Lemonizing

[baloonon]

I will be making a basic low gravity summer wheat with cascades, and I want
to keep most of the batch unlemoned, but add lemon extract to about a six
pack's worth of bottles at bottling time for a mild lemon flavor. I'm open
to using either a commercial extract, like McCormicks, or making my own
with vodka and lemon zest.

Does anyone have experience adding extract to just a few bottles? Any
ideas on how much to add per bottle? The obvious alternative is to just
add some lemon peel to the glass after pouring, but I figure I'll never
remember to have a lemon around by then.

I've goooogled around a bit, but don't see much more specific directions
than "add some" which doesn't mean much.

If anyone has experience with any other extracts, like vanilla, added at
bottling that would be helpful to narrow things down.

[Bart Goddard]

baloonon <balo...@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:XnsA03787BEAE6...@94.75.214.39:

> I've goooogled around a bit, but don't see much more specific
> directions than "add some" which doesn't mean much.

My only, and very uniformed, thought is, "Consider lemongrass
instead." I think it will give the desired lemon flavor, and
it's easier to control the dosage. Maybe make some lemongrass
tea and add the tea to the lemonized part of your batch.

But, to your central question, I still have no idea how much.

B.

--
Cheerfully resisting change since 1959.

[Dick Adams]

My experience with lemon zests says buy dried lemon peels at your LHBS
as peeling them yourself isn't worth the effort. I suggest you combine a
quarter ounce of dried lemon peels with 8 oz of vodka in a 750 ml bottle.
Cap it, wait six weeks, add 8 oz of water, and strain it. Add to taste.

[Tom Biasi]

You just made lemon extract. He can buy lemon extract and not have to
wait six weeks. It will be stronger than yours so he will need to
experiment with dilution.

Tom

[baloonon]

Experimenting is what I was hoping to avoid, since I really only want to
do about a sixpack. I've seen some guidance on vanilla extract, but I
assume lemon extract has a stronger effect and doesn't translate one for
one.

I suppose it might be useful to try adding straight to a glass of beer I
already have on hand and see when the results are, although mixing in may
affect the carbonation and that might throw things off, and it would also
be a different style than what I'll be making.

[Tom Biasi]

True your last paragraph but at least it will give you some idea of
the concentrations.

Tom

[barn...@ureach.com]

I think it would be much better and more simple to add slice of lemon
at serving

R

[baloonon]

"barn...@ureach.com" <barn...@ureach.com> wrote:

> I think it would be much better and more simple to add slice of lemon
> at serving

That's true, and it's also true that it's best to open a bottle with a
bottle opener, but better and more simple isn't always a match for my
occasional lack of foresight, which is why I've resorted over the years to
opening bottles on the side of picnic tables, edges of brick steps, and
other improvised solutions. I've never dared to use my molars, though.
I'm anticipating that there will be days when I forget to bring home a
lemon from the store, which is why I'm interested in the backup plan of
spiking a few bottles with a few drops of extract. I'm guessing it will
just require some experimenting and I'll see what happens, though if anyone
out there has some input, I'll certainly be interested in what they have to
say.

[barn...@ureach.com]

I can pop a cap in 5 seconds flat, using either my car keys or seat
belt buckle. I have also used the gunwale of a canoe, dead bolt in
hotel room, a can of shaving cream, and my toothbrush. I have never
once been thwarted by bottled beer.

Roger