Spicing Question...

I have looked at few different recipes and couple I wanted to tweak and add spice too.


Brandon graff recipe sounds good but I would like to spice.

my question in a recipe like this... when would you spice?

what types of spicing techniques are there?

what kinds of spices do you guys use?

from what I've read, it goes something like this:

for every brewer there is a different opinion on how to do everything. Go with your gut.

Some people like to add in primary. I don't. I think the CO2 from fermentation tends to scrub out many of the aromatics that spice impart to your beverage. I add in secondary (in lesser amounts) and allow a nice "quiet" brew to absorb some new flavors.

One thing you can do is get a muslin bag from your LHBS and put your whole spices in there and tea bag it. Ground spices suck to get out! If you want to make it more of a "mulled" spice, look for a package of pre-made mulling spices. A lot of times they come in a tea bag already for you to drop in and be happy.

lets see, cinnamon, Clove (sparingly), nutmeg, ginger (sparingly), allspice, star anise, orange rind, etc.

I made a "spice tea" with some cinnamon, clove, and rum and let it sit for a couple of days (in a plastic bag). I dumped it in the cider about a week before racking to secondary for clearing (but after fermentation was finished).

It turned out really well, but I only put enough to make it subtle. Smells great

I would boil it in a small amount of water, strain it through a muslin bag into your cider, tie off the muslin bag and dump it in. Leave for a week, then taste.

this one: that is exactly what I am looking for.

how much did you use for a 5 gal batch?

I only did a one gallon batch, and my measurements could have been more accurate. I'm going to try reproducing this in the future with more precise measurements

I only used a (~1 1/2 or 2 inch) stick of cinnamon that was broken up a bit, three cloves and just enough rum to cover it up. Again though, I only did a one gallon batch. You could probably use a little more cinnamon without being overwhelming though.

I also used a little bit of sweet n low to give it some sweetness that wouldn't ferment out (but just adding that before bottling, but before the priming sugar, to taste). I'm sure that you could do the same thing with the spice tea with no problem

Would using 5 Broken up Cinnamon sticks be a good measurement or is it one of those things that is hard to expand into a 5 gal recipe meaning you dont always 5x everything?

maybe 3 sticks?

You won't go wrong as long as you have a way of pulling it when it reaches the right level, which is what i would suggest doing anyway...suspend it in a muslin bag, test it often. it's all down to personal taste

When using brown sugar and molasses or even honey how much is a good start for a one gallon batch?

How much aging is needed?

I would use 2 sticks of cinnamon, max. With the honey/molasses start off small and then work your way up, remember that after aging a while the taste will usually become more concentrated. You can always add more but you can't take out what you've put in!

Aging, I would give it 3 months bulk aging and then into bottles.

I made my own version of the Graff Cider. I crushed two cinnamon sticks and boiled for 15 min in the wort before adding to the must. Let it ferment in the primary. Did a SG reading and tasted... No cinnamon at all. and the bitterness was showing through a lot.

Plan to age it. How long? Will the Cinnamon return or should I add a few to the secondary?? Will this mellow out the hops?