How do I remove the medicinal taste of vanilla extract in my beer?

Question

How do I remove the medicinal taste of vanilla extract in my beer?

RAReed

2016年10月28日 15:33

I bought a natural vanilla extract (vanilla beans, alcohol, and water) to add to my beer at bottling time. I mixed it along with my carbing sugar and bottled. When I tried the beer for the first time, there was a heavy "medicinal" taste to it. (It didn't come from the base beer because I bottled some without the vanilla and it tastes fine).

Is there a way to remove the alcohol from an extract prior adding to beer?

Would it have been better to add the extract to the boil? (I was hoping to get some vanilla aroma by adding it at bottling)

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Topic alcohol additives bottling off-flavor homebrew

Category Mac

CharlieHorse · Accepted Answer · 2016年10月28日 15:33

More likely than not, your issue is with Phenolic and not Vanilla Extract (although, I would just use beans for brewing). Brad Smith has an excellent write up on that: Phenolics and Tannins in Home Brewed Beer.

TL;DR

This can be caused by Chloromines in your water (toss a campden tablet in your strike water), wild yeasts (sanitation issues) or mashing at too high of a temperature.

How do I remove the medicinal taste of vanilla extract in my beer?

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