Ground Cinnamon?

my apflewein is fermenting for 2 weeks now, I was thinking of adding some spices? Has anyone added ground cinnamon? if so how much and when? My thought was to add in the bottom of my bottling bucket before i transfer and bottle then let the cinnamon do its work while it ages? also any other spices anyone has added?
my batch was
5gal meijer brand cider
2 lbs corn sugar
o.g. 1.065 2 weeks in 1.050 g
Lavlin k1 yeast

impossible to get rid of afterwards, the taste gets sort of funky after a while and frankly the beverage doesn't need it.

If you want a cinnamon flavor, I HIGHLY recommend using sticks and not powdered. My experience with powdered spices was poor. They tend to form films and jelly like thickness, plus it is harder to control the level of flavor they impart. I would say, rack your apfelwein onto a stick or two per gallon, and then taste it every week or so. When it is the perfect balance, go ahead and rack off the sticks, let it clear and bottle away.

I agree. NO ground spices. Use stick cinnamon. Just remember alittle goes a long way

Tusch said:

If you want a cinnamon flavor, I HIGHLY recommend using sticks and not powdered. My experience with powdered spices was poor. They tend to form films and jelly like thickness, plus it is harder to control the level of flavor they impart. I would say, rack your apfelwein onto a stick or two per gallon, and then taste it every week or so. When it is the perfect balance, go ahead and rack off the sticks, let it clear and bottle away.

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Thanks, I wouldn't of guessed powered would be so nasty, but i understand that using sticks would be more controlled. thats what i will do if i plan on going down this road... I have to test the finished product before i decide if or not to add anything.

Two weeks in it only went from 1.065 to 1.050?

i agree that whole spices tend to give a better character in general.

another method is to steep spices (ground or cracked whole) in a small amount of vodka for a month or so and then run it through a coffee filter. be sure to measure everything so it's repeatable.

you can then experiment with, say, a cup of cider and a few drops of the spice vodka (you can use a syringe if you want to be really exact). once you find the right amount, just scale up and add the vodka to the carboy, keg or bottling bucket next time.

BMan1113VR said:

Two weeks in it only went from 1.065 to 1.050?

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Yeah, Ive been questioning it myself... its bubling but seems real slow, I added some yeast nutrient 11/21 it took off for a few minutes the yeast cloud surfaced then fell now its at the same 1 bubble every 12-15 sec
its now at 1.045. I can see bubbling going up the sides of the carboy that seems to be the only real quick action going on.

anyone got any ideas? I was hoping to have it done by Christmas but it seems slow. I'm thinking of forgetting it for a while. Maybe It will be ready for Ice Fishing season??

BassettWrangler said:

I'm thinking of forgetting it for a while.

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Bingo.....

Well i have left it alone for over a week, I checked it th my hydrometer again and no change. Should I re-pitch? or keep waiting? I have read in another thread not to use an airlock for Wine? Could this be the result? I was thinking of re-pitching and adding more yeast nutrient?

Im just looking for some encouragement or direction I guess.

You definitely need to be using an airlock for wine. Those that do not use an airlock, merely do so for the first initial stage of fermentation, say 4 or 5 fays, while the yeasts are at their most vigorous level of co2 production.

You should probably look into repitching. I would go ahead and rack it into a new carboy and repitch there. This has worked on stalled ferments for me. I think the combination of the slight aeration and shaking the brew gets, on top of the new yeast really helps it out.

What temperature is it sitting at? With any active yeast at that volume you should be fermenting fine. You also may want to double check and make certain you had no preservatives in the juice you used.
Get it up to around 70F, gently stir it to re-suspend the yeast and see what happens.

Kauai_Kahuna said:

What temperature is it sitting at? With any active yeast at that volume you should be fermenting fine. You also may want to double check and make certain you had no preservatives in the juice you used.
Get it up to around 70F, gently stir it to re-suspend the yeast and see what happens.

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It is at 70f , I have tried suspending it a few times and it takes off for a short while,but nothing great. I stopped by me LHBS tonight and bought New Yeast and yeast Nutrient, I'm planning on Re-pitching tomorrow night in a brew bucket.

Well I finally bottled today!! the final gravity ended at 1.009 so i think every thing is going to be ok. Im currently drinking a glass of the "trub" that was to low to get out of the bottling bucket spigot. Not to bad of a drink. I will be taking this with me Ice fishing next week.

What type of bottles did you use when you bottled this stuff at 1.009?

I hope they were Champagne or Beer Bottles at the very least.

Be careful with wine bottles at that F.G. as fermentation may re-start in the bottle if it sees the right conditions. Not saying it will, but if you had that number (1.009) and you did not sweeten, you might have problems.

Salute!

Yeah i cold crashed, sweetened and bottled with beer bottles. so im pretty sure everything will work out.

you cold crashed and bottled @1.009..are you keeping those under refrigeration?

Just the cool temp of my basement no refrigeration, Am I going to Have Bottle Bombs ?

not if you drink fast.....What is the temp of your basement?

low to mid 50's, would refriging help me out? Cause normally with brew I either keep in the garage to cellar but right now its like 10degs outside going to be 0deg or less this weekend so thats out of the question.