extract, where you want the cleanest vodka you can get. Besides, Skyy vodka wasn't all that much. I looked at how it was processed, not the brand. For all I care it could be Uncle Yuri's brand that's distilled and filtered more, which I would get.
 
Ok, maybe I will stop n get vodka for the beans - is it bad luck to have a vodka tonic while racking?
 
I've used the vodka method, and I didn't care for the flavor it left in my beer. I'd be willing to try bourbon, but I have a felling I wouldn't like that either. Maybe if I cut back and just use about half an ounce it would be less detectable...
 
This sounds interesting....

I might have to eventually try this with a brew...
What kind of brew do you guys to use the Vodka-Vanilla Bean extract?



Peace. Love. & Beer!!
:mug: CHEERS!!! :mug:
 
ASassyBeerChick83 said:
This sounds interesting....

I might have to eventually try this with a brew...
What kind of brew do you guys to use the Vodka-Vanilla Bean extract?



Peace. Love. & Beer!!
:mug: CHEERS!!! :mug:
Click to expand...

I'm using an oatmeal stout (and adding coffee at bottling) - full disclosure - trying this to see how the flavors work out, end goal trying to mimic Surly's Mo's Bender in a future batch
 
another cool trick for cleaning out the beans is to pop them in the microwave for like 5-10s. Once they come out they are very easy to split length wise and even easier to clean. Honestly if you are adding them to the secondary and dont want to sanitize with alcohol you should be fine just throwing them in since most of your alcohol has already been produced. If you are worried just wipe the pods down with sanitizer.
 
ASassyBeerChick83 said:
This sounds interesting....

I might have to eventually try this with a brew...
What kind of brew do you guys to use the Vodka-Vanilla Bean extract?
Click to expand...

None yet. I'm making it to use as gifts this holiday season as well as when I want some in a brew. I have enough beans, and patience, that I can simply split, scrape, and dump them in if/when needed. :rockin:
 
I am so pissed off right now... It bought a pound each of Tahitian and Madagascar gourmet quality beans, turkey bagged em, and then I stashed them somewhere in either the pantry or the garage and I can not find them to save my soul. If I can't locate them in a month when I put my creme brûlée porter in secondary I will have to buy more :mad:
 
I know exactly where the balance of the 1/2# of Madagascar premium beans I bought are... :D

I might have to look up the creme brulee recipe to see if it's something I'd like...
 
bottlebomber said:
I am so pissed off right now... It bought a pound each of Tahitian and Madagascar gourmet quality beans, turkey bagged em, and then I stashed them somewhere in either the pantry or the garage and I can not find them to save my soul. If I can't locate them in a month when I put my creme brûlée porter in secondary I will have to buy more :mad:
Click to expand...

I hate when that happens!
 
Golddiggie said:
None yet. I'm making it to use as gifts this holiday season as well as when I want some in a brew. I have enough beans, and patience, that I can simply split, scrape, and dump them in if/when needed. :rockin:
Click to expand...


How do you use the vanilla beans to give as Christmas gifts? :confused:
 
Stauffbier said:
I've used the vodka method, and I didn't care for the flavor it left in my beer. I'd be willing to try bourbon, but I have a felling I wouldn't like that either. Maybe if I cut back and just use about half an ounce it would be less detectable...
Click to expand...

What type of vodka did you use that you got the flavor from?
 
Stauffbier said:
The Creme Brulee thing seems to be trending lately. I might have to try it out...
Click to expand...
I'm just flying blind... I'm going to add a pound of burnt caramelized sugar in the secondary, and prime with burnt sugar as well.
ASassyBeerChick83 said:
Dang. Right. Holiday Gifts.
Excuse Me. :cross:
Click to expand...

Golddiggie said:
Not everyone celebrates xmas... :p
Click to expand...

Ok, time for group hug.
 
So....does making the vodka extract improve/increase the vodka flavor vs. just adding the chopped/scraped beans?
 
d3track said:
What type of vodka did you use that you got the flavor from?
Click to expand...

I've tried it a couple times with two different brands, and to be honest I don't remember what brands they were. I do know that they were cheap-o's.. I might have a sensitive pallet, or it's even possible that it was just in my head. I swore I could taste the "hot" taste of the alcohol, though. Somehow it just goes against my grain to add alcohol to beer...
 
bottlebomber said:
I'm just flying blind... I'm going to add a pound of burnt caramelized sugar in the secondary, and prime with burnt sugar as well.
Click to expand...

Care to send the recipe you'll be using??? I searched last night but only came up with one that included grains I'd rather not use.


Ok, time for group hug.
Click to expand...

:ban: Hey, no back hugs!!! :eek: :tank:
 
jaytizzle said:
I did the process using a couple of oz of good bourbon and two vanilla beans for a 5-gallon batch of a porter. It turned out AMAZING! I'm about to duplicate it for an imperial stout using 3 or possibly 4 vanilla beans.

