Spicy additions

[quixoticgeek]

I am plotting a winter ale as my next brew, and am thinking of adding candied mixed peel, and possibly mixed spice to the brew, but am unsure when to add it. The obvious options appear to be during the boil, but I am wondering if the mixed peel atleast, should go in the mash?

Has anyone tried this before? how did it turn out?

J

 

[puravida]

I'd go 5 mins from the end of the boil with peel and most spices.
There was a really good spreadsheet someone kindly sent me - PM me your email address and I will forward it on.
It has all the suggestion amounts and addition times for spices etc

 

[graysalchemy]

As a general rule i always spice an beer or cider after it has fermented that way you

a) know what it tastes like without the spice and

b) you are able to sample it as you go along tasting the finished beer.

c) both the boil and vigorous fermentation can drive off volatiles so you may end up losing a lot of the flavour or parts of the flavour profile.

However with candid peel you probably need the boil to extract the flavour, but allspice i would add in a little bag or hop sock after fermentation so that you can pull out the spice once you attain the right level of spice. You can always add more spice but you can't take it out.

:thumb: