Vanilla oatmeal stout??

[suffolkbeer]

Further to my peanut butter thread,

I’m also planning a vanilla oatmeal stout!

Thinking of either Using pods at the end of boil or essence in primary.....

Anyone done one and got tips/hints on quantity of vanilla and when to add??

 

[BeerCat]

Hi. I have used pods quite a few times in the boil(10minms from the end) and secondary and i really struggle to notice it. I have used 2 before and thought afterwards i could of done with 10. Way too expensive though so i think next time i will look for a high quality extract to add at bottling. I have also soaked them in vodka but i will say i could drink the vodka as it as. A decent tasting vanilla vodka, diluting it in 23l would lose all flavour. I never came to any conclusions as to what was the best extract would be unfortunately.

 

[suffolkbeer]

Just looked at our bottle of extract in the baking cupboard. Apparently 15ml = 1 vanilla bean.
Bottle is 60ml (therefore = 4 beans)

So 1 whole bottle of extract into FV,
What do you think?
Too much or not enough?

 

[Leon103]

I have used pods and essence. Essence was the best result

 

[BeerCat]

I would use it all at the end of fermentation or in the bottling bucket. What sort do you have? @Leon103 What did you use? I have tried the cheap stuff which was useless.

 

[suffolkbeer]

I’ve got this one
https://nielsenmassey.com/products/pure-vanilla-extract/

 

[jceg316]

I have made a coffee vanilla stout before. It came first in a stout competition on this forum and it's been one of my best received beers I've ever made. For a 23 - 25 litre batch I added 2 vanilla pods split open for about a week. That was enough for the vanilla flavour to come through well.

 

[Leon103]

I would use it all at the end of fermentation or in the bottling bucket. What sort do you have? @Leon103 What did you use? I have tried the cheap stuff which was useless.

Can't remember I will have to go into the garage to check.

 

[jceg316]

@Leon103 I haven't tried extract, only pods, and I remember when doing research it seemed pods get better results, however I don't remember why. Is the vanilla flavour stable throughout? Or does it change and/or fade over the life of the beer?

 

[Leon103]

I believe it fades. I also believe people can taste vanilla more than others.

My first vanilla porter I bought expensive pods. I used two in the secondary. But this wasn't enough so ended up with four in there

 

[jceg316]

That's quite interesting. I bought fancy pods and cut them open before putting them in and left them for a week. I don't know how that differs from how you used pods?

 

[sdt7618]

I have used this one with a coopers kit stout, would say about a 1/4 bottle and it was lovely, not to strong but definitely there.

I’ve got this one
https://nielsenmassey.com/products/pure-vanilla-extract/

 

[Leon103]

That's quite interesting. I bought fancy pods and cut them open before putting them in and left them for a week. I don't know how that differs from how you used pods?

Same. Two pods were in for longer as I added another 2 after 4 days

 

[Pirate_Pete]

I've been considering a Vanilla Stout for a while and was just thinking it could be my next brew.
Had a search and found this thread.
I was talking to the bloke in the health food store where I buy my homebrew stuff. He had a couple of vanilla pods. He told me the price that I can't remember now.
He then told me the price had gone up 50% and he probably won't stock them as the price was putting people off. We agreed we should have gone into "Vanilla Pod Futures" as an investment.
That's why I was going to use extract. I usually brew a toucan stout, but was thinking of brewing a single can at 12-15 litres. That way it would be like a toucan but I'd only
end up with a small batch if I didn't like it.

 

[Pirate_Pete]

I have used this one with a coopers kit stout, would say about a 1/4 bottle and it was lovely, not to strong but definitely there.

Only a 1/4 bottle?
That doesn't seem like much.
Was that 23 litres?
When did you add it, bottling stage?

I've got a stout going at the moment. I might buy some and do an experiment when bottling.
I think I might syphon some off into a demijohn, add vanilla and bottle.
Syphon more off, add twice as much vanilla and bottle.

 

[sdt7618]

Only a 1/4 bottle?
That doesn't seem like much.
Was that 23 litres?
When did you add it, bottling stage?

I've got a stout going at the moment. I might buy some and do an experiment when bottling.
I think I might syphon some off into a demijohn, add vanilla and bottle.
Syphon more off, add twice as much vanilla and bottle.

I put it into the bottling bucket when priming and then siphoned the brew onto it. to be fair it wasn't a strong vanilla, but you knew it was there and yes it was a coopers tout kit to 23 l mixed with 1kg dark spray malt. your idea sounds a great way to figure it out with this extract

 

[Pirate_Pete]

I put it into the bottling bucket when priming and then siphoned the brew onto it. to be fair it wasn't a strong vanilla, but you knew it was there and yes it was a coopers tout kit to 23 l mixed with 1kg dark spray malt. your idea sounds a great way to figure it out with this extract

What size bottle of extract did you have? Or how many ml did you add to 23 litres? That would give me a starting point. Would you add more if you were to do it again.

 

[sdt7618]

What size bottle of extract did you have? Or how many ml did you add to 23 litres? That would give me a starting point. Would you add more if you were to do it again.

Ha, see now your asking the difficult questions, I think it would be about a 100ml bottle( will check the wifes baking cupboard when I get home!!) and as for measuring, it was kinda like my cooking, good slug of this, bit of that etc! I would recon there was a good 1/4 bottle poured in.


Actually need to get another one on and start it ageing, the one I currently am drinking is running out and the first one with the vanilla will be nearing two year old but only have 1 500ml left.

 

[Pirate_Pete]

I came across this the other day.
https://thirstycrowbrewery.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/thirsty-crow-beer-bio-vanilla-milk-stout/

They do say "At end of ferment titrate Vanilla Extract at a dose of 1mL to every 1L of beer".

 

[-Bezza-]

If using pods, try searching for "extract grade" as they're the b-stock of the vanilla world. You shouldn't have to pay more than 50p per pod of you get a reasonable bundle.

Vanilla powder might be an option.

Or soak pods in a small amount of vodka which should really pull the flavour out.