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.

 

[derekcw83]

I'm not sure, I've had decent results with dilluting it in more water to get a runny mixture that I add slowly to the kettle. But I'd also be interested in the method you mentioned, especially if it does anything to help with the fat content

 

[urg8rb8]

I'm not sure, I've had decent results with dilluting it in more water to get a runny mixture that I add slowly to the kettle. But I'd also be interested in the method you mentioned, especially if it does anything to help with the fat content

PB2 doesnt disolve in water. After a few days in the secondary, all the PB2 settled on the bottom.

 

[mxstar21]

I just put the powder directly into the secondary. Put it the fermenter and rack the beer on top of it. It makes a lot of trub, so your final volume will be lower, but the flavor is very good.

 

[urg8rb8]

I just put the powder directly into the secondary. Put it the fermenter and rack the beer on top of it. It makes a lot of trub, so your final volume will be lower, but the flavor is very good.

But it settings to the bottom right?

 

[mxstar21]

Yes, it settles to the bottom. It will settle to bottom if you dilute in vodka or water also.

 

[derekcw83]

The instructions to make peanut butter from pb2 are to dissolve in water, I don't know any other way to make it into the wortand add foavor besides your recommendation or through diluting in water. I wish pb2 was fat free entirely, the fat kills any head

 

[mxstar21]

Do it how you want man. Just telling you how I used it. I never had any problems with carbonation or head retention. I thought PB2 had the fat removed. It's worked great the several times I have used it. I used 2#.

Not sure how adding water will change it. It will not dissolve in anything if that's what you are after.

 

[urg8rb8]

Yes, it settles to the bottom. It will settle to bottom if you dilute in vodka or water also.

I wonder if the peanut butter taste is masked from the amount of roasted barley I used.

 

[urg8rb8]

The instructions to make peanut butter from pb2 are to dissolve in water, I don't know any other way to make it into the wortand add foavor besides your recommendation or through diluting in water. I wish pb2 was fat free entirely, the fat kills any head

I wonder if the vodka separates the fat from the diluted powder?

 

[Mismost]

y'all will have to pardon my ignorance, but what the heck is PB2? I gather it is some form of peanut butter flavor, but what is it and where do you get it? Interesting sounding stuff!

 

[urg8rb8]

It's a dehydrated, defatted PB power that you can get from supermakets

 

[mxstar21]

y'all will have to pardon my ignorance, but what the heck is PB2? I gather it is some form of peanut butter flavor, but what is it and where do you get it? Interesting sounding stuff!

They sell it at grocery stores and on Amazon. You can also get chocolate PB2. Amazon usually has it the cheapest and you can buy 1 pound containers. In my experience, it best to use 1-2 pounds added in the secondary depending on how much flavor you want. Others soak in vodka or water, I have not seen the need to that but it seems to work for them.

 

[Firewalker11]

I am using the chocolate PB2 in my next batch and will be using vodka to pull the flavor out of it. Water is OK but somehow, the flavor stays in the PB2 slurry whereas the vodka does this reverse osmosis type thing and the slurry losses its flavor while the vodka takes on the PB2's flavor. MYYMV but that's the way I roll...

 

[derekcw83]

I am using the chocolate PB2 in my next batch and will be using vodka to pull the flavor out of it. Water is OK but somehow, the flavor stays in the PB2 slurry whereas the vodka does this reverse osmosis type thing and the slurry losses its flavor while the vodka takes on the PB2's flavor. MYYMV but that's the way I roll...

You have tried both ways? I still need more pb flavor in my brews and the water mix doesn't provide it, curious to go the vodka route. What ratio? When do you add it?

 

[Firewalker11]

Yes, I tried the water and vodka version with the plain PB2 and I got very little flavor with the water and a lot more out of infusing the vokda instead.

I just filled the PB2 container up to the top, shook it every time I walked by it and added it to the fermented wort to the secondary. All the PB2 dropped out pretty quick but did leave a bit of sludge on the bottom of the bottles after they aged.

This did increase the alcohol content some and gave it a bit of a sharp taste (burn) but I did like the combination.

 

[urg8rb8]

Yes, I tried the water and vodka version with the plain PB2 and I got very little flavor with the water and a lot more out of infusing the vokda instead.

I just filled the PB2 container up to the top, shook it every time I walked by it and added it to the fermented wort to the secondary. All the PB2 dropped out pretty quick but did leave a bit of sludge on the bottom of the bottles after they aged.

This did increase the alcohol content some and gave it a bit of a sharp taste (burn) but I did like the combination.

When you used the vodka approach, did the vodka separate the fat?

 

[drjan]

Worth a try.

 

[Chaotic_Goodness]

My experience with PB2 has been outstanding, with no problem with head retention and an unmistakable flavor and aroma of PB. I used a partial mash/LME version of this Russian Imperial Stout: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=238807 with 2 lbs of PB2/5.25 gal batch. The PB2 was added to about 1/2 gallon of hot (151F) wort, mixed with a stick blender for about ten minutes, then added back into the batch in the fermenter. I wouldn't say the PB taste declined over time, but it did move further back and played better with the chocolate. After six months, it was pretty awesome.

I guess my take is that you really need a lot more PB2 than you think.

