Opinions on adding Bacon

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Sourz4life

Sourz4life

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So I've been creating a smoked maple ale and plan to rack the beer to secondary, and "dry hog" the bacon in a hops bag. I'll be trimming as much as the fat off as I can. I'll also be soaking it in maple syrup prior and then slow smoking it using oak for about 4-6 hours. At that point I plan to dry hog it. Now my question is, what are your experiences using bacon in either secondary or even in the mash. I want to the bacon flavor to be subtle but noticeable so I'm curious if anyone has any suggestions on how many slices/oz of bacon you would use in a 4 gallon batch.
 
I've never used it, but I can imagine it will kill your head and head retention no matter how lean you try to trim it.

You may want to consider using some smoked malts instead to give you that smoky bacon flavor.
 
I did use smoked malts in the mash, but I want to add more of a real bacon flavor. I've seen recipes using it in the mash and some with "dry hogging" so there must be a way to prevent those issues.
 
I brewed a 1-gallon batch of "Bacon Smoked Porter" once. I cooked the bacon, then chopped it up and just dumped it into the beer to soak for 2 weeks. I then primed and bottled it.

The bacon flavour came through fine, but as noted, it completely killed any head retention. In addition, it gave the beer a weird, off-putting oily slickness in the mouth. I ended up dumping the remaining bottles, as it wasn't something I enjoyed, and I certainly wasn't going to let a guest try it and form a negative opinion of my brewing ability. Best to keep the illusion up that everything I brew is liquid gold. :)
 
That was my worry from the beginning, the fat slipperiness making its way into the final batch. I think a bacon broth reduction will be the best, and use the freeze method to remove all fat and matter and just leave the pure flavor.
 
I would definitely not add bacon straight into the beer. It sounds like a great idea but bacon has way too much fat regardless of how much you trim. Your head retention would be non-existent and I would bet the mouthfeel would be awful. I think smoking the grains with your bacon is the best idea... install a lip on a splatter screen and put directly into your bacon flavor release... just my opinion...
 
Another option is to cook the bacon to render the fat, dry it off on paper towels really well, then add the bacon to vodka to extract flavor before freezing the vodka to solidify and remove the fat. Then the vodka tincture can be added to the beer at bottling.
 
pdxal said:
Another option is to cook the bacon to render the fat, dry it off on paper towels really well, then add the bacon to vodka to extract flavor before freezing the vodka to solidify and remove the fat. Then the vodka tincture can be added to the beer at bottling.
Click to expand...

It would seem that this method has the added benefit over the consomme method of sterilizing the bacon right up until it's added to the brew. Great idea.
 
I'm curious, how much does the vodka itself affect the flavor. Does it matter what kind of vodka I use (obviously flavorless but brand wise). And I wonder how well it extracts the flavor using vodka vs consomme method.
 
Vodka is considered a neutral spirit, along with grain alcohol (Everclear, Clear Springs, etc.). This is what most of us use to make tinctures/extracts to add to beer. In the volume you're talking about, it shouldn't affect the flavor in an alcoholic way adversely, meaning you're not going to get like a huge liquor burn off it.

I use 190-proof grain alcohol, and cut it in half to get two fifths at 95-proof. Under $15.
 
I may try both methods. Compare flavors and then add as needed. Both seem like they should work, but I want to of course use the best method/flavor. I'll be brewing this batch this weekend and will be making the bacon extract using both methods. I'll post the results of the bacon extract
 
Saw this on OliveNation's website:

"Bacon Natural Flavor by OliveNation gives food bacon flavor. It’s vegan and can be used to flavor vegetarian dishes.

How do you use it? Savory Bacon Natural Flavor by OliveNation can be added to any liquid-based food application. Get creative with Bacon Natural Flavor and make batters, icings, frostings, fillings, and beverages taste like bacon. It can also be used while making beer and wine. Since Bacon Natural Flavor is water-soluble, it works best in food applications that contain liquid."

Maybe just a touch of extract like this along with your smoked malts? I once used a little Brewer's Best Apricot Extract to embellish an apricot puree in secondary of a wit and it came out quite nice, not tasting like extract.
 
I would stick with some apple wood smoked malt. That can be enough to trigger the "taste" of bacon, particulalry if you have big labels that say "Bacon Beer" on it. Perhaps a source of umami that does not contain a fat. Mushrooms, perhaps? Would add a good earthy quality, but would give a meaty quality.
 
