How much Vanilla Extract ...In an "Orange Vienna"

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solanite

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Hello. This is my first post here. My name is Bob and I live in Camillus NY. I've been home brewing since Christmas of 2000. I've had this idea kicking around for a summer beer:
Orange Vienna Cream?

I just brewed my first attempt at it.

10 gal. - All Grain

18 lbs. Pale Muntons
6.5 lbs. Vienna
1.5 lbs. Wheat

Hops:
1 oz. Liberty 60 min
1 oz. Liberty 45 min
1 oz. Hallertauer 30 min
1 oz. Hallertauer 15 min
1 oz. Hallertauer & 1 tbsp. corriander In Hop Back - aprox. 190 F

I added about 4 oz. of orange peel for the last 15 mins of boil.

OG - 1.059
IBU - 22 (ProMash est.)

So, its fermenting right now (began on Mon 7-16) and my plan is to add some vanilla extract as I tranfer the beer from my fermenter into my kegs. How much extract should I add to each keg? I'm looking for a mild vanilla flavor, but I do want it to be there. My initial guess would be about 2 oz. per keg (aprox. 4-4.5 gal)...but I've never brewed with vanilla.

Any help would be much appreciated. :mug:

Thanks
Bob
 
Oh, you'll wish you didn't! I did a vanilla/ coffee stout a year or so ago. I added the coffee and vanilla extract in the bottling bucket. I think I used two or three tablespoons of Vanilla extract in a five gallon batch. After the first bottle, the vanilla wasn't SO overpowering, but it was still strong. I'd wake up the next morning after a night of drinking, and all I could taste was vanilla!

I'd say that you should probably go with a tablespoon per 5 gal. If you're doing multiple batches, play around with it until it suits your taste. My vanilla monster was the only batch I almost couldn't drink.:(
 
When you rack to the bottling bucket, measure and add a little, taste it. Calculate the concentration you added and make another addition, repeat until it tastes good.
 
I agree, err on the side of less. I did 2 oz. in my cream ale and 7 months later it's just beginning to taste right. Ideally, you probably don't want to taste the vanilla, just barely know it's there.
 
If you are using real vanilla extract, you can use quite a bit. If you like vanilla flavor, then I don't think it's extremely overwhelming. I used 6 ounces in a 5 gallon batch of cheesefood's caramel cream ale and it was not overwhelming at all.

It did have a fair amount of lactose in the beer too, so maybe the sweet made the vanilla balanced out.
 
Yeah, thanks for the heads up about how overpowering the vanilla could be. I think I'll start with a tablespoon in each keg. I'll see what that tastes like, then adjust from there. I'm really just looking for the vanilla to be just noticable. To me, vanilla seems to add a "smoothness" to whatever beverage its used in. Thats kinda what I'm hoping for here. But, I do not want a strong vanilla flavored beer.....I'm after a light beer flavor with a hint of Orange & Vanilla...a little corriander for spice and smell ......and I want the Vienna malt to sorta give it a little bit of that grainy taste.

Thanks all, for the advice. I guess the good thing is, I haven't added it yet...so I can start with a little and work my way up.

Cheers.

Bob
 
solanite said:
Hello. This is my first post here. My name is Bob and I live in Camillus NY.

Welcome to the board. I'm from Camillus too. I'm guessing you hit EJ Wren for all your stuff?...I can't really help with your question other than what everyone else has said about tasting after adding, but justed wanted to say hello from a fellow camillus resident. The guy at EJ Wren might be able to help too?!?
 
Yeah, I buy all my stuff at EJ Wren. Ed's very helpful with any questions you might have....I don't know why I didn't ask him at the time. It's nice that we have a local homebrew shop as good as Wrens. He's had pretty much anything I've ever looked for, and if not, he can usually get it for you.

I work next to (actaully part of the same building) Middle Ages Brewery. I'm stopping by after work for a few samples and to pick-up some beer. I'll probably ask one of the brewers there. They are also very helpful. Plus they have awesome beer!

Cheers

Bob
 
Yeah EJ Wrens is the best. He gives great advice for brewers. I love how he simplifies the steps for new comers to the sport. Smith Restaurant Supply sucks. I have bought equipment from there, but forget anything else. They don't know sh**. And they tell you that they don't know!

Middle Ages is great too! Last tme there I picked up a couple of there 36 oz easy cap bottles, so I can used them at home. I finally tried the Wit and I gotta say I really liked it. Grail Ale is my favorite! I look fwd to their annual festival every year at that park next door. Enjoy Middle Ages!
 
I ended up adding 1 tbsp of Vanilla extract to about 4.5 gals of beer.

Its just about perfect, I can taste thats its there, but its not over powering. I could maybe up it by about 1/4 tbsp. And it tastes really good. Like an orange creamsicle. I have to go get some more vanilla extract to keg the other half of the the brew. Also, I made a mistake when I posted the recipe earlier. I said it was 4 oz. of orange peel...it was actually 2 oz. But, thats one other thing...I'd probably use about 1 1/2 or maybe even 1 oz. of orange peel next time. Right now its a little more pronounced than I wanted, but this beer is really young. I bet,in about a week,it will taste a little less orangy. But, its definately worth trying again.

Oh, my FG was 1.014 . About 5.8 % abv

Thanks again.

Bob
 
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