Flavor extracts

[JosephN]

I have just heard of "White Star" extracts. I purchased a 4oz bottle of "chocolate" and I'm thinking of adding some to a banana dominant Hefeweizen to give me a chocolate banana flavor. I've heard that this extract is really strong, I'm wondering how much I should add to 1 gallon of a hefe to give it a bit of chocolate flavor. I got it mainly for a chocolate oatmeal stout, so the hefe is a test.

 

[kristiismean]

a chocolate hefe, can't wrap my head around it....

1 gallon., 1/2 oz.. you can always add more but that should give you a balance between the banana flavors if from the yeast during fermentation.

 

[IslandLizard]

Be careful using extracts, they tend to dominate and make everything taste artificial, even an hour later.

I'd use only one tenth at the most of what they "recommend" and only after adding a drop (or 3) into a glass of beer first to try it out.

 

[JosephN]

Be careful using extracts, they tend to dominate and make everything taste artificial, even an hour later.

I'd use only one tenth at the most of what they "recommend" and only after adding a drop (or 3) into a glass of beer first to try it out.

There isn't really a suggested recommendation on the package.

 

[hafmpty]

I have just heard of "White Star" extracts.

A fellow listener to the "Experimental Brewing" podcast?

 

[JosephN]

A fellow listener to the "Experimental Brewing" podcast?

Yes!!! They also spoke of another brand, but I figured that since this one was about $12 on Amazon that I'd try it.

I actually thought about adding some to a beer that I already have finished just to see what the result would be and if it tastes good at all.

Have you tried any yet? Oh and they do have orange also [emoji6]

 

[jessup]

Choco hefe sounds good I just did a mapleweizen (dunkelweizen w maple syrup) that worked well. Maple, banana & chocolate perfect with pancakes.

I would watch using extracts as they never flavor as intended. Ive played with my fair share of extracts and none work as well as raw ingredients. Consider ferm temp manipulation, grain selection, mash temp rests for hefeweizen & if necessary straight up raw adjuncts.

 

[bruhaha]

Be careful using extracts, they tend to dominate and make everything taste artificial, even an hour later.

I'd use only one tenth at the most of what they "recommend" and only after adding a drop (or 3) into a glass of beer first to try it out.

I bought several various extracts listed as "all natural". Could taste those extracts a mile away similar to the way I can detect DME/LME extract beers. Like IL suggests, an eyedropper putting a drop at a time in a pint of beer will keep you from screwing up a whole batch. If it tastes ok, you can figure a basic ratio from your eyedropper test using the extract in a 5G keg or batch.

 

[GHBWNY]

Be careful using extracts, they tend to dominate and make everything taste artificial, even an hour later.

I'd use only one tenth at the most of what they "recommend" and only after adding a drop (or 3) into a glass of beer first to try it out.

Definitely this^^

Take it from someone who has used artificial flavor extract in two different brews. One, an apricot-flavored Belgian Wit, the other a watermelon-flavored hefe.

For the wit, I used 2 oz. of Brewer's Best apricot extract for 5 gal @ bottling, which was in addition to an apricot-pureed secondary. It's the better of the two, but to me, still too much phony apricot extract essence, although others really like it. I'd either cut it to 1 oz or less or not at all and let the puree do its thing.

The watermelon hefe, I split off 2 gal and used 2 oz. BB watermelon extract @ bottling. Way, WAY to extract-y! Tastes medicinal, artificial. If I ever do it again, it won't be a with a yeasty hefe, but maybe a wit. But I'd either cut the extract at least in half (or less) or go pure watermelon.

In both cases, I did a test with a scaled sample before bottling to get it where I thought I wanted it, but after conditioning, it seemed to amplify the extract-ness. So, my caution is to go REAL easy on the extract. Maybe get it where your sample tastes palatable and then cut it back a little more. And don't sacrifice a big batch the first time around.

 

[dmtaylor]

I agree wholeheartedly with other: Less is more with most extracts. It's easier to add more later than to be sorry after you already added too much.

 

[bruhaha]

If anyone is interested, I can share the way I make fresh watermelon juice concentrate fairly easily. The end result is amazing.

 

[jessup]

If anyone is interested, I can share the way I make fresh watermelon juice concentrate fairly easily. The end result is amazing.

