Flavouring Essences

[jivesucka]

Was at the supermarket and was looking at the falvouring essences in the cooking section, and i had a bright spark. I could add some to my next brew. would it work? i'm talking about the products listed here

 

[Gormand]

Was at the supermarket and was looking at the falvouring essences in the cooking section, and i had a bright spark. I could add some to my next brew. would it work? i'm talking about the products listed here

I would try in a bottle first. So when you bottle add say 5 drops to 1 bottle, 10 to the next, 15, 20 etc Up until you think that it might be too much. Then crack those later to find the right level. Then if it tasted good use that amount to calculate the amount for a full volume batch and add it in like a dry hop (Anything earlier and you may lose the flavour)

I added a small swig of Vanilla essense to 2 bottles in my last stout batch. No real flavour which was disappointing. Tabasco sauce however really helped carry the hop flavours to the aftertaste of the beer... but it produced a really gusher so I wouldnt do that again in a bottle with the normal sugar levels.

 

[earle]

I put about 10-15ml of the black label vanilla essence in a toucan (dark ale and euro lager) which turned into a vanilla bourbon porter (with oak chips). The vanilla does come through but is not overpowering.

 

[Silo Ted]

Didn't like the jam experiment from earlier in the year so you thought you would look elsewhere in the supermarket, hey mate ? Hope you never make it to the deli section. :huh: :lol: :icon_vomit:

Don't know where you're at with your brewing, but you can do a heck of a lot with the right combination of grains, hops & yeast strains. There are literally thousands of combinations, without resorting to the weird and wacky every time you make beer.

You want additives to your beer... go natural, Ie if vanilla you're after, buy some pods. For peppermint, grab a bunch from the greengrocer. Aniseed, then get some licorice root.

 

[MHB]

I pretty much agree with your sentiments, just Liquorice is from the root of the liquorice bush, and Aniseed is the seed of the anise plant. Naturally Star Anise is different entirely, coming from a tree rather than a shrub; Sarsaparilla is a climbing vine... I love spices, but generally not in beer.
MHB

 

[Silo Ted]

Ah yes, but to confuse the dear readers at home, I believe that the rubberised candy things sold as 'liqorice' are often flavoured with anise, not licorice root. That was the crux of my small rant. :lol:

 

[earle]

Didn't like the jam experiment from earlier in the year so you thought you would look elsewhere in the supermarket, hey mate ? Hope you never make it to the deli section. :huh: :lol: :icon_vomit:

I've heard of chai beers, generally dark ales I think. Perhaps jivesucka could try chai concentrate from the coffee section.

 

[jivesucka]

i want to enter that competition where brewers add unorthodox ingredients to beer does anyone have a link?

 

[Salt]

I put about 10-15ml of the black label vanilla essence in a toucan (dark ale and euro lager) which turned into a vanilla bourbon porter (with oak chips). The vanilla does come through but is not overpowering.

Hey Earle,
What was your recipe for your Toucan Vanilla Bourbon porter?
I am really keen to try something similar and want to know the best way to go about imparting the vanilla/bourbon/oak flavours.
Vanilla essence to secondary? Bourbon soaked Chips in secondary too?
Any help greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Salt

 

[petesbrew]

Hey Earle,
What was your recipe for your Toucan Vanilla Bourbon porter?
I am really keen to try something similar and want to know the best way to go about imparting the vanilla/bourbon/oak flavours.
Vanilla essence to secondary? Bourbon soaked Chips in secondary too?
Any help greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Salt

Or American oak chips