New Years Bread & Butter Bitter

[mattrickl06]

Trying to think of something a bit different for my last Coopers can of English Bitter (before hopefully going AG) - here is my idea:

1 tin Coopers English Bitter
1/2 tub of vanilla extract
1kg medium DME
1kg of steeped & mashed raisins and sultanas (soaked in water for 48 hours and then smashed and sieved into the wort) - (remaining bits chucked in muslin bag)
5 cinammon sticks (in muslin bag)
20 cloves (in muslin bag)

So the questions are a) would this work, b) how could it be made better c) am i crackers?? d) how can i get some buttery sweetness into the brew??

 

[c_burgess]

Diacetyl, I've seen mention of it when reading up on "off" flavours when I first started brewing. As an ex pat Wiganer I wish you good luck. Let us know how you get on.

 

[puravida]

A few thoughts (just my view and not necessarily correct)

Leave out the cloves. Their flavour is normally picked out as an off flavour in beer so I wouldn't rush to intentionally add it.

Too much cinnamon. I used two sticks broken up in the last ten mins if the boil in a brew recently and that was ample.

How big is the vanilla extract tub? And does it contain any preservatives?

Do you realise that the extract from the raisins will add much more sugar and could make the beer dry without any raisin note at all? I've never tried it myself but I'd google it before doing so.

I love to experiment with different ingredients but you still want your beer to taste like beer, right?

Why don't you pick up a vial of liquid yeast and some fresh goldings hops an just make a really cracking special bitter. Or get a few hundred grams of a specialty grain and steep them for some real complexity.

 

[graysalchemy]

I agree with Puravida Less is more. If anything I would put your spices in post fermentation in a secondary. Put as small amount in a muslin bag in the beer taste every day and take oit when you have the desired flavour profile. Add them in the boil and you don't have any clue of how they will taste. Same with the vanilla add it post fementation and a spoon at a time.

Raisins are used in belgium beers I think and I have had great results with elderberry stout which i add during the last 10 mins of the boil. It should add a richness but you can get raisin notes from using one of the wyeman speciality malts but for the life of me i can't remember I wish i could as I will add it to my next barley wine. :thumb: