Denny, you always know the perfect thing to say
.This is good to hear, because I am already chomping at the bit, and I've only had it in the fermenter since Monday.
Denny Conn's Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter
- Thread starter DRoyLenz
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Denny, you always know the perfect thing to say
.This is good to hear, because I am already chomping at the bit, and I've only had it in the fermenter since Monday.
ANY beer is ready to drink when your tastebuds tell you it is! It depends on flavor, not the calendar!
'tis very true. My APA is generally best at about 6-8 weeks but my Imperial Stout tastes great when it's coming out of the fermenter!
hamiltont
Well-Known Member
I've tried both Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract & Real Vanilla Beans. There really is no comparison IMO. The extract just leaves a bite & the beans are smooth.
Iam doing this batch this weekend. It is my first HG brew and have a question about the pitching rate. I see that it calls for an 1800ml starter. I only have a 1000ml flask. I do have a 1/2 growler but I do not think that the stir bar I have ( the small one) is going to work with the growler and stir plate.
Option 1 is make a 1800ml starter use the stir bar and hope it works. I can just aerate the crap out of it via direct O2 injection before adding yeast.
Option2 Just make a 1000ml starter
Option3 Use a dry yeast. If I go this route is one packet enough or go for 2? Rehydrate or not?
Option 1 is make a 1800ml starter use the stir bar and hope it works. I can just aerate the crap out of it via direct O2 injection before adding yeast.
Option2 Just make a 1000ml starter
Option3 Use a dry yeast. If I go this route is one packet enough or go for 2? Rehydrate or not?
dragon99
Well-Known Member
Dropped my bean in last night. I only did a 3.5gal batch (6.5gal carboys were busy). Personally you just can't compare extract to real beans. And at the prices beanilla charges there's no reason not to use the real thing.
Music to my ears:rockin:
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
I vote option 1. If the stir bar doesn't work, it'll just take a bit longer.
dragon99
Well-Known Member
Assuming the stir bar doesn't work, Option 1 and 2 will yield about the same cell count. I can't find the chart now but a non-stirred starter requires about twice the volume to achieve the same cell count increase. The mrmalty.com calculator will tell you this (4.5L simple starter w/ oxygen or 2.25 L stir plate starter)
One suggestion is to use the growler and if the stir bar doesn't work just shake it as often as possible. This will give better results than just letting it sit.
One thing I've been interested in trying, but have not (and I haven't heard of anyone else doing it) is making 2 starters and combining them.
If you need 1800 mL, you could make a 900 mL starter, then when you're confident the consumable sugars are gone, put that in a sterilized container (perhaps that growler) then make another 900 mL starter. You would only need 1/2 of your yeast packet/vial for each starter. It would take longer, and I don't think you'd be ready by this weekend, but I think it should work just fine.
What I did for this brew (I don't have a stirplate) is I used a (roughly) 3000 mL starter. I took a large jug I have, made my starter in that, and then everytime I walked by it in the kitchen, I opened it up, expelled the CO2 in the headspace out of it, let it fill back up with O2, then shook the crap out of it. I probably did this 10-15 times over a 2.5 day time period. I got VERY aggressive fermentation after I pitched. I have not taken FG yet, however.
If you need 1800 mL, you could make a 900 mL starter, then when you're confident the consumable sugars are gone, put that in a sterilized container (perhaps that growler) then make another 900 mL starter. You would only need 1/2 of your yeast packet/vial for each starter. It would take longer, and I don't think you'd be ready by this weekend, but I think it should work just fine.
What I did for this brew (I don't have a stirplate) is I used a (roughly) 3000 mL starter. I took a large jug I have, made my starter in that, and then everytime I walked by it in the kitchen, I opened it up, expelled the CO2 in the headspace out of it, let it fill back up with O2, then shook the crap out of it. I probably did this 10-15 times over a 2.5 day time period. I got VERY aggressive fermentation after I pitched. I have not taken FG yet, however.
I believe it is the White Labs Cali yeast
so if this is the case then I should make the starter it tonight if I am going to pitch early Saturday afternoon? I think I have a vial of WLP1056 and not the Cali Ale but I am not positive. How much of a difference will that make?
If I go dry is one packet enough? I have Notty and Safale 04 and 05
No, one packet is not enough. You're going to need at least 3.
According to Mr Malty I will need 1.5 packets of Safale 05. Isn't Safale 05 the Chico strain just in dry format?
Does the Safale 05 come in 5 gram packets, or 11.5 gram packets? I made a potentially stupid assumption that it came in 5 gram packets. If 11.5 gram, then yes, you only need 1.5 packets. 1 will probably do the trick, but I typically don't like to skimp on the yeast.
This is what I am going to do and use as well. I thought I had WL Cali Ale. I have the American Ale. I have an O2 tank with a diffuser stone. I should be good to go. I can't wait to get this bad boy going.
PLEASE don't use S04 or Nottingham for this beer! 05 is okay. WY1450 or WY1056 would be my preference.
One pack of 05 is okay, 2 would be better. 3 is too much. And NO S04 or Nottingham, please!
Beermaker
The NAVY WALRUS
I use Wild Turkey 101 when I do Bourbon Oak Aged Vanilla Porters...You can buy freshly emptied JD barrels from the distiller for $85.
I am curious what folks are getting for FG's on this brew.
Mine just went from 1.085 to 1.020 in 11 days @ 70'F.
Taste is awesome and I will be putting into secondary with the bean this weekend. It is a tad sweet, but not bad. I am wondering about adding a packet or so of S05 to get it down a bit before bottling. However if I had kegging equipment I would be tempted to carb it and drink ASAP.
Love to know what other folks are doing.
Thanks in advance.
Mine just went from 1.085 to 1.020 in 11 days @ 70'F.
Taste is awesome and I will be putting into secondary with the bean this weekend. It is a tad sweet, but not bad. I am wondering about adding a packet or so of S05 to get it down a bit before bottling. However if I had kegging equipment I would be tempted to carb it and drink ASAP.
Love to know what other folks are doing.
Thanks in advance.
I've done this recipe once and my FG was 1.013. This was bottled on 11/24/09 and it is still not ready (although I'm 1/2 way done w/ the batch - damn...)
I'm pretty sure that I used s-05 yeast, although I have no notes on that..
Mine generally finishes in the mid 20s.
about how long did you guys let this beer sit in the secondary with the vanilla beans? i'm transfering to the secondary now. not sure what its supposed to taste like the first time around, i will just go by your recommendations.
thanks
thanks
2 weeks for me. Or you can just taste it occasionally and decide. The vanilla does fade, though, so you might want to let it go til the vanilla is a bit stronger than you think you need.
Mine was in there for probably 2 months. I split it up a little bit. The first month was sitting on 2 vanilla beans and the oak chips. I tasted it then, and figured that the vanilla wasn't coming through to my taste, but the bourbon oak flavor was very pronounced, so I added another vanilla bean, but took out the oak chips, and left it there for another month.
I just bottled today, and the vanilla is coming through GREAT, as is the oak/bourbon flavor. I just drank a glass of this stuff, uncarbed and still a bit green (what was left at the bottom of my bottling bucket), and it was delicious.
I just bottled today, and the vanilla is coming through GREAT, as is the oak/bourbon flavor. I just drank a glass of this stuff, uncarbed and still a bit green (what was left at the bottom of my bottling bucket), and it was delicious.
kosmokramer
Well-Known Member
does anybody have a partial mash recipe for this?
Mash as much as you can and use DME to replace the amount of base grain you can't mash.
