[bigchicken]

I'm getting ready to brew this weekend and plan to make an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie beer loosely based off the Maltose Falcons version here:
http://www.maltosefalcons.com/recipes/oatmeal-raisin-cookie-celebration-ale

According to this recipe, the raisins were added to a mesh bag and put into the boil. The raisins were rum soaked prior.
My questions with this are:
1. By boiling the raisins, will they add much flavor? I've read where caramelizing them or adding to a secondary can produce stronger flavors, but how much more flaovor?
2. Will any of the rum flavor make it into the beer if the raisins are just soaked in it? Would it be better to add the rum back in at flame out or at bottling?

I appreciate any feedback you all can provide on this.

[Jeff M]

Well, boiling them should technically put the sugars into solution leaving you mostly with a plump little air zit.  personalyl ive always added them to secondary in ciders etc to good result.

[speed]

Bigchicken, I have a raisin oatmeal cookie amber recipe that doesn't use raisins and you would swear that it does. It came from bugeater in Omaha. I think he is on thebrewingnetwork forum. But if you want the recipe I can give it. This is one awesome beer.

[ultravista]

For my imperial porter fermented with WLP530 - I caramelized 1 pound of raisins ala Lost Abbey (torched them till blistered and smoldering) then pureed the batch with wort drawn from the kettle. The pulp went into the hop bag at 60 minutes.

The porter may mask the raisin flavor. Only time will tell.

[bigchicken]

Bigchicken, I have a raisin oatmeal cookie amber recipe that doesn't use raisins and you would swear that it does. It came from bugeater in Omaha. I think he is on thebrewingnetwork forum. But if you want the recipe I can give it. This is one awesome beer.

Thanks! I will let you know on the recipe. It's too late for me to change much now with the grain bill. I had to order it a while back so what I've got is what I got. If I don't like my results, I'll get back to you for that recipe for the next attempt.

For my imperial porter fermented with WLP530 - I caramelized 1 pound of raisins ala Lost Abbey (torched them till blistered and smoldering) then pureed the batch with wort drawn from the kettle. The pulp went into the hop bag at 60 minutes.

The porter may mask the raisin flavor. Only time will tell.

I thought about doing this same procedure, but I'm worried it will put too much raisin flavor in the beer. I'm wondering if boiling them whole in a bag will produce enough flavor, though. I'm looking for the flavor without going overboard. I know I could have used some crystal malts that would give a raisin like flavor, but thought it would add the Christmas beer touch by having real ones. Too many decisions!

I'm also at a loss about soaking them in rum in the first place. If I don't add the rum back to the mix later, will anything really make it in for flavor boiling the raisins the whole boil?

[dbeechum]

I'll take a swing...

Yes, you get lots of raisin and rum flavor in the final beer.

The rum leftover is also pretty wicked too.

[bigchicken]

I'll take a swing...

Yes, you get lots of raisin and rum flavor in the final beer.

The rum leftover is also pretty wicked too.

Thanks Drew! I appreciate that your club posted the recipe on the site.
I ended up soaking the raisins in Crown Royal instead of rum (thought I had a bottle and didn't, so made due with what I like). It smelled amazing after being in the refrigerator about 2 days. I added the raisins to the boil, but held what little Crown didn't soak into the raisins for myself. That was the smoothest whiskey I've ever had! I normally don't drink my whiskey straight, but that was too good to dilute with anything including ice cubes. I'll keep brewing variations of this just to have the excuse to make the raisin soaked liqueur again!