Using walnuts in the secondary

[michael88n]

I am making a Scottish Ale and the recipe calls for "Upon racking, add 1/2 lb baked walnuts (350° for 30 minutes) to give it a strong nutty finish".

Can I use a bag of walnuts already taken out fo the shell (like Planters) and bake them myself? Or buy a pound of walnuts in their shells and crack them open myself? Then hope I get at least .5 lb of walnut meat and then bake?

I figure if the walnuts are not salted, then Planters might be the way to go.

Has anyone else used walnuts before?

Thnx,
Michael

 

[the_bird]

Nuts = oils = loss of head retention = a technique I would avoid.

Are you an AG or extract brewer? There are lots of malts (unfortunately mostly that have to be mashed) that will impart a nutty tone without requiring, well... nuts to be added to the brew.

 

[michael88n]

I've not taken the step to brew all grain yet. This is only my fourth brew and they've been extract.

I've read about chemicals, bleach, etc effecting head, but I was unaware that oils effected head retention also.

Curses! What else could i do?

Michael

 

[Blender]

I wonder if baking them in the oven will diminish the oils that are in the nuts. It might be worth a try and see how they look beore adding them.

 

[feedthebear]

I'd try finding walnut extract first. After that, I'd buy preshelled baking walnuts. Planter's walnuts will probably be salted.

I'd really hate to have to shell half a pound of walnuts. But definatly shell them. Emeril has a story about being fired from his first job as a cook because he didn't shell nuts before roasting them (they exploded).

 

[Wheat King]

walnuts lol

 

[Wheat King]

chest nuts lol

 

[Wheat King]

chin nuts? lol

 

[magnus]

where did you get the recipe? if it's from a repitable source then maybe it will work, otherwise......

on a side note, wheat king. i'm gonna have to give you a ticket for DWI (drinkin while interneting). pull over, put the mouse down, step away from the keyboard, and have another brew. (nah j/k goahead, have fun!)

 

[zoebisch01]

I wonder if baking them in the oven will diminish the oils that are in the nuts. It might be worth a try and see how they look beore adding them.

It would probably just bring them to the surface of the nut, but heat really doesn't destroy the oils. At least not unless you set it on fire

I agree with the_bird and would seek out a nutty malt addition. Either that or find a high quality flavoring if you really want to do so....but the purist in me doesn't think it's a good idea

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

chin nuts? lol

b1tch, you got a d**k in yo' mouth!

 

[Beerrific]

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=505

 

[michael88n]

Thanks for all the input. I bought a half a pound of pre-shelled unsalted walnuts and baked them for .5 hr. The first 10 minutes smelled really good then after that... it smelled kinda like an electrical fire.

Needless to say, they are currently in the trash.

 

[magnus]

that smell was the alkaloids in the nut olis breaking down. go with a walnut extract, or just leave that part out.

 

[Melana]

I do a lot of baking and the golden rule when toasting nuts is if you can smell nuts they are going to burn.