1 - cut vanilla beans in half lengthwise
2 - scrape out all the gooey goodness
3 - cut beans into 1/2" to 1" pieces
4 - put in plastic container with 1 to 2 oz of good liquor (bourbon or vodka would be my first choice)
5 - shake the container a couple of times a day for at least a week
6 - dump the whole container, liquor and all, into the fermenter and leave it for at least a week
7 - cold crash for 2 to 3 days
8 - rack to keg or bottling bucket for packaging
Click to expand...

So, the gooey goodness goes into the bourbon?
 
Golddiggie said:
Care to send the recipe you'll be using??? I searched last night but only came up with one that included grains I'd rather not use.
Click to expand...

Brûlée porter

Style: Unassigned OG: 1.103
Type: FG: 1.021
Rating: 0.0 ABV: 10.74 %
Calories: 333 IBU's: 30.65
Efficiency: 70 % Boil Size: 5.83 Gal
Color: 48.7 SRM Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Preboil OG: 1.097 Boil Time: 60 minutes

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
Primary 21 days @ 68.0°F
Secondary 60 days @ 72.0°F

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
15.00 lbs 71.43 % Pale Malt, Maris Otter 60 mins 1.038
1.50 lbs 7.14 % Carafa I 60 mins 1.032
0.50 lbs 2.38 % Chocolate Malt 60 mins 1.028
1.00 lbs 4.76 % Briess Caramel 60L 60 mins 1.034
2.00 lbs 9.52 % Munich Malt 60 mins 1.037
1.00 lbs 4.76 % Sugar, Table (Sucrose) 60 mins 1.046

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
3.00 ozs 30.65 Fuggles 60 mins 4.50

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
Wyeast 1028 London Ale for primary

1.00 pkg Super High Gravity Ale White Labs 0099 for secondary

Notes: caramelized 1 lb. table sugar to deep amber, cool and add to secondary with 6 split vanilla beans.

www.iBrewMaster.com Version: 2.810



Sent from my iPhone
 
Thanks, now I have a baseline for my own version. :D

What mash temp do you plan to use for this?
Why add the WL099 yeast in secondary?

I'm thinking about doing a caramelization boil with about two gallons of the first wort gathered to add some more color and such. Since I target 6 gallons out for kegs (two 3 gallon kegs) I've scaled my version up some.

I won't be starting my batch for a few months still. Once it's done, maybe we could do a bottle swap... :D :fro: :drunk:
 
Golddiggie said:
What mash temp do you plan to use for this?
Why add the WL099 yeast in secondary?
Click to expand...
mashing at 156

I'm only adding the 099 in secondary to keep the yeast separate, and also because 099 works really slowly. You could probably use a better attenuating strain than the London and just stick with that.
 
bottlebomber said:
mashing at 156

I'm only adding the 099 in secondary to keep the yeast separate, and also because 099 works really slowly. You could probably use a better attenuating strain than the London and just stick with that.
Click to expand...

I think I'm going to try one of my regular yeast strains... 1335 :rockin: or 1882-PC :ban: I'll either make a stepped starter for the batch, or gather up from a yeast cake from a previous batch. :D

I do like how BeerSmith 2.1 takes the yeast strain into account when giving you the estimated ABV% now.

This should be a pretty fun batch to make... Not sure if I'll add the caramelized sugar to my batch yet. I might get a similar enough effect from the caramelization boil of the wort.

I might need to wait on this until I get my larger mash tun either purchased or made. At 27.5# of grain, this one is getting close to the limit of my current keg mash tun. I'm toying with the idea of getting a 40 gallon mash tun from Stout Tanks.

BTW, have you thought about tossing a split vanilla bean into the kettle at flame out? I know you get different things from the beans depending on how you use them. You might get more vanilla flavor that way, with more subtle notes added by aging it with more of them. I'm also looking at putting mine onto oak after the vanilla beans. :rockin:
 
One thing i noticed that was never mentioned in all the threads is vanilla sugar for bottling. Back in my chef days we would store our vanilla bean in sugar and it would flavor the sugar. Would this be something that might help impart more vanilla into the beer.
 
Glynn said:
One thing i noticed that was never mentioned in all the threads is vanilla sugar for bottling. Back in my chef days we would store our vanilla bean in sugar and it would flavor the sugar. Would this be something that might help impart more vanilla into the beer.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't hurt to try. I am going to try to make this as balanced as I can, to try and go for a real creme brulee flavor. I don't want the vanilla and certainly not the dark malts to dominate. I definitely want that burnt sugar taste to be there. And I probably won't get all this right on the first try. Oh and lactose! I forgot to add that in the recipe. I'm going to use 4 oz of lactose.
 
I'll probably be tweaking my recipe now until right before I mill the grains. :D I want to see if I can get the flavors without adding sugar that doesn't come from barley. Plus, I'm keeping to my standard of as much UK malts as possible. Even though I might be putting some honey malt into it. :D
 

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