Caramel cream ale?

[DeadYetiBrew]

I'm thinking about trying your recipe and I'm a little confused on when to add the vanilla. Do you actually mix it in when you prime it for bottling? Or after the boil and the wort is cooled?

2 oz go in with the boil... then when you bottle add 4 oz to the priming solution...

 

[Chuganator]

I got a FG of 1.018 after seven days and noticed everyone else in the 1.001-1.010 range. Still not done? No activity in the carboy or the airlock.. just dont want to risk a bottle bomb.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

I got a FG of 1.018 after seven days and noticed everyone else in the 1.001-1.010 range. Still not done? No activity in the carboy or the airlock.. just dont want to risk a bottle bomb.

Mine's in the clearing stages now... I got it down to 1.02 unfortunately... I'm not too worried about it...

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

How do you think this would turn out with a dry yeast, say Nottinghams or Muntons Gold?

I would like to brew this tomorrow, but I think I may have missed the window on picking up some German Ale yeast and making a starter.

I can only get dry east shipped to me on an army base in Germany so I'm using safale 04... we'll see how it turns out. I know nothing about yeast, but was recommended by the brew store guy.

Let ya know how it tastes when its done

 

[JnJ]

Brewed mine yesterday, it is in a very active fermenation now.

 

[Timekiller]

I also brewed mine yesterday.... it is in very active fermentation, most out of all of my brews.. I already fitted it with a blow off tube, to prevent any mishaps.

I made the AG version, and tweeked the recipie a bit...

Here is what I did:

Grains:
6 lbs. American 2-row America (im new to AG)
4 lbs. Wheat Malt Belgium
1.00 lbs. Crystal 60L America

Hops:
1oz Cascade for bittering (60 minutes)
.5oz Saaz for flavor (20 minutes)
.5 oz Tettnang for aroma (end of boil)

Yeast: Wyeast 1007 German Ale

Extras:
1/2 lb. clover honey (15 minutes)
1 tsp Irish Moss (15 minutes)
4 oz. Lactose (15 minutes)
2 oz real vanilla extract (15 minutes)


Anticipated OG: 1.052 Plato: 12.91
Anticipated SRM: 9.6
Anticipated IBU: 28.9


When I put it into the secondary, Im going to make a 1 gallon test batch and Im going to add 1oz. of kona coffee beans, and 2oz. of med. toasted oak chips (for the final 7 days)

I did take a reading pre-boil... 1.052
and post boil... 1.061 but I realized I was 3 qts. shy of 5 gallons, so I topped it off with 3 qts. of sterilized water and neglected to take a final reading.

We will see how it turns out.

 

[JohnnyK68]

Just took my first taste of this. It has only been in the bottles about 1.5 weeks, and I only chilled it. So in other words its very very green. That being said, this stuff is the BOMB! Its definatley going on my to brew list right away to get more going. Cant wait to condition it a bit more, it may very well be one of the best beers I have ever had!

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Sweeeeet! Mine was bubbling furiously when I woke up this morning, which was 6 hours after putting it in the primary. Can't wait to taste this brew!

 

[debtman7]

Well, all I can say is after brewing, give it time... We kegged this one in early december and sampled it a few weeks later. We didn't like it. We actually planned to bottle it up and give it away... But we let it sit on the gas for a month and a half. Now, it's good. We like it. We drink it daily. Yay!

I used a lot of vanilla, around 10 ounces I think. We like vanilla. But even with that much I still think it's pretty balanced, it's not terribly vanilla flavored. If you didn't know there was vanilla in it, you might not even notice. Maybe Sam's Club vanilla sucks? I dunno, but we added a lot and it's good.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Well, all I can say is after brewing, give it time... We kegged this one in early december and sampled it a few weeks later. We didn't like it. We actually planned to bottle it up and give it away... But we let it sit on the gas for a month and a half. Now, it's good. We like it. We drink it daily. Yay!

I used a lot of vanilla, around 10 ounces I think. We like vanilla. But even with that much I still think it's pretty balanced, it's not terribly vanilla flavored. If you didn't know there was vanilla in it, you might not even notice. Maybe Sam's Club vanilla sucks? I dunno, but we added a lot and it's good.

Did you by chance use Imitation Vanilla. This calls for Real Vanilla Extract 10 times more potent than imitation.

 

[Cheesefood]

I know there's a lot of posts, but in this thread there's a discussion about why Imitation is going to ruin your brew. You can't use imitation vanilla at all.

 

[roofjump]

Sorry to ask a stupid question, but how many gallons was your boil?

EDIT: I'm assuming this is a partial (3gal) boil. Brewing right now

 

[BierMuncher]

PS - My CCA is sitting in the secondary. I don't give it much chance of being a clear brew...but boy did that hydrometer sample taste awesome. AND THAT'S BEFORE I ADD THE EXTRA VANILLA & LACTOSE... .

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Moved mine over to secondary today... filled myself a half-pint and had it for breakfast mmmmmmmmmmm mMMMMMMMMMMM. This beer is awesome Cheese, you should consider it for tournaments. This beer would sell like mad commercially.

