Vanilla Bean Stout

Classification: stout, dry stout

Source: Dave Ballard (dab@donner.cc.bellcore.com), Issue #1032 12/14/92

Tthe final product has a really nice blend of roasted malt and vanilla, almost like a vanilla-flavored coffee. I noticed a lot of oil from the beans in the secondary, though, and not surprisingly the head retention is very poor. when you swirl the beer around in the glass it foams up but then it just slides down the sides in a kind of oily manner. The aroma is outstanding. I'm extremely happy with the beer and will definitely do it again. I might cut back to 2 or 3 beans, however, especially if i do a porter.

Ingredients:

2 pounds crystal (90L)
4 ounces chocolate malt
4 ounces black patent malt
2 ounces roasted barley
6 pounds dark malt extract
1-1/2 ounces Northern Brewer (60 minute boil)
1/2 ounce Eroica (finish)
Wyeast Irish (1098)

Procedure:

Mashed grains for 45 min. @ 152 F, sparged to kettle, added dme, etc. I did a normal primary ferment for about a week and then racked to the secondary on top of 4 6" vanilla beans sliced lengthwise down the middle to expose the good stuff. After 3 or 4 days all signs of fermentation stopped with the gravity only at 1022. I let it sit a little while longer and got no improvement. I then pitched an 8oz culture of Narraganset ale yeast (from the yeast culturing kit) in an attempt to fire the thing up again. I let it sit for about 3 more weeks before bottling. the final gravity was 1018.