PB2 and vodka

[urg8rb8]

Last year I brewed a stout with PB2 that I placed in the secondary. I found that the peanut butter taste and aroma faded out after time and wasn't even that strong to begin with. I recently went to a brewery and tried their peanut butter imperial stout and found the taste and aroma was strong. I asked how they were able to get that and they told me that they disolved the PB2 in vodka and just poured it into the finished beer before packaging it.

Has anyone ever try that before? Does the PB2 really dissolve in the vodka? When I put the PB2 in the secondary it never dissolved in with the beer.

 

[MagicMatt]

That's the only way I've used PB2. Basically you use the vodka to rehydrate the PB2 into a really thin (liquidy) peanut butter and then pour it in.

Yes the PB flavor won't hang around forever, so it's best to do at bottling/kegging and then consume within a few weeks for maximum flavor retention.

 

[urg8rb8]

That's the only way I've used PB2. Basically you use the vodka to rehydrate the PB2 into a really thin (liquidy) peanut butter and then pour it in.

Yes the PB flavor won't hang around forever, so it's best to do at bottling/kegging and then consume within a few weeks for maximum flavor retention.

How much PB2 do you use to get a strong flavor and aroma?

 

[MagicMatt]

I was making a Peanut Brown Ale and used 10 oz of PB2 (by volume) and 8 fl oz of vodka. Can maybe get by with less vodka but I wanted it thin enough to pour easily into the small neck of the carboy.

I also used a box of PB Cap'n Crunch at the same time. Twas quite peanuty, but I honestly can't say which contributed more.

 

[jerbrew]

The vodka is going to help extract the flavor out of the pb2 quickly and then mix into your beer. similar to extracting vanillin out of a pod with vodka to make what's essentially an extract.

The beer has a much lower alcohol content and may take longer to extract those flavors while in the meantime those flavors are mellowing out.

I agree that the best time may be at bottling for longevity but I'd put some into a secondary to gauge how much you might like.

 

[MagicMatt]

I only used vodka in this instance as a medium to get the PB2 fully dissolved and in a pourable form. IMO unless you are sitting this PB2/vodka mixture in a cupboard for a week or two, the vodka doesn't have enough time to be useful as an extract agent in this application. You could replace the vodka with water, but I'd prefer to increase my ABV, not decrease it by watering the beer down (even if it is just slightly). Also, vodka has sanitizing properties that tap water does not.

 

[bruteforce]

I was making a Peanut Brown Ale and used 10 oz of PB2 (by volume) and 8 fl oz of vodka. Can maybe get by with less vodka but I wanted it thin enough to pour easily into the small neck of the carboy.

I also used a box of PB Cap'n Crunch at the same time. Twas quite peanuty, but I honestly can't say which contributed more.

Did you use the Cap'n crunch in the mash?

 

[jerbrew]

It's not going to take a week to start extracting flavor. Vodka may not be instant but it's going to work quicker especially since the pb2 is in a powder form. But you even said you're not sure if the pb2 did anything. You added two things to add peanut butter flavor so it's a moot point about how you did it or what flavor you got from it. Just trying to shed some alternate light on why soaking things in booze can be a great idea besides sanitation. Let the pb2 sit in the vodka for a couple days. When I soak things in booze (like oak chips in bourbon) I do it the day I brew and let it sit until it's time for secondary in a sanitized mason jar and dump the whole thing in when it's time.

 

[urg8rb8]

It's not going to take a week to start extracting flavor. Vodka may not be instant but it's going to work quicker especially since the pb2 is in a powder form. But you even said you're not sure if the pb2 did anything. You added two things to add peanut butter flavor so it's a moot point about how you did it or what flavor you got from it. Just trying to shed some alternate light on why soaking things in booze can be a great idea besides sanitation. Let the pb2 sit in the vodka for a couple days. When I soak things in booze (like oak chips in bourbon) I do it the day I brew and let it sit until it's time for secondary in a sanitized mason jar and dump the whole thing in when it's time.

So you think the vodka will extra more of the flavor and aroma out then just pouring the powder in the secondary?

 

[mxstar21]

Check out this thread....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=591349

 

[MagicMatt]

Did you use the Cap'n crunch in the mash?

No, but I wish I had. I didn't realize at the time that people used cereal in the mash, just assumed it was added after fermentation.

I also did a stout with Reese's Puffs cereal in secondary and that one turned out with a really nice chocolate/peanut butter flavor, so I'm sure the secondary route works fine, but probably not as good as in the mash.

You added two things to add peanut butter flavor so it's a moot point about how you did it or what flavor you got from it.

It's not a moot point. OP asked if anyone had used PB2 and vodka. I said I had. He asked how much I used, and I responded accordingly. So far, no one has offered their experience with it, so I think it's safe to say my posts were of a valid nature. But hey, thanks for your opinion.

Check out this thread....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=591349

Did you really just point the OP to his (duplicate) thread?

 

[jerbrew]

No, but I wish I had. I didn't realize at the time that people used cereal in the mash, just assumed it was added after fermentation.



I also did a stout with Reese's Puffs cereal in secondary and that one turned out with a really nice chocolate/peanut butter flavor, so I'm sure the secondary route works fine, but probably not as good as in the mash.









It's not a moot point. OP asked if anyone had used PB2 and vodka. I said I had. He asked how much I used, and I responded accordingly. So far, no one has offered their experience with it, so I think it's safe to say my posts were of a valid nature. But hey, thanks for your opinion.









Did you really just point the OP to his (duplicate) thread?

Oh calm down now. I'm simply stating that you can't speak to how much what you added helped (you admitted to this). I responded to what you said to me. I'm offering a bit of overall experience and knowledge . It's not an opinion. Moot doesn't signify invalid just academic or arguable.

 

[mxstar21]

Did you really just point the OP to his (duplicate) thread? [/QUOTE]

Obviously I did. Did you really need to ask me if I did?

 

[urg8rb8]

Did you really just point the OP to his (duplicate) thread?

Obviously I did. Did you really need to ask me if I did? [/QUOTE]

I noticed that and I just ignored it lol

 

[mxstar21]

Awesome!!! Start more threads that are identical. Maybe we can get every post on here about PB2 and vodka!

 

[mxstar21]

If you are that set about making a PB2 beer, try making one using the different ways that have been explained and see which one works best. Experiment and using Google can really help.

 

[urg8rb8]

If you are that set about making a PB2 beer, try making one using the different ways that have been explained and see which one works best. Experiment and using Google can really help.

I don't need to use Google when there are so many smart people here who have already tried different things.

 

[jerbrew]

Google always brings people to HBT.

 

[urg8rb8]

I know it does... Now I just come directly here

 

[mxstar21]

Cool. Good luck with your PB2 beer.

 

[urg8rb8]

Thanks!