20 replies to this topic

[Hentai]

I am racking a version of Denny's Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter today. I was wondering about vanilla bean skins, I was going to infuse the bourbon for a few days with the vanilla meat and the bean skins. Will the skins throw off any bad flavors? Tannins? Seems like they would add flavor?Thanks

[strangebrewer]

Not in my experience. I slice the beans open, scrape the guts into some bourbon, toss in the skins, let them soak for a day or two, then toss the whole lot into secondary, beans, guts, skins, bourbon, and all. Denny's BVIP is a favorite I've made a number of times and it always comes out good.

[Thirsty]

I am racking a version of Denny's Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter today. I was wondering about vanilla bean skins, I was going to infuse the bourbon for a few days with the vanilla meat and the bean skins. Will the skins throw off any bad flavors? Tannins? Seems like they would add flavor?Thanks

Throw everyone in the pool. No ill effects. I usually cut the bean in half crosswise, then slice the 2 parts lengthwise with a paring knife. Lay the blade over on its back and scrape the meat out pulling the bean under the blade and getting a nice clump. Throw it all in the bourbon and let stand. A tip when dumping, if using a carboy, try getting as much bean in first as you can without the bourbon. Some will always stick to the side, now you can swish to clean it off. If you dump all at once you will be left a bunch of vanilla stuck to the sides with nothing to rinse it. When I have done this in the past I used a sanitized plastic spatula to scrape the remainders, and I realize it is postfermented with alcohol, but why bother if you do not need to?

[ChefLamont]

I do a bourbon vanilla robust porter, and this is what I do. On brew day, I measure out the amount of bourbon that I am going to use. I cut and scrape the beans (pods) and soak all of them in the bourbon for the duration of primary. Then what I rack to secondary (this is one of the few beers I do secondary on anymore) I dump the whole burbon vanilla kit and kabootle into secondary. After a couple to few weeks there. I rack off that and keg.

[Hentai]

Thanks guys. One more thing.This is the second time I am making this beer. The first we just chucked 2 vanilla beans scraped and sliced and 3 cups of bourbon in a 10 gallon batch. We barely noticed either.How much do you guys use? I was thinking 4 cups bourbon and 4 vanilla beans.

[Stout_fan]

FWIW, I was thinking of soaking the beans in vodka. Dump it all.And soaking oak cubes in burbon. Dumping only the cubes.

[Hentai]

FWIW, I was thinking of soaking the beans in vodka. Dump it all.And soaking oak cubes in burbon. Dumping only the cubes.

Why vodka? Trying to minimize the bourbon?

[denny]

Depending on the freshness of the beans, 2-3 split, scraped and chopped for about 2 weeks for 5 gal. 375 ml. of bourbon for 5 gal.

Thanks guys. One more thing.This is the second time I am making this beer. The first we just chucked 2 vanilla beans scraped and sliced and 3 cups of bourbon in a 10 gallon batch. We barely noticed either.How much do you guys use? I was thinking 4 cups bourbon and 4 vanilla beans.

[chadm75]

I recently used Vanilla Beans in an APA. I slit them open and scraped out the goods then tossed everything into a tupperware containing two shots of vodka. After three days, I dumped the contents of that tupperware container into my secondary and racked the beer on top. I ended up not getting a vanilla flavor but more tobacco notes. Anyone else get those flavors from using vanilla beans?

[ChefLamont]

With mine I do 3 beans and 400ml of bourbon. Both are very noticeable and enjoyable. Some think it is on the strongish side, but I like it.

[Hentai]

Thanks for the replies.

With mine I do 3 beans and 400ml of bourbon. Both are very noticeable and enjoyable. Some think it is on the strongish side, but I like it.

Is that for 5 gals?

[ChefLamont]

Thanks for the replies.Is that for 5 gals?

Oops, sorry. Yea that is per 5 gal.

