How much vanilla extract for 5 gallons ?

[EROK]

To get a mild vanilla flavor how much should I use ?

 

[Native302]

3 vanilla beans split in half for 4 weeks IMHO

 

[Coldies]

I use 1 Tsp for a smoked porter that I brew.

 

[smagee]

This will really depend more on the recipe than anything else. A vanilla cream ale will require a lot less vanilla than a vanilla RIS, for example.

 

[EROK]

It's a blonde ale.....

 

[greatschmaltez]

I wouldn't put more than one vanilla bean sliced and chopped up in the secondary. My guess is that you'd need it in there for only about 7 or 8 days.

 

[smagee]

For a blonde, I'd agree with schmaltez there; one will probably be sufficient. I'd sample every few days to see where the flavor is, and once it's ready, bottle/keg away. Keep in mind that carbing will balance it out a bit, so you might want to err slightly on the stronger side.

 

[HexKrak]

I used around 1.5 table spoons in my last porter because I was too lazy to go buy the bean, it hardly made it past the taste of the chocolate malt. Of course a blond wouldn't need as much. Also the flavors dissipated a lot over the course of the first week of conditioning.

 

[j1laskey]

Agreed...no more than 1 bean.

 

[HexKrak]

I hate to be that guy, but the OP was asking about extract not whole beans.

 

[j1laskey]

Why use extract?

 

[Skodi]

Because he wants to.

 

[scottland]

1/2oz or less for a blonde ale. I have lots of experience in this area. Start with 2 teaspoons. Don't go over 6 teaspoons

 

[billbob06]

I use 1 Tsp for a smoked porter that I brew.

I'm making a smoked vanilla porter too. I was wondering if I'm making a mistake having smoke & vanilla. Do you put the vanilla in when you rack or when you transfer to the secondary?

 

[ntbritton]

Thanks for the thread guys. We are taking a 5 gal wheat and breaking it into 5 one gals and flavoring four of them to experiment. I think we will use the post from Scottland and adjust it to a gallon. Prolly do one with 1/2 a teaspoon and one with a full teaspoon. the other two are going to be honey.

 

[m3n00b]

I just used 2 oz at bottling for my cream ale and it's really good. Would probably use 1oz next time. I used 3 beans for bourbon vanilla porters though.

 

[MuddyCreek]

I use 4 tablespoons in my porter. (By the time I hit secondary I'm looking at around 5 gallons.) It's probably a bit more than I need, but I like the vanilla aroma and the flavor offsets the chocolate in the porter nicely.

 

[ntbritton]

I just used 2 oz at bottling for my cream ale and it's really good. Would probably use 1oz next time. I used 3 beans for bourbon vanilla porters though.

I am defiantly. wanting to do this with a cream ale, but also cherry too.. maybe a cherry vanilla.

 

[m_stodd]

Why use extract?

Because the work of getting vanilla flavor into a solution is already done for you. Why would you use beans?