Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Bourbon Vanilla Porter (AG)

[corypedia]

I set my fermentation chamber to 64* for 4 days then i'm increasing to 67* for the next 6 days. Thanks.

 

[HOPtuary]

Would like beer be doable in a bourbon barrel instead of adding the bourbon? Ive got a 10 gallon barrel with a BCS clone in it currently that will be emptied in the next few weeks.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Would like beer be doable in a bourbon barrel instead of adding the bourbon? Ive got a 10 gallon barrel with a BCS clone in it currently that will be emptied in the next few weeks.

Yes. Most of us don't have bourbon barrels at our disposal, so we have to improvise by adding bourbon and oak to the beer. If you have a oak bourbon barrel, you have an option available to you that most of us don't have.

 

[HOPtuary]

I figured it would be nice. Well this will be next on the brew list. Thanks

Yes. Most of us don't have bourbon barrels at our disposal, so we have to improvise by adding bourbon and oak to the beer. If you have a oak bourbon barrel, you have an option available to you that most of us don't have.

 

[corypedia]

okay...so i just racked to secondary and threw in 2 vanilla beans...problem is I threw the whole bean in and didn't split it, scrape or cut it up. how big of an issue is this? :/

 

[LLBeanJ]

okay...so i just racked to secondary and threw in 2 vanilla beans...problem is I threw the whole bean in and didn't split it, scrape or cut it up. how big of an issue is this? :/

I don't think you'll get much vanilla flavor from it. The only exposed part is the outer pod. The actual vanilla beans are inside. You might want to get yourself a couple more beans, split and scrape, and add them as well. Or you can get two more beans, split, scrape, section the pods, and combine it all with about an ounce of vodka to make a vanilla extract. Let it all soak for a week or so, and then filter out the solids and add the vanilla extract to your beer at packaging. This is actually what I do. I never add vanilla prior to packaging.

 

[corypedia]

Is there a reason I should wait until kegging?

 

[LLBeanJ]

Not really. It all boils down to personal preference. 95% of my brews go straight from primary to keg, so I have a habit finding solutions to processes that are typically done in secondary that allows me to get the same result without secondary. Vanilla at packaging is one of them. I am also not one to drag out the primary fermentation any longer than necessary. When I brew this recipe it's grain to keg in 10-14 days, which is typical with most of my brews.

Another example is an imperial stout that I kegged last Sunday. I brewed it exactly 2 weeks prior. At kegging, I added homemade vanilla extract, cold brewed coffee, and cacao nibs (bagged) to the keg. I'll likely pull the nibs or CO2 transfer the beer to another keg this Sunday and then let the brew age in the keg for 6 months. Essentially, the keg is my secondary, but I'll be serving from it when the time comes.

Kegging opens up a whole new world of process options that I can use to my advantage.

 

[HowlingHog]

Brewed 20 gallons last night.

OG was 1.069.

One of my mash tuns was full, and actually overflowing.

Pitched 1 quart of slurry pulled and it's rocking like a volcano.

A friend offered his 20 gal Oak Barrel but I think I'm going to pass and see what the beer has to offer.

Is there a need for top shelf bourbon like Maker's Mark or will Jim beam do?

My gramps always had bottles of Jim beam hidden, so it's kind of engrained in my DNA from when I was a kid and we'd find his stash.

 

[bolus14]

I think many will tell you that any decent bourbon will be good, you shouldn't be able to taste what bourbon was used, it should complement the beer. JB should be good if you like it.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I think many will tell you that any decent bourbon will be good, you shouldn't be able to taste what bourbon was used, it should complement the beer. JB should be good if you like it.

This ^^^^

Here is what the man himself has to say about it...

"Ya know, it really doesn't matter all that much, other than you don't want rotgut. I use Jim Beam Black because it's decent and has a reasonable price point. I really suggest you not waste expensive bourbon for this. Neither the bourbon nor vanilla flavors should stick out. They should be integrated with the flavor of the beer. If you can pick out what bourbon was used, I'd say you used too much!" ~Denny Conn

 

[corypedia]

Just cut up and scraped 3 beans and put them in a press with 4 oz of MM. How long should I let it sit to make the extract, before I add the extract to my keg?

 

[LLBeanJ]

I like to give it a few weeks. If you're not going to tap the keg right away, you can add the extract to the keg later, so you don't have to wait for the extract process to mature before you keg the brew.

 

[HowlingHog]

Oh boy...Brewed my first batch of this - 20 gallons nearly 2 weeks ago. My OG was 1.069. One of my mash tuns couldn't have taken another oz of grain! I added 8 split beans to the fermenter 4 days ago. Drew a bit to taste and check gravity today and I'm at 1.015 and I liked the hint of Vanilla already. It's showing 7.4 ABV. I'm going to let it sit for another 3-4 days, check again and then keg with Bourbon when there's a hint more vanilla.

So damn excited!

 

[corypedia]

So I brewed 5 gallons of this and it's been kegged for a couple weeks and is coming together nicely with age.

I have another 5 gallons about to finish up, cold crashing as we speak, and was curious what you all thought about adding some coffee to this recipe?

A bourbon vanilla coffee porter sounds good... Just not sure if it would taste good.

 

[orangemen5]

So I brewed 5 gallons of this and it's been kegged for a couple weeks and is coming together nicely with age.