I looked at a few of those as well. The only issue I had was a lot of reviews said it mostly tasted smokey, instead of porky. I'm already using smoked malts in the mash so I have that covered.
 
jamaral141989 said:
I looked at a few of those as well. The only issue I had was a lot of reviews said it mostly tasted smokey, instead of porky. I'm already using smoked malts in the mash so I have that covered.
Click to expand...

This was in response to the extracts
 
JohnnyBrewGood said:
The book Experimental Brewing speaks a lot about tinctures.
Click to expand...

Why do you have to remind me that books have valuable information? Also, why do you have to point out that this very book is sitting on my shelf, yet to be read? Now I have homework to do...
 
pdxal said:
Another option is to cook the bacon to render the fat, dry it off on paper towels really well, then add the bacon to vodka to extract flavor before freezing the vodka to solidify and remove the fat. Then the vodka tincture can be added to the beer at bottling.
Click to expand...

This would be my approach should I want to experiment with bacon. I would make the "extract" and test it out on a couple beers off the shelf similar to one I would brew. Take note of how much you add when you get the taste right and extrapolate to your final volume. Then you know you're not taking a shot in the dark on how much flavor you're adding.

I live in Texas so I will undoubtedly be trying out bacon flavors in my beer in the future, and possibly bbq as well.
 
jamaral141989 said:
This was in response to the extracts
Click to expand...

Might be worth a try. You could add a small amount at bottling (which I did with the apricot), so you can regulate the amount of impact it has on the flavor of the beer, then scale it accordingly. Adding it to a boil or secondary addition pretty much commits the entire batch (unless you split it) to whatever the outcome is.
 
It would be in secondary so I should have some room to play with it. Has anyone ever tried to consomme method? I'm curious now how potent it is and if it really removes all the fatty oils. From research, it seems like it would be the most flavorful, but I don't see there being a 100% change of it filtering out all the fat. The only method I've seen that will do that is the vodka method.
 
JohnnyBrewGood said:
The book Experimental Brewing http://www.experimentalbrew.com/about speaks a lot about tinctures. I have not read the whole book yet but it may even take about meat, good book so far. I got the Kindle version for like $3. great read for the money.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip on the book. Just purchased it and found a recipe where they use vodka as well and add it right before bottling. I think I'm just going to use that method and freeze the extract as well to remove any extra fat left behind. I'll still try the consomme method as I have some gelatin sheets, just for experimental purposes.
 
Make a bacon infused alcohol, either Bourbon which is traditional in beers, or you could try with vodka or everclear (which won't add any additional alcohol flavor,) then "freeze" it so the fat cap settles on top and you can pull it out of solution (which will appease the armchair "it's gonna kill your head retention" chestnut that always gets repeated by people who never experiment but bring it up everytime someone attempts to get creative- I've done just about every thing someone has said would ruin head and had beautiful beers with plenty of head) strain it further, and add that at bottling or kegging time.

I show how to do that infusion in my "1st Charcuterie/Molecular Gastronomy Experiment, Maple Bacon Bourbon Balls" Thread.

Which reminds me I have to make another bottle of bacon bourbon, and make a bacon bourbon stout with it soon.

You can also do it with the Nitrogen Cavitation method I talk about in this brew bubba's podcast (but I've found that is a better method for non meat infusions, but it can be done...but it's a pain to clean afterword.)
 
Revvy said:
Make a bacon infused alcohol, either Bourbon which is traditional in beers, or you could try with vodka or everclear (which won't add any additional alcohol flavor,) then "freeze" it so the fat cap settles on top and you can pull it out of solution (which will appease the armchair "it's gonna kill your head retention" chestnut that always gets repeated by people who never experiment but bring it up everytime someone attempts to get creative- I've done just about every thing someone has said would ruin head and had beautiful beers with plenty of head) strain it further, and add that at bottling or kegging time.

I show how to do that infusion in my "1st Charcuterie/Molecular Gastronomy Experiment, Maple Bacon Bourbon Balls" Thread.

Which reminds me I have to make another bottle of bacon bourbon, and make a bacon bourbon stout with it soon.

