Need feedback: Cinnamon Vanilla Oatmeal Stout

I've never brewed an oatmeal stout, but I thought that cinnamon and vanilla would go good in one. I looked at a few different and kind of just through together what I liked from each. Tell me what you think!

10 GAL
All Grain
Est OG: 1.063
Est FG: 1.018
Est ABV 5.89%
Est IBU: 33.9
Est SRM: 40


15.00 lb Pale 2-Row 37.0 PPG 1.8L 58.3%
4.00 lb Chocolate 29.0 PPG 350.0L 15.5%
2.50 lb Caramel / Crystal 60L 34.0 PPG 60.0L 9.7%
2.25 lb Flaked Oats 33.0 PPG 2.2L 8.7%
2.00 lb Roasted Barley 33.0 PPG 300.0L 7.8%

Mash at 153 F for 60 min

1 oz Magnum 60 min 14.0%AA
2 oz East Kent Goldings 10 min 5.8%AA

2 oz cocoa nibs Primary
5 oz vanilla extract Primary
4 each cinnamon sticks Primary

White Labs - Irish Ale Yeast WLP004

I can tell you from experience a little vanilla extract goes a LONG way

I agree with Deacon, a little vanilla extract goes a long ways. Also, I would consider adding everything to secondary. Vanilla oils can have a negative effect on fermentation from my experience. If you do not plan to use a secondary, I would wait until the fermentation is almost complete.

I typically make my own vanilla extract using bourbon and Madagascar beans. I make it relatively weak. The reason I do this is because I can then take the vanilla extract in larger quanitities (it is important to have enough liquid to completely submerge all the spices) and add other spices to the weak extract. The Bourbon will extract the other spice flavors making a beautiful blend with the vanilla that can then be mixed into beer.

I was thinking about making my own extract. Do you think one whole vanilla bean soaked in bourbon be too much?
Thanks for the input!

I did one split vanilla bean (plus a few cloves and some ginger) in a cup of vodka for 2 weeks before I added it to the secondary. That worked for my 5 gallon batch. Not over-powering, but it certainly is there.

Another option you have is to add the vanilla at kegging. I make a vanilla smoked porter that I add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to at kegging. Add and rack on top. Good luck and the beer looks good.

h0psnobery said:

I was thinking about making my own extract. Do you think one whole vanilla bean soaked in bourbon be too much?
Thanks for the input!

Click to expand...

one whole bean soaked in bourbon will be plenty, however 2 will give you a strong flavor if thats what you're going for. Also, if you only plan to leave it in the bourbon a few days you will want to add an extra bean because it takes a decent amount of time for full extraction.