I have another 5 gallons about to finish up, cold crashing as we speak, and was curious what you all thought about adding some coffee to this recipe?



A bourbon vanilla coffee porter sounds good... Just not sure if it would taste good.

If you did that it would have to be very little coffee added. Just to get some coffee notes in the undertones.
I would just brew another one coffee vanilla porter. If you ever had victory at sea by ballast point is a good example

 

[EvansPA]

I'm getting ready to brew this recipe as a 2.5 Gal BIAB. I have everything worked out except the IBU's. When I work out the Hops: Magnum and Goldings I get an IBU of ~29. What is the correct Hops bill and IBU for this brew?
I will using Magnum and Fuggles.
I can't wait to give this one a try!

 

[EvansPA]

I'm getting ready to brew this recipe as a 2.5 Gal BIAB.

I have everything worked out except the IBU's. When I work out the Hops: Magnum and Goldings I get an IBU of ~29. What is the correct Hops bill and IBU for this brew?
I will using Magnum and Fuggles.
I can't wait to give this one a try!

 

[LLBeanJ]

I'm getting ready to brew this recipe as a 2.5 Gal BIAB.

I have everything worked out except the IBU's. When I work out the Hops: Magnum and Goldings I get an IBU of ~29. What is the correct Hops bill and IBU for this brew?
I will using Magnum and Fuggles.
I can't wait to give this one a try!

The OP recipe shows the IBUs around 34. Denny's recipe has the IBUs around 38. I doubt you could tell a difference between 34 & 38. That said, I would increase the Magnum a bit to achieve 30-32 & use enough Fuggles @ 10 minutes to add about 5 more IBUs. That'll be plenty close enough.

 

[EvansPA]

Yeah it looks like my hops are a little lower Alpha than what is listed. I have Fuggles and Willamette available. What would you recommend for the final addition?

 

[LLBeanJ]

Of the two, I think Fuggles would be more appropriate for this recipe.

 

[EvansPA]

I brewed this recipe on Saturday and everything went great. I adjusted the recipe for a 2.5 Gallon batch BIAB style.
I only have a 5 Gallon BK and it was pretty full with 9+ lbs. of grain. I had to do a 120 min. boil to hit my Volume and OG numbers. Other than that everything was good.

My SG was 1.061 dead on with estimates.
My OG was 1.090 a few points more than estimates
Pitched US-05 and had heavy airlock activity in about 12 hours.

Denny Conn Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter - Batch 1
Brewer: Patrick
Style: Robust Porter
ABV: 8.4% (assumes any priming sugar used is diluted.)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.087
IBU's (Tinseth): 32
Bitterness to Gravity Ratio: 0.37
Kettle Efficiency (as in EIB and EAW): 73 %
Efficiency into Fermenter (EIF): 65.7 %

Times and Temperatures

Mash: 90 mins at 66 C = 150.8 F
Boil: 120 min (Added 30 min. due to low boil off rate)
Ferment: 10 days at 22 C = 71.6 F

Volumes & Gravities

Total Water Needed (TWN): 18.31 L = 4.84 G
Volume into Boil (VIB): 15.63 L = 4.13 G @ 1.061 (actual was 4.25)
Volume of Ambient Wort (VAW): 10.54 L = 2.79 G @ 1.087
Volume into Fermentor (VIF): 9.5 L = 2.51 G @ 1.087
Volume into Packaging (VIP): 8.8 L = 2.32 G @ 1.022 assuming apparent attenuation of 75 %

The Grain Bill (Also includes extracts, sugars and adjuncts)

62% Pale malt 2-Row 2631 grams = 5.8 pounds
14.1% Munich Malt 598 grams = 1.32 pounds
8.4% Crisp - Brown 359 grams = 0.79 pounds
5.6% Caramel 120L 239 grams = 0.53 pounds
2.8% Caramel 40L 120 grams = 0.26 pounds
7% Chocolate Malt 299 grams = 0.66 pounds

27.8 IBU Magnum Pellets (12.3%AA) 13.1 grams = 0.462 ounces at 60 mins
4.2 IBU Fuggles Pellets (4.3%AA) 15.7 grams = 0.554 ounces at 10 mins

Mash Type: Pure BIAB (Full-Volume Mash): Saccharifiaction for 120 mins at 66 C = 150.8 F
Water Held Back from Mash: 5 L = 1.19 G 1.32
Strike Water Needed (SWN): 14.08 L = 3.72 G 67.4 C = 153.3 F

Water Used in a Sparge: 5 L

Hopsock Used: Y

Chilling Method: Ice Bath

Fermentation: Safale US-05 at 22 C = 71.6 F

After Primary Split and scrap inners of vanilla bean, add vanilla to secondary , rack beer onto mixture. Boil Oak Cubes for 15 in water. Soak OAK cubes in Bourbon for 7 days add bourbon to at bottling.

Water Held Back from Mash: 4.5 L = 1.19 G
Water Used in a Sparge: 4.5 L = 1.19 G

 

[EvansPA]

Bottled last weekend! Based on the responses from other brewers, I added some fresh dry yeast at bottling. Tasted great. Looking forward to tasting this one finished.

 

[Calaeb]

How do you think this would fair with a different hop combo? I currently have about 1#of CTZ, and 1# of chinook. Would rather not buy more hops if i dont need to.