You can also do it with the Nitrogen Cavitation method I talk about in this brew bubba's podcast (but I've found that is a better method for non meat infusions, but it can be done...but it's a pain to clean afterword.)
Click to expand...

Love your thread on how you did it. I have a smoker so I planned to cold smoke the bacon anyways. But seeing the process helps. I can also add the maple syrup like you did as its a smoked maple ale anways, and I have like 6 gallons of grade A commercial extra extra dark syrup from the sugar houses around here(I live in Maine)
 
Revvy said:
Make a bacon infused alcohol, either Bourbon which is traditional in beers, or you could try with vodka or everclear (which won't add any additional alcohol flavor,) then "freeze" it so the fat cap settles on top and you can pull it out of solution (which will appease the armchair "it's gonna kill your head retention" chestnut that always gets repeated by people who never experiment but bring it up everytime someone attempts to get creative- I've done just about every thing someone has said would ruin head and had beautiful beers with plenty of head) strain it further, and add that at bottling or kegging time.

I show how to do that infusion in my "1st Charcuterie/Molecular Gastronomy Experiment, Maple Bacon Bourbon Balls" Thread.

Which reminds me I have to make another bottle of bacon bourbon, and make a bacon bourbon stout with it soon.

You can also do it with the Nitrogen Cavitation method I talk about in this brew bubba's podcast (but I've found that is a better method for non meat infusions, but it can be done...but it's a pain to clean afterword.)
Click to expand...

So a question on this as well. I noticed you said at the end of the thread you used a different amount of salt. For a pound of pork belly how much salt would you suggest. Also just so I have it right, you basically let it sit in a rub and create a brine, let it dry, then use a drip pan method when baking and allow the drippings to fall into the alcohol. Then you just do the freeze method and straining.
 
If I wanted beer and bacon flavor, I would have my nice beer in one hand, a plate of bacon in my lap. I would take a bite of my bacon, and then a swig of my beer. Glad I could help.

Cheers. :mug:
 
So if gelatin serves to bind fats in the consomme method, why would it not serve the same purpose if simply pitching gelatin after dry-hogging in secondary?
 
My sister bought me the smoked bacon red ale from northern brewer and it uses an ounce of bacon extract in the fermentor. Kind of weary to brew this one, but I have to now that she bought it with milled grains. Other places probably sell the extract as well.
 
jamaral141989 said:
So a question on this as well. I noticed you said at the end of the thread you used a different amount of salt. For a pound of pork belly how much salt would you suggest. Also just so I have it right, you basically let it sit in a rub and create a brine, let it dry, then use a drip pan method when baking and allow the drippings to fall into the alcohol. Then you just do the freeze method and straining.
Click to expand...

Have you read about "EQ- Curing?" it differs from the saltbox method which (which is pretty much make a whole bunch of cure, rub it on, and let it go. EQ curing is done by calculating everything base on the weight of the meat, and using the minimum percentages (including the FDA recomended amount of pink salt) of all the ingredients.

here's a article about it.

I use this online EQ calculator to figure out the amounts needed. If I'm going by someone's bacon recipe, I tend to keep the spices and "adjuncts" the same the first time, but use the calculator for the salt, pink salt and (usually) the sugar amounts.

There's a cool bacon makers thread going on here now.

Also BYO magazing has an article on using bacon in beer.

And this is an interesting looking article explaining the "Fat washing" process I discussed earlier.
 
Basically when "makin bacon" I use a two gallon ziplock bag, mix up my cure and spices, rub it on the belly, shove it in that baggie, stick in in a try in the fridge (try is optional, but just in case the seal goes) then twice a day I give the bag a rub to re-distribute the cure and then flip it over... usually in the morning when getting my coffee out of the fridge, then at dinner or bedtime when I'm going in the fridge.

Do this for a week to 14 days, then I rinse the cure off (if I used salt box method instead of EQ, I MAY soak the bacon for an hour or more if I think it's going to bee too salty) then I pat it dry, and I set in on a rack on a baking tray and put it on top of my kegs in the keezer, right under where my circulating fan it. Leave it for a day (or overnight) in there to let the pellicule form on top so it takes the smoke better.

Then I may baste it with something if the recipe calls for it (like more maple syrup and bourbon) or crack pepper. Then I smoke it in whatever way works for me. ( I have an electric smoker at my new place now, and I can hot or cold smoke it- or use a stove top smoker or the methods in that thread.)

