Ok got a Q everyone I have a pumpkin wine recipe I am going to start this weekend but I cannot find cinnamon sticks at the places I get my groceries can I sub with ground cinnamon and how much would I use if so the recipe calls for 1-4 sticks of cinnamon?
Cinnamon
- Thread starter CatonRW
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This may not directly answer you question, but how do the instructions tell you to add the cinnamon? Dry hop style, tincture, boiling in water? I ask because ground cinnamon would be fine in certain applications, but not others.
If you wander over to Upstate Mike's caramel apple cider thread you'll get an idea of what some people's experience has been using ground cinnamon. In the original recipe you boiled ground cinnamon in the caramel mixture. However, boiling cinnamon causes it to form snot like tendrils after it is added to the cider. They don't taste bad, they just look horrible.
This snot is exactly why people started using cinnamon extract instead, or dry hopping with cinnamon sticks, tinctures, and a variety of other methods, just to avoid adding the cinnamon directly to the cider. You can get all the flavor with none if the snot!
If you're not boiling it you probably won't have this issue.
If you wander over to Upstate Mike's caramel apple cider thread you'll get an idea of what some people's experience has been using ground cinnamon. In the original recipe you boiled ground cinnamon in the caramel mixture. However, boiling cinnamon causes it to form snot like tendrils after it is added to the cider. They don't taste bad, they just look horrible.
This snot is exactly why people started using cinnamon extract instead, or dry hopping with cinnamon sticks, tinctures, and a variety of other methods, just to avoid adding the cinnamon directly to the cider. You can get all the flavor with none if the snot!
If you're not boiling it you probably won't have this issue.
Wash, trim, peel and chop (or grind) the pumpkin. Place in primary fermentor. Add raisins, spices and boiling water. Let sit overnight.
That is the exact instructions I don't foresee a problem with it myself. I will have to know how much to use though to use appropriate amount. I also thought about straining the liquid into the secondary after primary fermentation with a cheese cloth or something because pumpkin turns to mush fairly quickly. A quick question on that if you don't mind I have heard but wanted verification can you use nylon pantyhose as a straining bag in your must if so I might try going this route.
That is the exact instructions I don't foresee a problem with it myself. I will have to know how much to use though to use appropriate amount. I also thought about straining the liquid into the secondary after primary fermentation with a cheese cloth or something because pumpkin turns to mush fairly quickly. A quick question on that if you don't mind I have heard but wanted verification can you use nylon pantyhose as a straining bag in your must if so I might try going this route.
Panty hose would work just fine. Just make sure it's sanitized, and I'd probably want it to be a new pair (i.e. never worn before)
However, rather than trying to strain it, I think an easier route would be to put the pumpkin, and anything else you wanted to remove from the wine, in some type of bag inside the primary fermenter. That way all you have to do is pull it out before racking. Something like a muslin bag, or cheesecloth folded into a bag shape, or maybe even a clean, sanitized, plain white t shirt with the head and arms tied shut.
As far as the cinnamon substitution question goes, I really don't know the answer. For me spicing has been an iterative process. I add a little, then taste. If it isn't where I want it, add a little more.
Keep in mind you don't have to add the spices now. You can always wait until fermentation is done. That might give you time to track down some cinnamon sticks or extract.
thanks for the info on the panty hose. I have seen a lot of people posting about using cinnamon snaps for cinnamon flavoring I see nothing wrong with this route and I can get that easily enough a bottle of Hot dam 100 or Gold Slager would go a long ways.
