Maple/Bacon Stout

[Morrey]

Already thinking a full season ahead...

Does anyone have a suggestion for a way to get notable bacon flavor into the stout? I have had maple/bacon stouts and really cannot taste or smell the contribution from the bacon. Maple is there...not the bacon. Ideas?

 

[Queequeg]

Smoked malt always tastes bacony to me

 

[65C]

I can eat bacon with just about anything - but I'm not sure I want it in a stout.

 

[Morrey]

Smoked malt always tastes bacony to me

I read that too, plus the fat in the bacon, if not properly controlled, seems like it could kill the head and foam retention in a skinny minute.

I have a great pellet grill that produces excellent flavors on the "smoke" setting which is in essence cold smoking. Wonder if this will work with a portion of my base grain malts? If so, how much should I smoke?

 

[Queequeg]

Or just buy some smoked malt. The german stuff, in high quantities tastes meaty.

 

[mikeasu]

A friend made a breakfast stout, and IIRC, steeped the bacon in a bit of vodka and added the now infused vodka to the beer. Hint of flavor, and I think there was minimal if any foam.

 

[AntonioMartins]

Just an idea:

1) Prepare your bacon the way you prefer.

2) Put it on a mixer with some water (or vodka if you prefer). Make a nice bacon shake.

3) Remove all solids parts using a strainer.

4) Put the liquid remaining on the refrigerator until reach very low temperature, near freezing point. At this point, all fat will be solid and floating on surface. Remove all fat.

5) Mix the bacon juice to the beer just before bottle or keg.

6) Tell us if it's work.

 

[Queequeg]

You can also use natural bacon flavouring made from yeast extract and liquid smoke.

 

[FunkedOut]

silver cloud estates makes bacon, maple, and maple bacon extracts for beverages.

 

[eyebrau]

I've had bacon infused vodka before. Similar process to what AntonioMartins said above, minus the mixer. Soak the bacon in the vodka the same way you would soak vanilla beans or anything else to make a flavor extract. After it's done soaking, remove the bacon, put it in the freezer for a while (I don't have exact volumes or times... maybe Google can help), and as noted above, the fat floats and conceals on the top. Remove all of the fat, and you have bacon infused vodka. Add that to your stout.

 

[crash568]

Hey guys!

I work at a brewery up here in NH and one of our 4 flagship beers is a bacon stout. We use a heavy dose of smoked malt but we also make our own bacon extract with cooked bacon and vodka. Pack some jars with drained cooked bacon and add vodka. After a few days strain the liquid of solids and dose your finished stout with the preferred amount. We also barrel age it in bourbon barrels with local maple syrup, I will say you arent going to get any maple flavor unless you use an artifical extract as the real stuff just gets eaten up. Here is a link to untappd for the Barrel Aged Maple Glazed Belly of the Beast so you guys can take a look at some tasting notes.

https://untappd.com/b/rockingham-br...-maple-glazed-belly-of-the-beast-2017/2090238

 

[Morrey]

Hey guys!

I work at a brewery up here in NH and one of our 4 flagship beers is a bacon stout. We use a heavy dose of smoked malt but we also make our own bacon extract with cooked bacon and vodka. Pack some jars with drained cooked bacon and add vodka. After a few days strain the liquid of solids and dose your finished stout with the preferred amount. We also barrel age it in bourbon barrels with local maple syrup, I will say you arent going to get any maple flavor unless you use an artifical extract as the real stuff just gets eaten up. Here is a link to untappd for the Barrel Aged Maple Glazed Belly of the Beast so you guys can take a look at some tasting notes.

https://untappd.com/b/rockingham-br...-maple-glazed-belly-of-the-beast-2017/2090238

Thanks for the reply....good to hear from a pro who does this exact beer I am looking at. Bacon looks good and seems fairly straightforward. I noted one of the reviewers picked up on an artificial taste from the maple.

Wonder if a brewer could cold crash the beer so the yeast basically becomes lethargic, then add the maple syrup? I have also killed the yeast completely with Campden, then back sweetened cider so active yeast didn't find a secondary food source.

 

[DasBierBaron]

Honestly I think even if the yeast didn't chew up the syrup, it's such a delicate flavor it would be masked by the other ingredients. The beer may also be too sweet. It seems like more trouble than it's worth, imo. The artificial stuff will never taste the same, but I think using a conservative amount to get a more subtle flavor might be what you want. With any flavoring, too much seems to make it stand out as artificial.

 

[Morrey]

silver cloud estates makes bacon, maple, and maple bacon extracts for beverages.

I was going to ask if there were extract/flavoring suggestions? Is this one you referenced known to be a good choice?

 

[FunkedOut]

I was going to ask if there were extract/flavoring suggestions? Is this one you referenced known to be a good choice?

I can't speak for their bacon or maple products, but the vanilla, chocolate and peanut butter are excellent.

 

[rwing7486]

I just brewed an imperial coffee porter sunday and added a jar of smoked maple bacon syrup to the primary 2.5 days after pitching my yeast. My first time using it so we shall see how it turns out in a few weeks

https://www.morebeer.com/products/cascade-beer-candi-syrup-maple-smoked-bacon.html

 

[TravelingLight]

I just brewed an imperial coffee porter sunday and added a jar of smoked maple bacon syrup to the primary 2.5 days after pitching my yeast. My first time using it so we shall see how it turns out in a few weeks

https://www.morebeer.com/products/cascade-beer-candi-syrup-maple-smoked-bacon.html

Let me know how this turns out. I want to do something similar. I'm damn near convinced that adding syrup later in primary will preserve some of the flavor in the final product. I could be (and likely am) dead ass wrong, but I'm gonna try it.

 

[rwing7486]

Let me know how this turns out. I want to do something similar. I'm damn near convinced that adding syrup later in primary will preserve some of the flavor in the final product. I could be (and likely am) dead ass wrong, but I'm gonna try it.

I agree, which is why i followed the directions from their website below. so after i reached high krausen i added the entire container (1lb). If it comes out great i will share my recipe with everyone

"To get the best flavor and aroma in your beer, you should add the syrup just after high krausen while the yeast is most active & healthy.
Begin by stirring in 1/2 lb of flavored syrup. Allow for fermentation, and then taste the fermented beer. You can add more syrup to attain your desired flavor and aroma"

 

[Shwagger]

Randall it

 

[Wreck99]

I agree, which is why i followed the directions from their website below. so after i reached high krausen i added the entire container (1lb). If it comes out great i will share my recipe with everyone

"To get the best flavor and aroma in your beer, you should add the syrup just after high krausen while the yeast is most active & healthy.
Begin by stirring in 1/2 lb of flavored syrup. Allow for fermentation, and then taste the fermented beer. You can add more syrup to attain your desired flavor and aroma"

How did it turn out?