[roguenationpatriot]

I'm curious to get people opinions on the amount of extacts to use for a five gallon batch.  I have vanilla, star anise, and almond extracts that I've been using in my recent batches.  I'm always a little too paranoid to put to much in, so I will just get hints of the flavor. What a good amount to put it so the extract stands out on it's own, but doesn't over power the other flavors?

[wiley]

I'm curious to get people opinions on the amount of extacts to use for a five gallon batch.  I have vanilla, star anise, and almond extracts that I've been using in my recent batches.  I'm always a little too paranoid to put to much in, so I will just get hints of the flavor. What a good amount to put it so the extract stands out on it's own, but doesn't over power the other flavors?

There isn't a really good rule of thumb since hints of flavors are pretty subjective. I presume you are adding these post-primary, correct? If so, the best way with extracts is to take a measured sample of your batch, add a small measured amount of the extract to the sample (eye droppers typically work well, syringes if you want to be uber precise) to taste. Then project the extract addition to the total volume of your batch. After all, it is your beer and should satisfy your tastes!

Cheers!

[ccarlson]

I always add it to a pre-measured amount until I get it right and then scale up from there. Even then, I start a little light on the full batch, just in case. You can alsways add more, but you can't take it out.

[tomsawyer]

I'd recommend a gill per firkin.

[tomsawyer]

Other than being obtuse, I wasn't too far off.  A gill is 4oz, a firkin is 9gal, so 2-3oz in a 5gal batch.  Kind of normal for the extracts you'd buy from a homebrew supply shop.

My wife likes fruit beers.  I make good base beers and she adds a little DaVinci syrup, we have several flavors so she can decide one glass at a time.  We happen to use sugar-free products but they have a ton of regular flavors.

[roguenationpatriot]

Is there a specific place to get the DaVinci Syrups, or are they pretty easy to find?

[nateo]

Sam's Club sells the DaVinci stuff. I've seen Torani syrups sold at semi-upscale food/coffee retail stores, like Cost Plus, and I think I've seen it at Walmart too.

[Wheat_Brewer]

I made the mistake of thinking "what am i going to do with the remaining extract?!"...so I poured it all in.  Granted mine was a little wheat beer so the raspberry flavoring was so much it was like drinking the extract straight up!  I recommend following the above advise since my eye ball and dump method was the way wrong answer. 

[jimrod]

Do you use 1/2 bottle per 5 gal in the secondary or primary or before bottling???

[phillamb168]

For fruit extracts, I typically use no more than 2 oz per 5 gal.

[maxieboy]

0 oz.    Mmm, beer flavored beer.   

[tomsawyer]

We buy DaVinci syrups direct from the company online.  The kids use them for snow cones.  WalMart sells the Torani brand but the wife doesn't think they are quite as good.

[roguenationpatriot]

We buy DaVinci syrups direct from the company online.  The kids use them for snow cones.  WalMart sells the Torani brand but the wife doesn't think they are quite as good.

How about beer flavored snow cones?  That's what I want on a hot summer day.