Yesterday was bottling day for my session IPA. I added a grapefruit tincture this time. I soaked white and red grapefruit zest in a cup and a half of vodka for 3 weeks. I ended up with 4 gallons of beer. When I pulled a 1/2 cup to test the tincture, I found that a 1/2 teaspoon was a good amount for 1/2 cup. After doing the math, I ended up using the entire 1 1/2 cups of vodka tincture for the 4 gallon batch. When I tested the beer after gently mixing, I seemed to get a decent amount of alcohol heat. The beer is pretty light with a 1.008 FG down from 1.052 OG. After bottle conditioning for a few weeks, do you think it will balance out more? I don't want this to be a session IPA that tastes like I added vodka to it. As far as smell and flavor, it is amazing. This is going to be a great beer! Just hoping the vodka doesnt take over. This is my first time using a tincture, so I am looking for some feedback on how much I used. Thanks!
I don't think the booze will die down. Vodka still tastes like vodka after it ages for a few years. I think you'll do well to drink these fresh, cold, and after a few rounds of something else. You're going to fry your taste buds with these and they'll be a nice night capper. This beer will probably get worse with age. Drink fresh.
I agree with other post- vodka/alcohol will not die down much if any at all. If you haven't bottled yet you could try aging on oak and that would mellow the alcohol out, but also muddle the grapefruit. Next time after you make the tincture let it sit out to evaporate some of the moisture once you've infused the flavor you want. That way you won't have so much liquid/alcohol- but MOST of the flavor it has absorbed from the grapefruit will remain and just be concentrated in a smaller amount of alcohol/liquid.
