coriander and vodka

[sandhiller]

Im consideng crushing coriander and soaking it in vodka to addto the secondary for a wit. Any thought's?

 

[Horseshoot]

I'm just curious... Why not just crush it and put it in the boil?

That said... I do know, from experience, that vodka (or pure grain alcohol, is good at extracting flavors from herbs and spices.

 

[KurtisCummings]

I personally have only used it at flameout or <5 min left in the boil

Let us know how it turns out, soak it, if it smells awful, don't pitch it.

P.S. I wouldn't take a shot of the vodka afterwards

 

[Horseshoot]

I probably would. Couldn't help myself.

 

[amcclai7]

Im consideng crushing coriander and soaking it in vodka to addto the secondary for a wit. Any thought's?

This is called making a tincture and it can work wonders for infusing flavors. If you use spices in the boil a lot of the aromatics will get driven off by the fermentation. Keep in mind that whatever a recipe calls for in flameout additions, you will probably need to use less of that spice for a tincture. Alcohol extracts flavors waaaay more than a few min boil does. Here's the thing. Make a tincture and pull a small sample of the beer. Add it in very specific amounts (1 ml at a time) until you reach the desired flavor. From there you can determine how much corriander infused vodka to add to the beer. For example, if 2ml is sufficient for 12 oz of beer then, 640/12 = 53, 53 x 2 = 106ml need for all 5 gallons.

*640 is the number of oz in 5 gallons.

 

[Horseshoot]

This is called making a tincture and it can work wonders for infusing flavors. If you use spices in the boil a lot of the aromatics will get driven off by the fermentation. Keep in mind that whatever a recipe calls for in flameout additions, you will probably need to use less of that spice for a tincture. Alcohol extracts flavors waaaay more than a few min boil does. Here's the thing. Make a tincture and pull a small sample of the beer. Add it in very specific amounts (1 ml at a time) until you reach the desired flavor. From there you can determine how much corriander infused vodka to add to the beer. For example, if 2ml is sufficient for 12 oz of beer then, 640/12 = 53, 53 x 2 = 106ml need for all 5 gallons.



*640 is the number of oz in 5 gallons.

That's a good idea. Just before Xmas, I decided to use half of my batch of American Brown Ale, as a spiced ale. One corny plain, one spiced. I used several spices (cinnamon, allspice, cloves, peppercorns, etc...) to make a tea. Added it to the corny. It wasn't enough. It was nice. But needed more "umph". Next time I'll try the tincture, and titrate to taste.

 

[amcclai7]

That's a good idea. Just before Xmas, I decided to use half of my batch of American Brown Ale, as a spiced ale. One corny plain, one spiced. I used several spices (cinnamon, allspice, cloves, peppercorns, etc...) to make a tea. Added it to the corny. It wasn't enough. It was nice. But needed more "umph". Next time I'll try the tincture, and titrate to taste.

If there's any left in the keg just make another tea, or tincture, and add it. I've got a winter warmer that I used cinnamon, raisins, molasses, ginger and vanilla in. Tastes very good right now but the ginger and vanilla are quite hidden. I'm thinking of making a ginger tea, grabbing my vanilla extract, pouring 8 oz or so and then testing. If i come up with something great I'll add the liquids to the keg in the appropriate proportions. If not, I'll still have a very good beer on my hands and the only thing I'll have to buy will be a few chunks of ginger.

 

[fredthecat]

you could experiment and have a test half with either no coriander or a little added at the end of boil and then mark off bottles to which you will add the tincture.

adding spices to vodka does work btw. you're a few ingredients away from making nice homemade gin actually.

tmi, but i made an awesome gin by just adding coriander, allspice, juniper berries, cardamom, cinammon and bay leaves to flavourless spirit then removing them after a time.

 

[Horseshoot]

.

 

[Horseshoot]

If there's any left in the keg just make another tea, or tincture, and add it. I've got a winter warmer that I used cinnamon, raisins, molasses, ginger and vanilla in. Tastes very good right now but the ginger and vanilla are quite hidden. I'm thinking of making a ginger tea, grabbing my vanilla extract, pouring 8 oz or so and then testing. If i come up with something great I'll add the liquids to the keg in the appropriate proportions. If not, I'll still have a very good beer on my hands and the only thing I'll have to buy will be a few chunks of ginger.

It's long gone, my friend.

 

[sandhiller]

Thanks for the response. Im going to brew the wit this weekend and I will post the results in a few weeks. I have tried adding the spice at 2 min and flame out and havn't got the flavor I have wanted. I will be brewing ten gallons and plan to play with two different levels of spice thanks again happy brewing!!