Description:

I remember seeing a question here while lurking around a few weeks ago asking about vanilla or vanilla bean use in beer. This weekend (3/18), I bottled a sweet stout in which I added vanilla extract.

An official tasting hasn't happened yet - I usually wait 10 days to 2 weeks before trying the first. However, when I bottled, the hydrometer sample was very good but lacking the vanilla odor and taste I was expecting. My palate isn't great, but my wife also couldn't detect a vanilla odor and only a very faint vanilla taste.

I think the amount of vanilla was appropriate, but I think the vanilla should be added after the primary fermentation has been complete. This would keep the odor from being scrubbed out of the beer.

I'm partial to sweet stouts anyway, so I know I'll be very happy with this beer. It has a simple somewhat sweet flavor, with enough roast barley taste and a very dark color to let you know this is a stout.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs M&F dark dry malt extract
• 1 lb M&F light dry malt extract
• 10 oz medium crystal malt
• 4 oz roast barley
• 2 oz black patent
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 oz Kent Goldings (5.8% AA) whole hops
• Wyeast Irish Ale

Procedure:

Source: Anonymous