Adding flavors to keg

[Caucasian]

I'm brewing a robust porter and when i keg it i want to add vanilla or pepper to it. Has anyone done this with much success?

 

[Brewmech]

Shouldn't be a problem. The pepper I would use sparingly. Vanilla add a couple drops, seal up the keg and taste the beer. Rinse repeat until it's to your desired level. Jamil has an episode on fruit beer that covers this sort of thing on the brewing network.

 

[Caucasian]

I'll listen to that episode tonight, thanks.

 

[TopherM]

I added a capful of standard McCormicks vanilla extract to my last Pumpkin Ale at about 4.0 gallons, and it was slightly too much. I ended up adding about 1/2 gallon of an amber ale to cut it just a bit, and it turned out fantastic. About a capful of vanilla extract per 4.5-5.0 gallons should be perfect.

For a pepper flavor, consider making a tea out of crushed Grains of Paradise instead of straight pepper. The pepper flavor from Grains of Paradise is much more complimentary to beer than actual pepper is, IMO. I use about 2 grams crushed (like pulverized) in a good bit of my Hefewiezens. You can literally crush them up, throw them in a coffee filter in the coffee maker, and make 4 cups of Grains of Paradise tea, cool it slightly, then just dump it into the keg and give it a few gentle swirls.

Good luck!