Adding Extract oils to a beer

[Dustin Kerr]

Hey,

I'm going to attempt a chai maple brown ale. I am wanting to use a maple extract and it is becoming difficult to find one. Found this on Trade Me, http://www.trademe.co.nz/crafts/cake-design/other/auction-852844777... 

and this too

http://www.kiwicakes.co.nz/kiwi/edible-ingredients-and-flavourings-...

Cause its an oil would this have an adverse affect on the beer? Has anyone tried using these in a beer?

Any advice would be great, 

Thanks

Dusty

[Kevin Sharp]

Adding oil to beer will kill the head, make it impossible to force carb and make it difficult to bottle ... which may or may not be adverse effects depending on what you intend.

[Dustin Kerr]

If i could get an alcohol base extract would that be better you recon?

[Kevin Sharp]

Yes. Not only do you avoid the problems with oils but since you'll want to add flavourings post-boil the alcohol helps with sanitisation. I usually soak any flavourings in a small amount of vodka (preferably over-proof) for a couple of days before adding the flavouring and vodka to the secondary fermentation. The quantity of vodka is sufficiently small that it doesn't have a significant effect on the flavour or ABV of the finished beer.

Personally I'd use chai syrup and maple or maple-flavoured syrup. Sucrose in the chai might leave a little acetalderhyde but I doubt it will be noticeable. Maple syrup ferments very nicely - it's what's used in Samuel Adams Utopious. To get the flavour from the syrups you'd need to get some unfermentable sugars in the finished beer either by adding lactose or choosing an appropriate mash schedule and/or low attenuating yeast.