Making a imperial stout and of adding cacao nips and vanilla extract. My question is what’s a good rule of thumb on adding vanilla extract pre gallon?
Do it to taste…that’s the only way to know for sure. When the beer is ready for packaging, pour 4 2 oz. samples. Dose each with a different, measured amount of extract. Taste, decide which you like best and scale that amount up to the size of the batch. Why guess?
Thanks great advice
+1
I’d also suggest you to pick your favorite, then back it off by one notch. There’s something about drinking full pints that makes these flavor additions compound (additive) over multiple sips, especially spices. Pepper beers are notorious for starting out fine for the first sips but finishing up like you are drinking a glass of molten lava. Vanilla is similar- every sip compounds the intensity. Nibs not as much, though.
HTH
I’ve actually found that vanilla fades rather quickly, so I start a bit heavier than I think it should be. Depends on the beer style and your tastes, though.
You are probably right about it fading over time, but what I’ve found is what tastes good in the single taster glass just is often overwhelming by the last sip of a full pour.
It ends up covering up just about everything else.
My point is that its always easier to add more than it is to take it back out. 
And that’s a good point!
Be careful about selecting your vanilla extract. I find many of them to add a harshly bitter, inky kind of flavor. Some of the best vanilla flavors I find come from Mexico or the Carribbean.
And like others suggested, less is more. You a little less than you think you should use and you should come out alright. Personally I wouldn’t use more than about a tablespoon of extract in 5 gallons, and half that much might even be enough to suit my own tastes. YMMV
The best extracts I’ve found are from Olive Nation and StarKay White.
Dave,
What is your source for these?
And I’ll echo the sentiment that “less is more.” Don’t ask me how I know this.
Thanks
My parents used to bring me a bottle of hooch style vanilla every time they went on their Carribbean/Mexico cruise. Those extracts were always very good. No name brand on them. Then of course I ran out of those. Currently I have two extracts in my cabinet:
One is Rodelle, which my wife says is supposed to be the best, she did research on it. But I smell it and it’s like Robitussin, and I eat the cookie dough with it and it’s like… Robitussin. She says “oh, the taste fades after baking” and she’s right. But there’s no way I would use that sh*t in my beer.
The second extract I have is Molina Mexican vanilla extract which is available in the red white and green bottle from just about any grocery store anywhere. And it smells and tastes like heaven. That’s the one I would use if I couldn’t get the good stuff from some random Carribbean person.
Yes I’m serious.
Update I picked up a bottle of vanilla extract ( 8oz vodka with 8 vanilla beans in it ) then I picked up a 1gal imperial stout kit. Added 4oz of cacao nibs to the grain bag. After the cool down I added 1.5oz of extract to my taste then dry hopped with 1oz of cacao nips. Time will tell. Denny next time I’ll try Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract from StarKay White I got 6 2oz bottles my wife is good friends with the owner THANKS FOR THE FEED BACK GUYS