vanilla disappeared ?

[PitRow]

I while ago I started a blue moon clone, 1 gallon, and on a whim I added a split and scraped vanilla bean to the fermenter after two weeks, then let it go another week. When I bottled it the vanilla was very prominent, both smell and taste. To the point that I was thinking I would have to tone it down for the next batch.

It was two weeks in the bottle last night so I sampled one after chilling in the fridge. While it was great, the vanilla was completely gone. Nothing on the nose or the tongue. How is that possible? Could the yeast be converting the vanilla into alcohol? I wouldn't think this is possible as it's not a sugar is it?

Overall the beer was a little on the dry side but I attributed that to not hitting my mash temp right and for the most part being around 148 instead of 154 that was the target. As the beer warmed up I was able to detect just a very slight hint of vanilla smell, but I don't think it was enough for you to really detect if you didn't know it was there.

any ideas? should I just add more vanilla next time? I would have thought one bean in a gallon would be plenty since most recipes I see call for 2 beans in 5 gallons.

 

[Mainer]

I recently did a vanilla milk stout with two beans, but there was minimal flavor out of it. I had to add an extra tsp of extract at bottling time.
I don't think your yeast can convert the vanilla directly to alcohol. I wonder whether there are water chemistry issues capable of preventing the beer from absorbing the flavor, but that's just a guess. You'd need someone more proficient in water chemistry issues to answer that.

I'll be following along.

 

[PitRow]

Yeah that's a good point, could be something in the water. I've read of vanilla losing flavor over the course of months, but 2 weeks seems excessive to me

 

[MaxTheSpy]

Yeah that's a good point, could be something in the water. I've read of vanilla losing flavor over the course of months, but 2 weeks seems excessive to me

I use vanilla in pretty much everything I brew and In my experience i usually use quite a bit so its strong, and then it will mellow out, sometimes dissapear but come back with age. Though it really depends if you use the bean, crushed vanilla or extract.

Thats just me though.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Do a search and you'll find information on creating a tincture by splitting the beans and soaking them in a couple of ounces of alcohol (usually vodka or bourbon) for a few days. The alcohol extracts more flavor and you then dump the whole thing into the fermenter or even the bottling bucket. With a 1 gal brew be careful not to use too much alcohol. Just enough to cover the beans.

 

[PitRow]

Do a search and you'll find information on creating a tincture by splitting the beans and soaking them in a couple of ounces of alcohol (usually vodka or bourbon) for a few days. The alcohol extracts more flavor and you then dump the whole thing into the fermenter or even the bottling bucket. With a 1 gal brew be careful not to use too much alcohol. Just enough to cover the beans.

Thanks. I had actually seen that before, but after I had already thrown the bean in this batch. I think I'll definitely try it that way next time. Do you add just the alcohol or the beans too?

 

[MaxTheSpy]

Do a search and you'll find information on creating a tincture by splitting the beans and soaking them in a couple of ounces of alcohol (usually vodka or bourbon) for a few days. The alcohol extracts more flavor and you then dump the whole thing into the fermenter or even the bottling bucket. With a 1 gal brew be careful not to use too much alcohol. Just enough to cover the beans.

thats actually a great idea. I get vanilla beans in a little vial, 2 beans. Should I keep the beans in the vial and fill up the vial with vodka and let it sit in there? or transfer it to another container first?

 

[Chesterbelloc]

Keep vanilla beans in your priming sugar.

Prime with the sugar.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

I usually split them, cut them into 1 inch lengths and just cover them with vodka in a small jar (or vial). I give them 2-4 days to soak and then pour the whole mess into the fermenter for a few days before bottling. Splitting them open exposes the seeds inside where all the flavor is. The alcohol extracts more flavor than just dropping them in the fermenter.

 

[MaxTheSpy]

I usually split them, cut them into 1 inch lengths and just cover them with vodka in a small jar (or vial). I give them 2-4 days to soak and then pour the whole mess into the fermenter for a few days before bottling. Splitting them open exposes the seeds inside where all the flavor is. The alcohol extracts more flavor than just dropping them in the fermenter.

Thanks bud, your the best. I think Ill give that a shot next Batch I brew.

 

[shortyz]

Keep vanilla beans in your priming sugar.

Prime with the sugar.

haha thats a cool idea, i always keep my storage of vanilla sugar topped up (creme brulee of course) easy stuff to make and smells bloody amazing.

 

[Chesterbelloc]

Give it a whirl.

Some people think vanilla smell is more significant than flavor.