Preparing Vanilla bean, Bourbon, Oak for Porter

[arnobg]

I am doing a Bourbon Barrel Porter but thought it sounded good to add vanilla, so I have 5 Madagascar Vanilla Beans, a small bottle of Maker's, and 2 oz American medium toast oak cubes.

I'll likely only use 2 beans but how should I prep them? Should I soak 2 beans and the oak cubes in bourbon for 1 month before using them in secondary? What needs done with the whole beans before soaking?

 

[pagrider]

Split the beans and clean out the seeds than cut them into fourths and soak it all together in the bourbon for at least a week. Works great. I would use about a cup and a half of makers.

 

[arnobg]

Split the beans and clean out the seeds than cut them into fourths and soak it all together in the bourbon for at least a week. Works great. I would use about a cup and a half of makers.

So I'm sure this is too picky, but into fourths length wise or fourths to shorten them? Do you throw them into secondary with the bourbon they've been soaking with?

My original plan was 16 oz. of Maker's. Thanks for the advice.

 

[pagrider]

Yes fourths length wise. I just pour the liquid when its time to bottle or keg. The makers will absorb the flavor from the vanilla and oak

 

[krebs119]

I have made a number of beers like this and I agree. I typically use an 8 oz "taster" glass I got from a brewery - put all ingredients in that and let it sit in the fridge, with tin foil on it, for 3 weeks or so.

Are you planning a 10 gallon batch? 2oz of oak and 16 oz of Makers seems like a bit much for 5 gal...

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I have made a number of beers like this and I agree. I typically use an 8 oz "taster" glass I got from a brewery - put all ingredients in that and let it sit in the fridge, with tin foil on it, for 3 weeks or so.

Are you planning a 10 gallon batch? 2oz of oak and 16 oz of Makers seems like a bit much for 5 gal...

I brush my tooth with 16oz of Makers Mark.

 

[arnobg]

5 Gallon batch, Northern Brewer Bourbon Barrel Porter. Following the recipe with the exception of the vanilla beans. Suggests 1-2 weeks on the oak.

I brush my tooth with 16oz of Makers Mark.

That's a lot for one tooth! :rockin:

 

[Calder]

2 teaspoons (10 ml) in a beer = 500 ml (1/2 liter) in 5 gallons. If that's about what you want, use the 16 ozs. That is where I start. You can always add 2 teaspoons to the next beer you drink and see what you think.

Soak the vanilla in the bourbon. The higher alcohol will extract the vanilla better than beer. You don't have to add the bean to the beer. Drain off, and use, the bourbon and save the bean. Add more bourbon to the bean. The bourbon will continue to extract vanilla flavor for a few months - use it in another beer.

Vanilla prep: split the bean, scrape out the inside, and add everything to the bourbon. Cut the bean to whatever size you want. Just make sure you cover it with the bourbon.

 

[arnobg]

My biggest questions remains which I did not initially ask.

After the vanilla and oak has been extracted into the bourbon do I want to throw the bourbon AND oak into secondary? The recipe recommends 3-4 week secondary with oak 1-2 weeks prior to bottle.

 

[pagrider]

Just the liquid is all you need.

 

[arnobg]

Just to further clarify, after scraping the seeds out do the get added to the bourbon with the beans? Then when you dumb the bourbon into secondary do you try to filter the seeds from going in?

 

[Calder]

Just to further clarify, after scraping the seeds out do the get added to the bourbon with the beans? Then when you dumb the bourbon into secondary do you try to filter the seeds from going in?

Everything goes into the liquor.

Everything can go into the beer.

If you pour carefully you can leave most of it in the jar, or whatever you are using for the bourbon vanilla mix. If you manage to save it from going into the fermenter/bottling bucket, you can add more bourbon as there us still a lot of flavor left in the beans.

 

[pagrider]

Scrap the seeds out they make a mess and dont add the flavor profile you are looking for. I made that mistake once

 

[arnobg]

Scrap the seeds out they make a mess and dont add the flavor profile you are looking for. I made that mistake once

So you completely discarded them and didn't add the beans to the bourbon soak?

