How much vanilla bean for 5 gallons???

[MikeyPX120]

Just a quick question, i'm doing a stout and want to age it with some vanilla bean, I am going to do 5 gallons but i just need to know how much of the actual bean i should throw in the fermented stout for aging. (Yes, i am aware it is subjective and yes different amounts for different lengths of time will give me different levels of flavor) That said i am just looking for a starting off point so I don't put to little or to much. I want it to be there but not over powering.

 

[Hammy71]

I use two whole beans split down the middle and dumped into the secondary for about a week. Not a lot of 'flavor' from the beans, but it does seem to enhance the chocolate flavor in my chocolate stouts.

 

[BamaMarine]

I just bottled a porter that I had two split vanilla beans in the secondary for about 3 weeks. What I tasted didn't have much vanilla flavor but was a very good porter. I was going to brew another 5 gal batch and try 4 split beans. I'll be following this thread to find out how much is too much.

 

[lumpher]

last vanilla porter i did, i secondaried it for 21 days on 2 split vanilla beans. didn't need that long, but i had other stuff going on and no motivation to keg. 7-10 days is good. it did give a small vanilla taste; just what i was looking for

 

[daksin]

I split my 2 beans and soak them in vodka overnight, then toss vodka and beans both into the fermenter and leave for a week or two. This gives me a very strong vanilla flavor and great aroma in my chocolate stout which is quite roasty and chocolaty. I think for a lighter or less flavorful beer (a dry stout or anything else, like a brown ale or something), one bean would be perfect with this technique.

 

[MikeyPX120]

Thanks guys

 

[Taff1972]

It also depends on the type of vanilla you use. Madagascar borban are the sweetest.
If you get from super market chances they are from Mexico and don't have as much flavours and sweetness

 

[thehaze]

I used 4 Vanilla beans cut in bits, scraped, soaked in bourbon ( 2 days in the fridge ) along with 4 oz organic, raw cocoa beans, which I crushed and the vanilla was not present at all.

If you want a more present vanilla aroma, you should use more or simply add vanilla extract.

 

[Hudini56]

I used 2 beans in a vanilla milk stout a while back. I soaked them over night in Jameson whiskey then added to secondary for 2 weeks. Worked well the vanilla came through well. Could have used 3 I think