First spiced beer questions

[jimmyjusa]

Looking to brew a spiced beer for the holidays and have a few questions after the recipe.
75% efficiency
Recipe so far:
7lbs light munich
4 lbs pale 2 row
1 lb crystal 80
6 oz crystal 120
1lb brown sugar
Bravo hops 1oz @ 10.1% fwh, 5, 0
Imperial a31 tartan yeast.

Questioning toasting and adding 1lb flaked oats to add nuttiness.
I looked at a few spiced beer kits to inspire me and give direction and I'm thinking 1-2 oz crystallized ginger at 10 minutes and then 1/3 oz of pumpkin pie spice since I've seen between half ounce and 20grams in recipes and kits with a goal of gingerbread/gingersnap beer. I've seen some recipes use a tablespoon but with added ginger i thought i should dial it back, maybe just use a teaspoon and weigh that.

Should i add the oats? Are my spicing levels at least a good start without going overboard?
Other grains on hand: white wheat, torrified wheat, carapils, crystal 40 and 60, black malt. I also have 30L dark Munich but I've used it in my last two beers so I'd rather keep it out.
Bravo hops are for the goal of if any hop flavors come through then hopefully the orange notes. I have other hops that i can use, maybe nugget or jarrylo for something interesting? Galena, simcoe, super galena, centennial, cascade as thoughts for general citrus.

 

[JohnSand]

I haven't toasted oats, or used them, though I do love oatmeal cookies.
If you keg, you can adjust the spice later. If you bottle, you can do it post ferment by making a tincture and testing it in a sample, though your measuring needs to be precise. I generally am cautious with spice, but it also mellows over time. If your levels are at or below common recipes, you'll probably be alright. And if it's too spicy, save it until next year.

 

[jimmyjusa]

I do bottle so I'd rather keep it too low and then adjust at bottling. The oats when toasted are supposed to increase the taste likelihood of cookies.

 

[Kickass]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/using-spices-homebrew.html This helps with perspective.

Also, here's my pumpkin beer this year, it turned out perfect. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/fall’s-here-pumpkin-beer.655055/ Although it's my "pumpkin" beer, i feel all these spices are appropriate for the fall and winter.

 

[jimmyjusa]

Thank you for the links, good information.

 

[jimmyjusa]

Would it be better to drop things down to a 4-5% abv target vs 7+% for balance? Here is the spice mix i bought: https://www.spicehunter.com/products/pumpkin-pie-spice-blend/
It looks like a more complex blend than mccormick's with more ingredients.

 

[Kickass]

That looks tasty. Not knowing the proportions I'd start lighter, 3/4 to 1 tablespoon for 5 gallons. Clove, ginger and nutmeg go a lot farther than, say, cinnamon.

As far as ABV, I prefer 6-7% with some leftover residual sweetness to balance the spice. I'd also drop the IBU's a bit, spices add to the perception of bitterness. Just suggestions though.

 

[jimmyjusa]

That looks tasty. Not knowing the proportions I'd start lighter, 3/4 to 1 tablespoon for 5 gallons. Clove, ginger and nutmeg go a lot farther than, say, cinnamon.

As far as ABV, I prefer 6-7% with some leftover residual sweetness to balance the spice. I'd also drop the IBU's a bit, spices add to the perception of bitterness. Just suggestions though.

Thanks for the feedback, since I'm looking to have the ginger as the slightly more dominant flavor that is the reason i also got the crystallized ginger then also adding either 1 or 2 teaspoons to add the other flavors which I'll still weigh so i can have better consistency.
For assuring extra sugars or enough residual would 153 be high enough to mash at or higher? All my brews so far I've done 150.

 

[Kickass]

For a 6-7%abv with highly attenuating yeast I'd shoot for 154-156. For lower attenuating yeast 153 might allow for some residual sugar. I'm not too familiar with the strain you listed.