[Stout_fan]

I'm not a big fan of Bourbon, especially when it dominates the beer flavor. For instance I think Bailey's Irish Cream has to much whiskey; preferring Emmet's instead which is more balanced towards cream. So saying that to those knowledgeable in those two Irish Creams; would I consider the 375 ml charge of Bourbon in 5 gal excessive?thanx.

[Thirsty]

The other thing to consider is maturation time. This beer really mellows out in 4-6 months, and the bourbon/vanilla level seems to as well. I thought I may have ruined it my first go around, and drank the keg slowly, but a few months later the flavors were much more soft and subtle- almost background and not up front. So I think you have to keep in mind your expected turnaround time and plan the intensity to be about 110% of what you like, so if it finishes at 80%, then you will have it close to 100% during your peak drinking period. If any of that makes sense.

[denny]

I'm not a big fan of Bourbon, especially when it dominates the beer flavor. For instance I think Bailey's Irish Cream has to much whiskey; preferring Emmet's instead which is more balanced towards cream. So saying that to those knowledgeable in those two Irish Creams; would I consider the 375 ml charge of Bourbon in 5 gal excessive?thanx.

I'm with you...not a bourbon fan in the least. What I tried to do with that beer is make the vanilla and bourbon integrated, supporting flavors, not dominant. That's why I always say that as long as you don't use rotgut, the kind of bourbon doesn't matter. It shouldn't stand out. I arrived at 375 ml. by pouring 4 2 oz. samples of the beer before adding bourbon. I dosed each with a different amount, and tasted to find which I liked best. Then I scaled that amount up to the batch size.

[ChefLamont]

The other thing to consider is maturation time. This beer really mellows out in 4-6 months, and the bourbon/vanilla level seems to as well. I thought I may have ruined it my first go around, and drank the keg slowly, but a few months later the flavors were much more soft and subtle- almost background and not up front.

That is particularly true. A few weeks to a month does wonders for integrating and smoothing the flavor out.Well Stout, I would suggest then adding 200-250 and see if you like it. Then if it is too subtle add a little more. Addind is a lot easier than taking away (unless you are bottling). Really, the method Denny mentioned is the best. Just do your own scale up. When you get the scaled up number cut it back a little for scale errors and go from there.

[Stout_fan]

... I arrived at 375 ml. by pouring 4 2 oz. samples of the beer before adding bourbon. I dosed each with a different amount, and tasted to find which I liked best. Then I scaled that amount up to the batch size.

:angry:Thanks Denny, I've done this in the past on my Palo Santo RIS.Memory failing, must be all the beer.

Edited by Stout_fan, 26 February 2010 - 09:28 AM.

[Thirsty]

:smilielol:on my Palo Santo RIS.

Where did you get the wood, and what did you use?

[Stout_fan]

Where did you get the wood, and what did you use?

John Gasparine runs an exotic wood flooring company here in Baltimore. He came up with the Palo Santo concept and is Sam's wood supplier.To commemorate the brew John commissioned two tap markers that myself and another wood worker made for Sam's brewery.The payoff was we were all supposed to be at the brewpub for the release. Turns out they forgot to inform us of the actual release. John found out by a friend who wondered why he hadn't shown up. John said he got in two days before the keg blew, with no way to contact us. We were fixtures at Max's and never bothered to exchange phone numbers. Anyway, we woodworkers never made it. However, I was able to buy a case of the second batch.Some wood was left over after the $200 block of Palo Santo was cut to size for the tap markers. That's what we used. John is on a non compete agreement and can't supply wood to brewers. So your source will have to be elsewhere. IIRC my dosage was 50 gm in a 12.5 gal batch of RIS.Proper dosage was eye dropped into a plain RIS in the fashion Denny mentioned.Hence the face palm; I should have remembered the technique.

[Thirsty]

Somewhat of a good score, at least you got some wood out of it and a chance to buy the beer- is it any different then the standard now production Palo Santo Maron? Making the handles for Sam is pretty cool too.