How many hot peppers?

[dendron8]

Ok so that's a question that has a hundred answers.. Specifics:

Blonde ale
8oz caramel, 8oz carapils
Og 1.048 target

I want a fairly spicy ale, but still drinkable. I've read a few posts on how and when, but mostly I'm trying to figure out if I can estimate based on scoville units. I've seen a post that said 8 ghost peppers soaked in vodka for two weeks, strain and pour vodka into bottling bucket for 5 gallon batch.

If that's correct, and the ghost pepper is 1mil units, I should be able to half that (4 peppers) for a Carolina reaper which is 2mil units and get a similar amount of heat.. ?

 

[dmtaylor]

How about 1/8 ghost pepper? That would give you PLENTY of heat, believe me. For my jalapeno porter, which I've brewed at least 3 or 4 times, I use about 9 jalapenos in a 5-gallon batch, and it's moderately hot from that. A ghost pepper....... jebus. Use more than 1/8 of one if you like, but don't expect anyone to drink it.