 

[urg8rb8]

My experience with PB2 has been outstanding, with no problem with head retention and an unmistakable flavor and aroma of PB. I used a partial mash/LME version of this Russian Imperial Stout: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=238807 with 2 lbs of PB2/5.25 gal batch. The PB2 was added to about 1/2 gallon of hot (151F) wort, mixed with a stick blender for about ten minutes, then added back into the batch in the fermenter. I wouldn't say the PB taste declined over time, but it did move further back and played better with the chocolate. After six months, it was pretty awesome.

I guess my take is that you really need a lot more PB2 than you think.

Thanks for the response. I used two cans last time and just mixed it into the secondary.

 

[Chaotic_Goodness]

Believe it or not, I've used PB2 to make, get this, peanut butter! Yeah, it doesn't mix well with room temperature tap water, that's what gave me the idea to mix it hot. I just now tried some in a little vodka. Pretty gritty, but it really smells like PB. I know that some esters are more soluble in alcohols, while others are more soluble in water. Otherwise, the only advantage I see to using vodka is that it's sterile and shouldn't contaminate your batch if added in secondary, or at bottling. Also, peanut butter vodka shots are nasty!

 

[Jarheadri]

I just did this. It was part of a competition we had and with the PB2 and Vodka I added Cherry Extract (Cherry was the contest part). I was going for a Peanut butter and (cherry) jelly beer. I didn't put enough cherry in and it really tasted mostly like vodka.

It didn't ferment for long enough so I haven't touched it in a few weeks. Hoping to test it out again this weekend.

 

[rpolzin25]

I recently made a peanut butter hefeweizen and what I did was to put the powdered peanut butter in a separate pot and with 10 minutes to go in the boil drain a little boiling wort to mix/sanitize the powdered peanut butter. Then just added to the fermenter. It will settle on the bottom but the final product you could definitely taste the peanut butter and it was the star of the show.

 

[Brewup]

Instead of using PB2 why not just order a few vials of peanut butter flavor from beer supply stores. Takes the headaches out of the equation...it does add flavor.

 

[mxstar21]

Instead of using PB2 why not just order a few vials of peanut butter flavor from beer supply stores. Takes the headaches out of the equation...it does add flavor.

Because the extract tastes fake. I don't understand the need to use vodka. Add it to the secondary and it is awesome. No need to sanitize it in my opinion.

 

[urg8rb8]

Because the extract tastes fake. I don't understand the need to use vodka. Add it to the secondary and it is awesome. No need to sanitize it in my opinion.

It's not a question of sanitation. It's a question of if the vodka brings out more of the PB from PB2 than water.

 

[CascadeOK]

Put your vodka and PB2 in a mason jar. Most extracts are done over weeks-months. I'd at least give it a week. Shake it daily. I usually pour through a coffee filter to get rid of particulate mater, but if your are going to use gelatin in a keg it will probably settle on the bottom with the remaining yeast.

Final choice - for cocoa nobs or PB2 if you are concerned about fat/oils freeze your vodka mixture before you filter it. Any fats should be on the top which you can scrape off the top.

 

[Deckers_Beers]

The PB2 was added to about 1/2 gallon of hot (151F) wort, mixed with a stick blender for about ten minutes, then added back into the batch in the fermenter. I wouldn't say the PB taste declined over time, but it did move further back and played better with the chocolate. After six months, it was pretty awesome.

I guess my take is that you really need a lot more PB2 than you think.

So you took wort out of the BK while filling the fermenter, heated, mixed in the PB2, and then cooled it again before adding that back in with the rest of the wort?

Has anyone tried just adding it in to the BK itself? Maybe in the last 10 minutes of the boil? Perhaps that would settle out in the bottom of the BK as you were chilling, though...

 

[Chaotic_Goodness]

Looking at my log book, the PB2 was added to 212F wort taken from the BK, blended off heat for the last 10 minutes of the boil (I noted that the PB2 mix "Looks like blond roux."), then added back to the BK before going through the chiller into the fermenter. 151F was the mash temp, my mistake. You might do alright just blending it into the BK at the end, like a ten minute hop. Just stir real good so it dissolves.

 

[Deckers_Beers]

Looking at my log book, the PB2 was added to 212F wort taken from the BK, blended off heat for the last 10 minutes of the boil (I noted that the PB2 mix "Looks like blond roux."), then added back to the BK before going through the chiller into the fermenter. 151F was the mash temp, my mistake. You might do alright just blending it into the BK at the end, like a ten minute hop. Just stir real good so it dissolves.

Nice. I just may do that. Thanks!

 

[mxstar21]

It's not a question of sanitation. It's a question of if the vodka brings out more of the PB from PB2 than water.

I don't get the need to mix with vodka or water is what I am saying. Add the PB2 to the secondary.

 

[urg8rb8]

i've also used it when a beer seems to get a stuck fermentation. I'll boil a little of it in a cup of water and dump it into my carboy. Then I rouse the yeast and re-seal it.

I don't know how much it helps, but I figure it can't hurt. When the bottle I have now is gone, I'll probably never buy anymore. Heck, the current bottle was a hand-me-down from a friend who tried to make mead once.

-walker

I have done that and the PB barely comes through in my imperial stout.