 

[Cheesefood]

Moved mine over to secondary today... filled myself a half-pint and had it for breakfast mmmmmmmmmmm mMMMMMMMMMMM. This beer is awesome Cheese, you should consider it for tournaments. This beer would sell like mad commercially.

I've thought about it, but some people who have made it hated it.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

I've thought about it, but some people who have made it hated it.

I'm with seefresh, cheese. From what i tasted in between prime and secondary it tastes great... I would definitely try it in a competition. I'm bottling mine tomorrow.

 

[Kayos]

People are asking about "imitation vanilla". I know this is a no-no. Is the stuff at Von's that says "pure vanilla extract" the real deal? I see an imitation vanilla right next to it, but this stuff says "real".

 

[JnJ]

So I transfered mine to the secondary today after a very active fementation. I had no activity in the airlock, and the krousen (SP?) had fallen. I did not take an SG. Mine appeared very cloudy like a redish mud color. Is this normal? I have not brewed a wheat beer yet and this does contain wheat which I know will make it cloudy, just wondering.......

 

[Cheesefood]

So I transfered mine to the secondary today after a very active fementation. I had no activity in the airlock, and the krousen (SP?) had fallen. I did not take an SG. Mine appeared very cloudy like a redish mud color. Is this normal? I have not brewed a wheat beer yet and this does contain wheat which I know will make it cloudy, just wondering.......

Here's how mine looked:

 

[Cheesefood]

People are asking about "imitation vanilla". I know this is a no-no. Is the stuff at Von's that says "pure vanilla extract" the real deal? I see an imitation vanilla right next to it, but this stuff says "real".

The real stuff costs about 5 times as much as the imitation stuff.

 

[Kayos]

The real stuff costs about 5 times as much as the imitation stuff.

$10 for 4 oz sound about right?

 

[Cheesefood]

$10 for 4 oz sound about right?

Yep. Taste a few drops first and see how it tastes. If it leaves a waxy taste in your mouth, be careful. If it's a clean taste they you'll be fine.

 

[jayselle]

Well I added 2 ounces of imitation vanilla extract during the boil before realizing I needed the real stuff. I picked up some real vanilla extract and will add another 2 ounces when moving to secondary. Hopefully half and half will be acceptable.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Yep. Taste a few drops first and see how it tastes. If it leaves a waxy taste in your mouth, be careful. If it's a clean taste they you'll be fine.

Cheese I commend you again on a fine beer... Tasted it today when we bottle and it's fantastic... Unfortunately I had to bottle with honey... I hope none of the honey taste stays behind because i tasted some with the priming solution i made with honey and it was... well Honey, doesn't go well with it...

Good sh!t cheese...

 

[Cheesefood]

Cheese I commend you again on a fine beer... Tasted it today when we bottle and it's fantastic... Unfortunately I had to bottle with honey... I hope none of the honey taste stays behind because i tasted some with the priming solution i made with honey and it was... well Honey, doesn't go well with it...

Good sh!t cheese...

I think I used honey in #2 since I was short on DME. Honey might bea good idea - it'll dry it out a little.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

I think I used honey in #2 since I was short on DME. Honey might bea good idea - it'll dry it out a little.

Yeah i was thinking of adding a little more lactose or vanilla since it was going to dry it out, but i opted for seeing how it would turn out this way first...

 

[McKBrew]

Mine's still got another week in secondary, then it's bottling time. I am really looking forward to this brew, because I haven't heard anything but positive comments.

 

[JohnnyK68]

This shyt is just flat out GOOD! I have had 3 people try it, and 3 people ask if I can make them a batch of it, and they will pay for it. I am trying to savor this as long as I can but its fastly running the F out. Got to get another batch going tomorrow, and screw those who asked for it this one is all mine! Awesome beer Cheese! To say the least!

 

[BierMuncher]

I just moved my batch from the secondary to a keg for cold conditioning. I'll give it a week at around 35 degrees and then either force carb and tap or bottle. If I had unlimited tap capcity...no brainer to keep in a keg. As it is, I have a huge Porter on tap #1 and I'm looking for a light ABV on tap #2. This batch does smell great and I'm anxious to see how it tastes when I add the extra vanilla and Lactose.

 

[debtman7]

Did you by chance use Imitation Vanilla. This calls for Real Vanilla Extract 10 times more potent than imitation.

I don't allow imitation vanilla in my house

Granted I don't get premium premium extract, but the sams just of pure vanilla extract. I don't have my notes but I'm pretty sure I used at least 8 ounces total, probably around 10. Still isn't overwhelmingly vanilla flavored, and with age the vanilla tastes have mellowed even more. It has less vanilla flavor than other commercial vanilla beers I've tried.

Still good though, just took a few months. I think at first, the bourbon was too much for me, I just hate bourbon... For the first month the wife and I tried it every now and then and figured, well, maybe we'll just bottle it up and give it away... We left it alone for a few months and tried it again, and now we like. Much more mellow and drinkable.