 

[Billy-Klubb]

the seeds are where you get the flavor from.

 

[pagrider]

yes discard the seeds there is enough flavor in the stems to get what you are looking for. Breweries use this method for their vanilla porters. The seeds create a mess. It takes a little extra effort but it will save you a mess and no one wants vanilla seeds in their beer. If you leave the seeds it will over power the beer I have made that mistake

 

[chisena]

Personally I have never minded the seeds. After all, that's really where the majority of the vanilla flavor resides. If you are only looking for an essence of vanilla and don't want specs of bean showing up in your glass, I suppose you could discard them. I wouldn't.

 

[RedlegEd]

I've brewed the NB Bourbon Barrel Porter (AG) twice, and my own Honey Oatmeal Vanilla Porter recipe a few times. I know this is going to sound like heresy, but I found that pure vanilla extract (the real stuff, not imitation) is a whole lot easier and just as effective as beans. I soaked the oak cubes in the bourbon (I've used Woodford and Willett,) and added the vanilla extract (~1/2 tsp per gal) when I threw the oak & bourbon into secondary. No matter which way you go (beans or extract,) by the time you add the oak and bourbon and let it age, all you get is just a hint of the vanilla. I also found the batches I made with Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale came out the best.

 

[mwmcal]

I definitely would not discard the seeds. That is where you are going to get most of the vanilla flavor from. Put it all in with the bourbon, then when you are ready to add it to the carboy or fermenter strain it through a fine mesh filter. Something like this
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000VLZXA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Billy-Klubb]

well look at that! different brewers, different techniques! and I'll bet we all get the results we want. I've never had a problem with the seeds (they settle like anything else) and we reserve our vanilla extract for baking. but that's one great thing about this site: enough brewers have done multiple things to get the same results. there's no "right" way in opinion or personal taste. to find what you want flavor wise, try the different methods. I'll keep using the seeds as well as the pods because that's what I like.

 

[arnobg]

I've brewed the NB Bourbon Barrel Porter (AG) twice, and my own Honey Oatmeal Vanilla Porter recipe a few times. I know this is going to sound like heresy, but I found that pure vanilla extract (the real stuff, not imitation) is a whole lot easier and just as effective as beans. I soaked the oak cubes in the bourbon (I've used Woodford and Willett,) and added the vanilla extract (~1/2 tsp per gal) when I threw the oak & bourbon into secondary. No matter which way you go (beans or extract,) by the time you add the oak and bourbon and let it age, all you get is just a hint of the vanilla. I also found the batches I made with Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale came out the best.

I used Wyeast 1728 in a stepped up started which has been vigorously fermenting for a few days now. Have it set at 60F.

On brew day I ended up splitting 2 beans and scraping the seeds out and putting ALL of that into 16 oz of Makers with 1 oz of oak cubes. When I transfer to secondary I'm gonna pour the mix in there with another 1 oz of oak cubes 2 weeks before bottling.

 

[Jkane101]

Did the same recipe, I put all of it including the beans right into my primary after two weeks. Yup no secondary for me...

 

[RedlegEd]

@arnobg. I think you'll like it, especially after you let it age & mellow. Let us know how it comes out and what you'd do different next time.

@jkane101. When I did this recipe the second time, I skipped the secondary and it had no impact on the brew. I've found this was borne out by Brűlosopher's exbeeriment results on impact of primary vs secondary.

 

[juskojj]

be careful with your oak, i made a chocolate milk stout and tried what you did minus the beans and i over powered it with oak flavor..... the longer you let the oak sit the stronger the oak flavor....

 

[Jkane101]

@jkane101. When I did this recipe the second time, I skipped the secondary and it had no impact on the brew. I've found this was borne out by Brűlosopher's exbeeriment results on impact of primary vs secondary.

And I completely subscribe to this, unless we're talking about fruit additions or long term conditioning for sours.