Advice needed on flavoring addition

[FedoraDave]

Here's the sitch:

I've got a milk stout fermenting. I brewed it on 12/21. According to my schedule, I should have bottled it today, but I don't mind waiting until next weekend, especially since the temperature dropped last week, and my basement was in the high 50s. A little extra time won't hurt anything.

But, but, and again, But!

I am adding a vanilla flavoring. I slit a single vanilla bean and extracted the innards, as well as cutting up the outards. I put all this jazz into a small Mason jar and added enough vodka to cover, to create a flavorful tincture of vanilla. It's been about five days since I made this tincture.

So my question is, when do you recommend I add it? Now? A day or two before bottling? Put it into the bucket when I prime on bottling day? Doesn't matter?

Thanks in advance, Borg.

[mtsoxfan]

What I can tell you is I added 5T of pure vanilla extract to 5 gals of a chocolate vanilla stout at kegging time. It took close to 12 weeks to mellow out, as the early stages was overwhelming vanilla. At 26 weeks when I kicked the keg, it was more of background flavor. In my opinion, I should have used less, maybe 3T, or started drinking at 18 weeks... Hope that helps some.

[BigPapaG]

I'ld say it probably doesn't matter Dave...

I'll also say that while adding it should not cause any increased fermentation action, my preference is to add it a few days before bottling... Just in case anything weird (magical?) happens.

It also gives me a couple of days to taste test and perhaps add a bit more if need be.

[FedoraDave]

Good advice, Papa. I'll look ahead to a bottling day next Saturday. And I'll probably add the tincture on Thursday, at the latest. I don't expect anything miraculous to happen but this will give me a chance to see how the addition worked.

@mtsoxfan, I've learned that extracts behave very differently than original ingredients. I've used fruit extracts before, and they don't interact with the beer the same way fresh fruit does. I have to assume that vanilla would be the same vs. vanilla extract. Even so, I'm willing to give this stout extra warm conditioning time.

[haerbob3]

Dave I have always added my vanilla beans the last week, before bottling or kegging. Pretty much treat it the same as a dry hop. Extracts, Essences or Essential Oil at packaging a little goes a long way.

[FedoraDave]

So I added the tincture last night. I put all of it in, since it was only one bean, and not a lot of vodka. I tasted a small sample this afternoon when I got home from work. Very subtle, but very definitely there, too. I was slightly concerned I'd get a "hot alcohol" sensation from the vodka, but there's so little of it, I don't think it's going to have any effect. I think it'll condition in nicely.

I plan on bottling it this weekend and sampling my first one on St. Patrick's Day. That'll give it two months in the bottle. Still a little too young, but enough to let me know if it's barf-worthy or not.

[haerbob3]

Sounds like you have it nailed Dave. I probably should brew up a vanilla bean porter for the oldest daughter's b-day in April. Boy do I need to start brewing!!