No vanilla, too much lactic tang

[Cheesefood]

In my Caramel Vanilla, I used 2oz of vanilla extract and 4oz of lactose. I racked to 2nd tonight and took a sample. I couldn't taste the vanilla, but there was a citrus tang which I've been told is a result of the lactose.

I'm thinking of adding 2 more oz of vanilla prior to bottling, but I want to get some opinions first on how to fix this beer. I wanted a creamier, sweeter flavor. I'm not saying that what I have is bad, but it's not what I was aiming for.

 

[SwAMi75]

If you want it sweeter and creamier, more lactose is the way to go. I've never heard of it having a citrus tang. 4 more ounces might do it. I used a pound of it in my milk stout, and it's got good mouthfeel and sweetness.

 

[Cheesefood]

If you want it sweeter and creamier, more lactose is the way to go. I've never heard of it having a citrus tang. 4 more ounces might do it. I used a pound of it in my milk stout, and it's got good mouthfeel and sweetness.

I have 8 more oz's just sitting in a zip-lock, so I might toss that in this week along with a couple more oz's of vanilla.

 

[Dragonfly]

Hey Cheesefood, tomorrow I'm going to brew the recipe that LupusUmbrus posted under your original thread about the caramel cream ale. It's just a vanilla cream ale - no caramel - but it calls for 4 oz lactose and 3 oz vanilla. I'm just going to go by the book here, but I'll let you know how it turns out - and keep us updated on your correctative (<- is that a word? ) procedures. Who knows, I might end up in the same boat here in a week.

 

[Cheesefood]

Hey Cheesefood, tomorrow I'm going to brew the recipe that LupusUmbrus posted under your original thread about the caramel cream ale. It's just a vanilla cream ale - no caramel - but it calls for 4 oz lactose and 3 oz vanilla. I'm just going to go by the book here, but I'll let you know how it turns out - and keep us updated on your correctative (<- is that a word? ) procedures. Who knows, I might end up in the same boat here in a week.

I'll provide notes this weekend on how it's turned out. I'm probably going to bottle on Saturday, and depending on the flavor I might add a little more lactose and vanilla to the beer along with the priming DME.

In all, I'm sure it will turn out fine. At worse, I have a german ale with a little vanilla-creme after-taste. If all goes well, I'll have exactly what I was looking for. If I wasn't at work right now and if it wasn't 8:47am, I'd be relaxing with an HB.