225 for 5-6 hours until internal temp of 150-155 degrees

Then I save any of the fat/cracklings from the smoking along with some of the bacon I fry up after to infuse my alcohol.
 
Revvy said:
Basically when "makin bacon" I use a two gallon ziplock bag, mix up my cure and spices, rub it on the belly, shove it in that baggie, stick in in a try in the fridge (try is optional, but just in case the seal goes) then twice a day I give the bag a rub to re-distribute the cure and then flip it over... usually in the morning when getting my coffee out of the fridge, then at dinner or bedtime when I'm going in the fridge.

Do this for a week to 14 days, then I rinse the cure off (if I used salt box method instead of EQ, I MAY soak the bacon for an hour or more if I think it's going to bee too salty) then I pat it dry, and I set in on a rack on a baking tray and put it on top of my kegs in the keezer, right under where my circulating fan it. Leave it for a day (or overnight) in there to let the pellicule form on top so it takes the smoke better.

Then I may baste it with something if the recipe calls for it (like more maple syrup and bourbon) or crack pepper. Then I smoke it in whatever way works for me. ( I have an electric smoker at my new place now, and I can hot or cold smoke it- or use a stove top smoker or the methods in that thread.)

225 for 5-6 hours until internal temp of 150-155 degrees

Then I save any of the fat/cracklings from the smoking along with some of the bacon I fry up after to infuse my alcohol.
Click to expand...

Much appreciated on all the info here. I'm definitely going to use this method. I'll of course post all the results.

I had another question that pertained to something you had mentioned in your https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=384898&page=4 thread. The closet curing set up. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time but never though I had the room. After looking at your set up I could def do something like that. My question is, after reading the info you linked on that thread on how to set it up, how did you allow airflow using that bag. Did you just leave it cracked open or cut a few holes in it.
 
I have the NB bacon red, just bottled last Tuesday. I'll let you know how it is when I pop one.
I also made a bacon tincture with vodka. Split one pound of bacon into three different experiments:
1) half cup of bacon fat with half cup of vodka.
2) half cup of toweled bacon in half cup of vodka.
3) half cup of fat, half cup of bacon, full cup of vodka.

My experiments have been sitting for 6 months, need to open them and see what the best combination is, or if it really mattered.
 
jamaral141989 said:
Much appreciated on all the info here. I'm definitely going to use this method. I'll of course post all the results.

I had another question that pertained to something you had mentioned in your https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=384898&page=4 thread. The closet curing set up. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time but never though I had the room. After looking at your set up I could def do something like that. My question is, after reading the info you linked on that thread on how to set it up, how did you allow airflow using that bag. Did you just leave it cracked open or cut a few holes in it.
Click to expand...

IIRC I made a vent hole in the back, and covered it with mesh (I believe I used Drywall sanding screen) to prevent insects from getting in the hole. I made 2-3 hole near the top, and cut a rectangle of mesh and cut 2 larger rectangles of cereal box cardboard with the center cut out, and sandwiched the mesh between the two frames & glued it together then hotglued that inside over the area where the holes were.

Unfortunatly after my apartment building fire last year anything plastic that was food or brewing related had to be tossed out because of fear of chemical contamination from the smoke. I have a place that has both cool basement and an outside "shed" like pantry so I can do this stuff again, the basement appears to be year round in the 50's which is perfect for charcuterie. I haven't done a bag yet, but I just took a large rectangular rubbermade bin and turning it up on the side where the handle is I've made a "box" for the basement. I did pretty much the same gear setup inside, plus a coffee can 20w light bulb heater with one of my stc-1000 temp controllers to power it.

When I get back to sausage making I'll have to make a big bag setup again- It works great if you have a cool space to do it- then you just need to enclose it to provide moisture and protect the meat from insects and and any critters that might want it.

I have a pinterest board, or whatever it's called of Charcuteri stuff including info on making curing chambers, and recipes here.
 
Amadeo38 said:
So if gelatin serves to bind fats in the consomme method, why would it not serve the same purpose if simply pitching gelatin after dry-hogging in secondary?
Click to expand...

I've only ever done Heston Blumenthal's version of the consume method, and that requires freezing. Don't think you want to do that with your beer. It would be much easier to make an extract and clear that instead.
 

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