Belgian Tripel w/ spice?

[MattyIceGfunk]

I am planning on brewing tomorrow but the only kit I have at the moment is a Belgian Tripel. I kind of wanted to add a few spices to a beer this season. Is this completely a bad idea for the BT?

 

[frankstoneline]

Many people seem to add spices to tripels, personally I'm not such a fan but that isnt to say it can be done. What spices were you thinking? Coriander and orange peel are some of the one's I've seen frequently.

 

[amazinglarry]

I just tried a friend's tripel he brewed with grains of paradise and I thought it was pretty good.

 

[MattyIceGfunk]

I hadn't really thought about exactly what spices. I was thinking about adding them to fermenter after a couple weeks though. I was thinking something Christmasy.

 

[MattyIceGfunk]

This will be my first time adding spices to a brew. Do I just boil them to sanitize then throw them in a bag and into the fermenter?

 

[Calder]

This will be my first time adding spices to a brew. Do I just boil them to sanitize then throw them in a bag and into the fermenter?

You can do it that way, but you might drive off some aromatics. I would put them in a small container and add some vodka (or other liquor) to cover them, steep them for a week, then add the lot to the fermenter.

 

[scoundrel]

Many people seem to add spices to tripels, personally I'm not such a fan but that isnt to say it can be done. What spices were you thinking? Coriander and orange peel are some of the one's I've seen frequently.

+1 Many of the Belgian yeasts already have a spice profile and adding more may be too much of a good thing. That's just my opinion, though. I'm all for experimentation, so whatever you decide, keep us posted.

 

[MattyIceGfunk]

Unfortunately my LHBS was out of the Belgian yeast so I just used a couple of the normal ale yeast packets. Maybe I'll add some spice to fermenter in a few days.

 

[MattyIceGfunk]

So about sanitizing what I put in the fermenter... Any options? I tried the soaking orange zest in vodka on a previous batch and it turned out awful. Other recommendations? I'm thinking about throwing some nutmeg and cinnamon in. Should I get whole cinnamon? I'm guessing no powder. Sorry, I'm still a newby as far as adding to brews.

 

[scoundrel]

So about sanitizing what I put in the fermenter... Any options? I tried the soaking orange zest in vodka on a previous batch and it turned out awful. Other recommendations? I'm thinking about throwing some nutmeg and cinnamon in. Should I get whole cinnamon? I'm guessing no powder. Sorry, I'm still a newby as far as adding to brews.

With spices I wouldn't worry too much about the sanitation. Whole cinnamon is the way I'd go. I've had friends get small tea bags and dry hop with them. If your really worried, just dip them in vodka for a sec to kill everything or throw the whole spices in a mason jar with a small amount of water and throw it in the microwave. Once it's cooled, toss it in.

 

[MattyIceGfunk]

So I have all bottles sanitized and everything ready... I check the FG and it's 1.30. It is still pretty high but it hasn't moved since last time I checked it a few days ago. Think I'd be dancing with the devil if I bottled?

 

[MattyIceGfunk]

Well I use my other hydrometer and it read 1.025 and the target was 1.020. Not bad I guess. It smells amazing. I boiled two cinnamon sticks in with the priming sugar. I guess well see how it goes.