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03-29-2010, 01:54 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cairo, WV
Posts: 295
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Sanitizing Spices?
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Hello,
I'm about to rack my bochet to secondary, and I was going to add the spices (peppercorns, cardomom, and ginger) for a few days. My plan was to soak a nylon bag in Starsan along with a length of (new) fishing line, and then suspend the lot in the carboy until we are happy with the flavor.
But I got to thinking and now I'm wondering if I need to sanitize the spices themselves. Maybe a soak in some rum beforehand? What do you folks do?
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03-29-2010, 02:28 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 593
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I wouldn't treat spices any differently than fruit. I don't sanitize fruit before I add it. I might use some potassium metasulfite.
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03-29-2010, 04:11 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 20
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If you are adding spices to secondary, I would think there is high enough ABV not to have to worry about it.
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03-30-2010, 09:25 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 1,354
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What about microwaving them? Do microwaves kill germs?
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03-30-2010, 09:27 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1,346
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Soak them in vodka?
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03-30-2010, 09:35 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 1,354
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But only for a minute, the alcohol would suck alot of the essence out of them?
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03-30-2010, 09:40 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 3,289
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soak them in a strong liquor, vodka, rum, brandy... whatever you think would go well with your bochet. Leave it for several days. Then add the alcohol and the spices to secondary. any extracted flavors in the alcohol will make it to the bochet.
__________________
I'm too lazy and have too many beers going to keep updating this!
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03-30-2010, 10:03 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fletch78
But only for a minute, the alcohol would suck alot of the essence out of them?
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No, do it for a couple of days or more.
Just dump the whole thing in your beer! (alcohol included)
This is basically what they do with vanilla extract, and it should work for many other spices also.
Last edited by LVBen; 03-30-2010 at 10:06 PM.
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03-31-2010, 05:15 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Florence, SC
Posts: 1,865
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Don't use Starsan.
I've microwaved spices, made a spice tea with boiling water, and just added secondary. All with good results. Tea seemed to yield harshest results.
I have boiled the muslin bag... probably a good idea since mine are stored in less than perfect conditions...
Last few spiced I've just chucked them in at end of fermentation (no bag), let them soak 7 days and bottle.
been good.
__________________
Yankee Sand Flea on a Southern Beach.
“Son, you are a walking violation of the laws of nature, but you’re lucky, we don't enforce them laws.”
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03-31-2010, 06:48 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cairo, WV
Posts: 295
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Thanks guys!
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