Bourbon in a Sweet Porter

I recently tried a sweet, (lactose laden) porter that was spiked with Gentleman Jack Daniels. It was spectacular. I’ve just brewed up 5 gallon porter kit, added the lactose and a bit more coffee and would like to add a “moderate” amount of JD. I’m not interested in changing the ABV as much as I am the taste. I’m not looking to overpower the porter, but would like to know it’s there. From what I’ve been able to find, adding it to my bottling bucket is all that’s required. The amount however, varies all over the place. Has anyone tried it and how much etc.?
Thanks in advance

That is a mater of taste. Pour yourself some beer in a glass and add to taste and scale up

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Adding at packaging is ideal. In regards to the amount- it’s all over the place because thresholds are different for everyone. But this is easy to fix by following this procedure:

  1. get 5-6 sample glasses
  2. add 4 oz to each glass
  3. dose each glass, starting with a little and upping the amount
  4. when you find your sweet spot multiply it to find your ideal amount
    So, 128oz in a gallon, 640oz in 5 gallons. 640/4 is 160. So whatever you find multiply it by 160. I think you’ll be surprised that it’s much lower of an amount than what you think.
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Id guess 3 or 4 oz per gallon. Actually you can bottle some with and without or add with a syringe to individual bottles. Let us know

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I’m not sure I’d go beyond 1 cup per 5 gallons. Lactose is not that sweet. It probably adds more body than sweetness. So I wouldn’t assume it will balance out a lot of bourbon. When I’ve added bourbon to a porter, it was 1 cup in the bottling bucket, and the flavor was pleasant and definitely perceptible, but more than 1 cup would have definitely drowned out the malt flavors. I also used Wild Turkey instead of JD. I’m not a liquor expert, so not sure how different these two bourbon brands would be in 5 gallons of porter.

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I guess it really depends on how much you like Bourbon or in your case Tennessee Whiskey. I like to drink my porter and a bourbon on the side.

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My Father used to put brandy in a fry pan, take it outside light it and burn the alcohol off… then put it in a drink for my Mother when she was at the tail end of life… She claimed not to tell the difference…
Maybe that would help “flavor” without adding ABV also…
Sneezles61

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Jack Daniels ain’t bourbon. Bourbon is only made in Bourbon County, KY.

That is all I have for you.

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Kegged it this morning. Before I sealed the keg, I added one cup. Used my thief for a taste and it was hardly noticeable. Perhaps of the extra coffee I added. Put in another cup - 16 oz and it was bang on. Thanks for the input

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What proof is Gentleman Jack? Regular JD is 80 proof used to be higher they cut it at some pt. Maybe thats now the GJ. I might use the regular to put in the beer and save the better stuff for sippin

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A nice inexpensive bourbon is Evan Williams…cheap enough you don’t cringe when someone wants to mix it or add water, ice. Etc. not like Widow Jane…or high end Islay Scotch.

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I have always soaked oak chips/cubes/spirals/staves in bourbon for a few days and then added to the fermenter. Varying times, between a few days or a few weeks. I have also experimented with toasting and charring the oak myself in an attempt to really recreate the barrel. My favorite so far was taking about 3-4 ounces of medium toast oak, putting that in the oven a little. Charred a few after the oven with a cigar lighter, soaked in 16 ounces of bourbon. Added a vanilla bean to really bring out that sweetness of bourbon. It was lip smacking good

Edit: 5 gallon brew

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Lactose is 1/5th the sweetness of sucrose but because it doesn’t ferment with standard yeast. It is pretty sweet in a beer combine with the sweetness of the alcohol. breweries see a 10 fold increase in toilet paper use when offering lactose beers to customers

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80 proof/40% ABV.

I make Denny’s BVIP (Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter) every year around Christmas. I use Maker’s Mark but I can’t remember the amount off the top of my head. I’ll dig around when I get home.

:beers:
Rad

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