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Author Topic: Hazelnut extract question  (Read 12122 times)

Offline will

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Hazelnut extract question
« on: January 10, 2012, 09:44:52 pm »
I'm brewing a northern style brown and want a nice smooth hazelnut flavor. Gonna add it at kegging, I was thinking a tablespoon per keg. Any thoughts?

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2012, 09:58:43 pm »
I think you should , before kegging, pour 4 or 5 glasses of 1-2 ounces each of the beer and dose them as 4 or 5 different levels, taste until you find the one you like and scale up to the full amount. you could even do this after kegging and carbing, then you can tell what each level tastes like carbed. add the messured extract to each glass and top with beer to mix well.
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Offline Pinski

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2012, 10:10:30 pm »
My girlfriend brewed her first batch last weekend that happened to be the Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar kit that Santa brought her. The kit came with a 2oz bottle of extract that smelled fantastic mingling with the milled chocolate, brown and crystal malts.  The instructions say to add 1-2 oz. to the keg or bottle bucket to taste.  Morticaixavier's recommendation seems like a good way to figure out what dose you like. Let us know what you go with.
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Offline dak0415

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2012, 08:16:18 am »
My experience with extracts is that there is no standard concentration.  If you are using the kind you add to coffee (in the .75 liter bottles) then that is WAY different than the tiny bottles.  The stuff that I have, one DROP (measured from a pipette) is IMO too much for a PINT.  Probably ok for 22oz bomber.  So at 20 drops/ml and 40 pints per keg, that's at most 40 drops (more like 30).  A tablespoon is 15ml (that's 300 drops)!  Start out small, you can always add more.
Dave Koenig
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Offline hamiltont

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2012, 08:55:49 am »
I added 1 oz of Watkins Extract to a 5 gallon keg a few years ago. Too much IMO. From that point forward I haven't added anything to any base beers until it's poured. Best of both worlds. Enjoy the base beer or doctor it up in the pint using hazelnut, bourbon/vanilla, jalapeno tincture, etc....  Plus you can add a little or a lot depending on your preference. Once it's in the keg you're committed. YMMV.  Cheers!!!
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Offline cruisedirector

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2012, 10:33:44 am »
It was suggeted to me once you find the magic number, only add 75% of that ammount.  Let a bit of time go by and taste again.  Adjust toward the full amount you originally calculated if needed.

Offline gogreen437

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2012, 12:43:49 pm »
My experience with extracts is that there is no standard concentration.  If you are using the kind you add to coffee (in the .75 liter bottles) then that is WAY different than the tiny bottles.  The stuff that I have, one DROP (measured from a pipette) is IMO too much for a PINT.  Probably ok for 22oz bomber.  So at 20 drops/ml and 40 pints per keg, that's at most 40 drops (more like 30).  A tablespoon is 15ml (that's 300 drops)!  Start out small, you can always add more.

In Jamil's recipe for Chocolate Hazelnut Porter he says much the same thing.  I guess it can vary dramatically from extract to extract.  Starting small and working up seems like a good way to go. 

Offline rjharper

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2012, 04:13:48 pm »
It was suggeted to me once you find the magic number, only add 75% of that ammount.  Let a bit of time go by and taste again.  Adjust toward the full amount you originally calculated if needed.

+1
Often with flavoured beers such as hazelnut or vanilla, what tastes good as a 4oz sampler in a flight, gets old about 2/3 of the way into a full pint...

Offline will

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Re: Hazelnut extract question
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2012, 10:31:37 pm »
Ended up using a 1/2 teaspoon per keg, I have a decent hazelnut aroma but not enough flavor. Will be bottling one keg in 22oz bottles w/ one drop per bottle. Plan on leaving the other one as is for now.