Adding Spice to Kits ?

[Marrsy86]

Hi guys,

Only ever done one batch of Lager as I'm more into my cider and wine but I'm actually impressed with the kit I used.

I'm considering doing another batch with Chopped Ginger Root, Ground Ginger, Cinnamon Sticks, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg and Cloves for a bit of a Christmas twist.

Anyidea if this would work ? The plan would be to throw it all in the FV with the kit on day one and just siphon the brew off it when Fermentation is over.

Cheers

Marrsy

 

[RobWalker]

That will work but not too well because the flavours you are after will be lost in fermentation. There's a much easier way with better results.

Ferment your beer as normal, then when it's finished fermenting and you have a way to stir it (rack to secondary,) heat all of your spices in a pan with a few litres of water for about 20 minutes. Leave it to cool and simply stir it in.

Alternatively, wrap them in muslin and suspend them in the beer after fermentation using fishing line. Take them out when you've got enough spice.

I wouldn't suggest it with a lager though. Christmas beers tend to be darker and more flavoursome, you're looking at an amber ale at least for a good flavour...maybe try a newkie brown clone?

 

[SamWise72]

I made a Christmas ale (very different to yours, 8%, lots of crystal rye, but that's not the point), and to add the cinnamon and nutmeg flavours I wanted, I racked it into a secondary fermenter, onto 5 sticks of cinammon and a jar of ground nutmeg, and left it to steep for a week. It won't be really mature til December, but I did a quality control sample, and it was delicious; positively medicinal. The spice flavours were very evident. I've tried adding cinnamon, for instance, to cider during the ferment, and been left with little that was detectable. Again, putting it in secondary worked well for my ciders. Go that way.

 

[graysalchemy]

If you add your spices to the FV during secondry fermentation you can taste and see how it is developing and take the spices out when ready. Also the flavour will mellow with tim ein the bottle. I have used cinnamon cardonmon and cloves in both cider and a pale ale. You don't need much though just perhaps a couple of cloves and a couple of cardomen pods and an inch of cinnamon bark per gallon.

 

[SamWise72]

I think I put 3 or 4 x 5 inch sticks of cinnamon bark in my Christmas ale, but I wanted it to have a pronounced character. I got my wish!

 

[The Goatreich]

This sounds good! As a total chilli head I'd love to do a chilli beer one day.