Bourbon beer

[Bravo79]

So I have a vanilla bourbon beer kit I’m going to be trying. I’m not a bourbon expert and don’t really know what bourbon would be the best to add. Any ideas

 

[PrrCabin]

I use Markers Mark

Cabin

 

[brewcold]

I also use Markers Mark and result is pretty good. You should give it a try first.

 

[mj1angier]

Sounds like the perfect time to do some taste testing!!

 

[Bravo79]

Thank you for all your input, I think I’m going to go with mj1angier on this

 

[Riverevir]

Another vote for makers (on many levels).

 

[bronzdragon]

Well, I would just use your favorite Bourbon. You wouldn't be making a Bourbon flavored beer if you didn't like Bourbon in the first place. Also, know that a little bourbon goes a long way, flavor-wise. You can also accent the bourbon flavor with some white oak cubes in the secondary.

/cheers

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I got laughed at by my bourbon loving friend for using Blanton's. "You wasted Blanton's on a beer?" was his response. It was an expensive batch of beer but turned out really good though....

 

[bronzdragon]

Good ingredients in, good beer out...unless you screw something up.

/cheers

 

[Toga]

You really should just use what you like to ensure you are happy with the end product. Bourbon is just like beer, food, and anything else that passes over your palate. It is subject to personal taste.

I happen to really like Buffalo Trace so that is my go to for Bourbon infused beer.

A little Bourbon goes a long way as mentioned by bronzdragon. I found that 4-8 ounces per 5 gallon batch added to the keg or bottling bucket is my personal sweet spot. How much, depends on the style of beer I am adding it to. A ligher beer will get 4-5 ounces. An imperial stout will get 6-8 ounces. You will need to experiment with a batch or three to find your personal sweet spot

 

[triethylborane]

cheap bourbon, ol grandad is good

expensive bourbon is a meme

 

[imasickboy]

I'll add that if you don't already know that the beer itself will be great, (have you brewed it before?), don't waste great bourbon on a mediocre beer.

 

[toxdoc49]

I also use Markers Mark and result is pretty good. You should give it a try first.

yes, Makers Mark

 

[Calder]

The Bourbon flavor is secondary to many other flavors in the beer. Unless you have hit the pinical of the base beer and are only looking for perfection, then I see no reason to waste top-shelf Bourbon on it. Any cheap Bourbon that you are happy to drink is OK. The subtlies of top-shelf bourbon will be mostly lost in the beer.

If you make a marguerita, would you use a $50 top-shelf bottle of Tequilla, or opt for one from the well?

For me, when I add any liquor, I start with 500 ml for 5 gallons (about 2/3 rds of a regular bottle). How much do you think you will need? 500 mil per 5 gallons is ~10 ml per 12 ozs bottle (or 2 teaspoons). If you want to see what 10 ml per bottle will do, take a similar beer and add 2 teaspoons to the glass and see what you get; adjust up or down from there.

 

[applescrap]

For me personally, i try to not do the cheap thing with everything anymore. Since you only need a small amount you can enjoy the rest as well. If you have a little money than your options are higher, if not than I am sure you can find something to work. Every time I say i am going to add something, I end up never stop tasting. Basically I like to splash the beers. Maybe a little more, maybe a little less. Maybe some red wine, maybe some white. In fact just racked a plain porter and this thread has inspired me to splash it with something. I wont go up to 50 for a bottle, but maybe something still nice. There are some really good small batch artesian groups in denver and my lq tasted all the barrells and picked one for the store. Point is thats how I want to spend my friday night, drinking some killer bourbon beer listening to records.

For full addition, get a friend or two together and measure small amounts at a time into a glass. From there calculate for full batch by taste, less is more and you can always make it stronger. Careful to not get to lit up. That math from calder seems rock solid.

 

[dk21]

It sounds like you may not drink bourbon, so Maker’s Mark wouldn’t be a bad choice. I’m not a huge fan of wheated bourbon, but it’s an easy drinker. I’d pay a bit more and get Eagle Rare, however, and enjoy what’s left.

Since Eagle Rare can be hard to get in certain locations, I’d also consider Wild Turkey 101 or Buffalo Trace (as suggested by Toga).

Cheers!

 

[triethylborane]

The Bourbon flavor is secondary to many other flavors in the beer. Unless you have hit the pinical of the base beer and are only looking for perfection, then I see no reason to waste top-shelf Bourbon on it. Any cheap Bourbon that you are happy to drink is OK. The subtlies of top-shelf bourbon will be mostly lost in the beer.

If you make a marguerita, would you use a $50 top-shelf bottle of Tequilla, or opt for one from the well?

Its probably the usual internet braggadocio, besides . . . talk is always cheap. INB4 some clown says they use don julio 1942 for margaritas.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Late to the party but after 8 Bourbon/oak stouts, I've found Makers Mark to be a bit harsh. I started using Ezra Brooks. It's less expensive and I find it smoother. Much happier with the outcome. It's all a personal preference so you may want to experiment with different whiskies over time. Good luck!