Adding Vanilla

[Smh77]

I'm thinking of adding vanilla to a brown ale. Does anyone have suggestions on what the best way to do this is?

[beerking]

Get 1-2 vanilla beans, snip them into 1/2" lengths and add to the secondary.

[Smh77]

Cool, thanks. Also can you say roughly how much vanilla flavor that will give the beer? Will it be really strong or just a hint?

[TeufelBrew]

Get 1-2 vanilla beans, snip them into 1/2" lengths and add to the secondary.

In food the inside is usually scraped to remove bittering compounds around seeds. Will that small amount affect the beer noticably? Also, would you need to do a short boil to sterlize and add all the liqour along with bean to the secondary?

[Fweezle]

Also check your yellow pages for a local coffee/tea/spice shop and see if they carry vanilla beans. I checked a grocery store and they offered one, small, dried out shrivled cat turd labled as "vanilla bean" in a bottle for $11.00.
I checked my local spice shop and the lady had newly imported fresh Madagascar vanilla beans...huge, plump and moist. I got two for $9.00.

On a funny side note, I asked her if she carried hop tea and she said no, but she could order me hops, but the minimum would have to be a pound. :eek:

And to Teufel, yes you are correct...its better to scrape before adding. IMO it also adds a nice presentation to the beer when small little vanilla specks are intertwined with the foam lacing.

[beerking]

I find 1-2 beans adds a moderate vanilla flavor.

You can also look for the beans at a whole foods/health foods type store.

[Mad Scientist]

Actually, ebay is usually not a bad place for these.

[cul8rv8]

My first beer I ever did was a vanilla wheat, and I added one bean, split but not scraped. It turned out great, actually.

[Jeff]

Soak the scrapings in Vodka for a day or so and then add to the secondary if you are worried about sanitation.

I used 2 beans for a porter and it turned out great.