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Author Topic: adding a liquor?  (Read 2846 times)

Offline 3wood

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adding a liquor?
« on: January 15, 2011, 09:06:58 am »
I am less than a year into brewing and loving every batch so far!  I will be venturing into partial and full grain in the next six months, but have a few questions...  The one I ask today is:  At the bottling phase if I add some Whiskey or Tequila to the batch, will it kill the active yeast and cause the carbonation process to cease?  Or will it just add a goodness and additional kick?  Or is this just not something you would want to do?  And if not why not?

Thanks

Christ made the best wine!

Offline denny

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2011, 09:23:40 am »
As long as you don't add a huge amount, no problem.  I make a bourbon vanilla imperial porter that uses 375 ml. of bourbon for 5 gal.  No negative affects on the yeast at all.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline alikocho

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2011, 01:13:06 pm »
It comes to the alcohol tolerance of the yeast and how high your addition of liquor takes your ABV. There's a way to work out the change, but as Denny said, you'd be unlikely to raise it to the point beyond the yeast's tolerance unless the beer was very alcoholic before so you should be fine.
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Offline oscarvan

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2011, 02:50:54 pm »
As long as you don't add a huge amount, no problem.  I make a bourbon vanilla imperial porter that uses 375 ml. of bourbon for 5 gal.  No negative affects on the yeast at all.

But noticeable in taste?
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline Podo

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2011, 06:37:48 am »
you can notice the bourbon in Denny's BVIP if you add 375 ml or so. 
So good once it hits your lips!

Offline denny

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2011, 09:48:40 am »
As long as you don't add a huge amount, no problem.  I make a bourbon vanilla imperial porter that uses 375 ml. of bourbon for 5 gal.  No negative affects on the yeast at all.

But noticeable in taste?

Yeah, but it doesn't shout "BOURBON!" at you.  I don't want it to dominate, I want it to integrate.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

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Offline jeffy

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2011, 01:00:24 pm »
As long as you don't add a huge amount, no problem.  I make a bourbon vanilla imperial porter that uses 375 ml. of bourbon for 5 gal.  No negative affects on the yeast at all.

But noticeable in taste?

Yeah, but it doesn't shout "BOURBON!" at you.  I don't want it to dominate, I want it to integrate.

Unless you happen to like boilermakers. 
Not me.  Sometimes when judging these I think they're trying to get me drunk or poison me or something.  I do like some bourbon on the rocks, but find it an odd fit in most beers.  Less is more.
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Offline oscarvan

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2011, 06:41:44 pm »
I was at Rock Bottom brewery in Philly the other day, and they had a Bourbon barrel aged Stout.....very tasty.
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline myh3adhur7s

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Re: adding a liquor?
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2011, 01:29:49 am »
I plan on doing a porter this weekend. I am getting teh kit from Nothern Brewer

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/recipe-kits/extract-kits/extract-ale-kits/bourbon-barrel-porter-extract-kit.html

But instead of Burbon I plan on adding sailor Jerry. And i am hoping It adds the Flovoring i want cause the sailer has a cherry floavor to it that i am hoping it imparts to it.

Either way its being done cause i am of the belief nothing venture nothing gained