vanilla extract

[drengel]

a relative gave me a vanilla porter kit over x-mas which is in the secondary right now. the kit included vanilla extract, which you add at bottling time. i've never used this in brewing before, and after reading the 2 reviews on my hbs website of this kit, i'm a little worried as both mentioned a fake, chemical vanilla taste. is this going to happen with my brew, cause i'd hate to waste 5 gallons of beer, and i don't have anywhere i can find vanilla beans close by (nor do i want to pay for them). also, right now the beer is good but too thin for my taste, almost like a mix b/t brown ale and brown porter. i thought that the vanilla might help with that problem, but now i'm not so sure, and don't know what i might add to fix this. any suggestions? should i go ahead with the extract? anyone have good/bad experiences using vanilla extract?

 

[AHammer16]

Is it real extract or is it imatation? How much are you talking about? I used 4 + oz in a 5 gallon batch of a lactose sweetened ale and i think it is too much. I may age out a little though, I hope.

 

[drengel]

i'm not sure. you know it comes in a unmarked little test tube in the kit. not sure which to be honest. actually i didn't know they made imitation vanilla extract. so does real extract produce better results. i do have some real good vanilla extract in the kitchen. and without looking at the recipe i wanna say it's only 1 oz....yes 1 oz. how about increasing the body...do you think the unfermentables in lactose would be a good fix. i don't want it to be too sweet though, not that lactose is all that sweet anyway. any other ideas...

 

[david_42]

Imitation vanilla extract is commonly labeled vanillin and real extracts are much better tasting. Take a sniff of the test tube. Vanillin has a harsh smell, real vanilla has a sweet, complex smell. It's a little like the difference between a kazoo and string quartet.

Maltodextrin will improve body, lactose won't do much.

 

[drengel]

i wish i could use some maltodextrin, but the brews in the secondary and a week away from bottling. i will go ahead and use my good vanill extract in it though, from the description this stuff they gave me has to be vannilin.

 

[bleppek]

I used 1oz of vanilla extract in a cream ale that I made a couple of months ago. I used it at bottling time. It was a little harsh at first, but after a month in bottles, it got really good. Went from one that I thought about dumping to one I may make again.
It was a pure vanilla extract that I used.

 

[bobbyc]

I used 2oz of pure vanilla in a cream ale, and it came out nice.

Looking at the extracts at the grocery store, I thought I remember seeing that the imitation extract was 50% pure, but that may have only been one particular brand.

 

[drengel]

ok so now i know to use real vannilla extract, which i luckily have a bottle of made with 100% mexican vannilla beans. now to fix this brew, if possible. could i make a grain mixture that might help and then steep and dump in the secondary? i've never done this but saw it mentioned in another thread. or maybe some ghirardelli chocolate with the vanilla. this beer just lacks body and color, otherwise its tasty, just kinda boring. too light for a porter really, even a brown porter. if i were to steep some specialty grains and dump them would the yeast go active again?

heres the original specialty grain bill for it:
AHS vanilla porter:
1/2 lb. cara-vienne, 1/2 lb. crystal 60L, 1/4 lb. chocolate malt, 1/4 lb. black barley, 1 oz. black patent.

any suggestions here...

 

[Franiblector]

i used about 3 ounces of pure vanilla extract for an english brown ale kit at bottling and it's FABULOUS!

 

[Dude]

i used about 3 ounces of pure vanilla extract for an english brown ale kit at bottling and it's FABULOUS!

OMG!!! Long time no post!!!! It has been a regular reunion all of a sudden, Janx is back in full this week and now Frani.....WAIT A MINUTE HEE-AH.....WTF is going on?

 

[Benedetto]

It's a little like the difference between a kazoo and string quartet.

Love it!