Adding a Peppermint Flavor?

[sweenbeen]

For this Christmas I want to brew a hot chocolate stout. So when I think of a hot chocolate I think of chocolate, peppermint, and milky flavors. I am going to base it off of a milk stout and add some additional chocolate malts.

My question is does any one have any experience adding a peppermint flavor? And if so what methods would you suggest? Liquor additives? Or peppermint leaves? And then along with that... quantity?

Thanks in advance!

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[Denny]

For the love of God, don't do it!

 

[ABrewingApe]

I've made a mint beer by making a bunch of strong mint tea and using that to top off the wort. The result wasn't candy-caney at all, much more herbal. Unless you're looking for that I'd recommend extract or essential oil.

(don't boil the oil, it'll vaporize.)

 

[sweenbeen]

For the love of God, don't do it!

Lmao why

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[sweenbeen]

I've made a mint beer by making a bunch of strong mint tea and using that to top off the wort. The result wasn't candy-caney at all, much more herbal. Unless you're looking for that I'd recommend extract or essential oil.

(don't boil the oil, it'll vaporize.)

Ya its a post boil thing. More for just before pitching. And I will have to look at extract. My fear is that it will give it a fake flavor. I made a ginger pils a bit ago and used the liquor and I feel like if I used ginger root it would have given it more of a "real" flavor... IMO

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[ABrewingApe]

An extract will probably have a blend of peppermints and some vanilla in it. Likely nothing that will get in your way.

You don't always want a real flavor, sometimes you just want the best parts of the real flavor. I'd take commercial ginger flavoring over ginger essential oil any day--I work with the oil, and it's vile. Like gingery feet. You don't want to make foot beer, do you?

 

[rycov]

you kinda want the "fake" pepperment, i think. it would be more like the candy peppermint, or what would be in hot chocolate. i don't think you'd want the leafy herby flavor. i would go with the extract.

 

[Denny]

Lmao why

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Brush your teeth, then drink a beer...you'll get your answer!

 

[Revvy]

My Nephew who was the vinter of one of the homebrew/winemaking clubs in town used to make amazing peppermint schnapps melting down peppermient candies in a little water in a double boiler and adding it to liquor base. He did a lot of schnapps using hard candies mostly jolly ranchers, and they were all excellent.

The peppermint schnapps were awesome.

Someone else asked recently the same I suggested he determine the sugar content of the hard candied he was looking at using and then using information I give in the thread below, use it as your priming solution instead of your normal sugar.

Scroll to the lower half of this post.

 

[sweenbeen]

An extract will probably have a blend of peppermints and some vanilla in it. Likely nothing that will get in your way.

You don't always want a real flavor, sometimes you just want the best parts of the real flavor. I'd take commercial ginger flavoring over ginger essential oil any day--I work with the oil, and it's vile. Like gingery feet. You don't want to make foot beer, do you?

Haha I see what you're saying. And no I do not want foot beer ;-) although come to think about it it maybe you can get more than drunk off of foot beer :-D

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[JasonToews]

I've used fresh mint leaves in the 2ndary with great results! I guess its your prefrence.

 

[sweenbeen]

I've used fresh mint leaves in the 2ndary with great results! I guess its your prefrence.

How much? And for the entire duration of the fermentation?

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