Yes please

 

[enkamania]

I use extracts to supplement. I added 1.5 TBSP of pineapple extract to my pineapple wheat beer. It really gives it a nice pineapple aroma.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Yes please

Freeze concentrate fresh watermelon juice [emoji3]

 

[GHBWNY]

I use extracts to supplement. I added 1.5 TBSP of pineapple extract to my pineapple wheat beer. It really gives it a nice pineapple aroma.

Subtlety usually works.

 

[GHBWNY]

If anyone is interested, I can share the way I make fresh watermelon juice concentrate fairly easily. The end result is amazing.

Interested.

 

[bruhaha]

Interested.

Enjoy!

Watermelon Concentrate

As a kid, remember eating frozen popsicles on a stick? When the frozen popsicle began melting, the sugary goodness came out first leaving a semi-tasteless block of nearly clear ice behind. Reason is flavor compounds don’t freeze as completely as the water molecule, so the flavor compounds freeze last or melt first.
Juice a watermelon to get one half gallon of fresh juice. I take chunks of melon and mash them into a mesh kitchen strainer, then collect strained juice in a half gallon sanitized milk jug. Freeze solid. With lid off the milk jug, turn it upside down over the open mouth of a one-quart mason jar. Let melt and the concentrate will begin dripping and collecting in the jar. Continue to allow to melt until the mason jar is full which is one quart of level one concentrate. Discard (or drink) the remaining semi-clear ice block in the milk jug. Take the collected quart of level one concentrate and freeze in another milk jug. Once again, take this frozen concentrate and allow to melt on top of a mason jar until 16 ounces of level two concentrate is collected. You will now have reduced 64 ounces of fresh watermelon juice down to 16 ounces of concentrate.
Full volume watermelon juice is tasty but weakens your beer unnecessarily with unwanted water volume. I add this 16 ounce concentrate to a 5G kegged beer after fermentation while carbing. Enjoy this fresh and vibrant addition to your favorite beer as a subtle and remarkable taste.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

You gotta give me at least a little credit. I came up with that method

 

[bruhaha]

YES.....this method comes from our friend, KeyWestBrewing who shared this method with all of us. He makes the best concentrate of all! To the King of Cool Beers......KeyWestBrewing, this one's for you!!!

This melon concentrate got me to an almost identical clone (well, better if you must) of Anderson Valley Briny Melon Gose.

KeyWest, our next challenge is getting a clone for a Key Lime Gose as in Westbrook, Charleston SC. The Key Lime is quite dominate but not bitter of pithy. Ideas?

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

lol

 

[GHBWNY]

Enjoy!

Watermelon Concentrate

As a kid, remember eating frozen popsicles on a stick? When the frozen popsicle began melting, the sugary goodness came out first leaving a semi-tasteless block of nearly clear ice behind. Reason is flavor compounds don’t freeze as completely as the water molecule, so the flavor compounds freeze last or melt first.
Juice a watermelon to get one half gallon of fresh juice. I take chunks of melon and mash them into a mesh kitchen strainer, then collect strained juice in a half gallon sanitized milk jug. Freeze solid. With lid off the milk jug, turn it upside down over the open mouth of a one-quart mason jar. Let melt and the concentrate will begin dripping and collecting in the jar. Continue to allow to melt until the mason jar is full which is one quart of level one concentrate. Discard (or drink) the remaining semi-clear ice block in the milk jug. Take the collected quart of level one concentrate and freeze in another milk jug. Once again, take this frozen concentrate and allow to melt on top of a mason jar until 16 ounces of level two concentrate is collected. You will now have reduced 64 ounces of fresh watermelon juice down to 16 ounces of concentrate.
Full volume watermelon juice is tasty but weakens your beer unnecessarily with unwanted water volume. I add this 16 ounce concentrate to a 5G kegged beer after fermentation while carbing. Enjoy this fresh and vibrant addition to your favorite beer as a subtle and remarkable taste.

@bruhaha - thanks for posting it

@keywest - thanks for coming up with it

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

@bruhaha - thanks for posting it

@keywest - thanks for coming up with it

I can't take credit for coming up with it. Its actually how a lot of commercial juice concentrates are made. Im the first i know of to apply it to watermelon and beer though so I'll take that

 

[enkamania]

I can't take credit for coming up with it. Its actually how a lot of commercial juice concentrates are made. Im the first i know of to apply it to watermelon and beer though so I'll take that

I'll have to remember this for next year for my watermelon wheat. It's a pain dealing with watermelon chunks.