Spiced winter ale and cinnamon question

[hockeygreg44]

First off, I love this forum. I am on it daily and learning tons. I have 4 brews under my belt, 3 extract and 1 partial mash. I am planning in brewing up 2 more extracts this weekend, a red ale and a spiced winter ale. My question comes with the winter ale. I was thinking of adding some cinnamon to it for more flavor and I'm not really sure when to do it. It's a northern brewer extract kit. Should I add it in the last few minutes of the boil, or in the primary, secondary or at a different time?

 

[jester5120]

I always add spices with about 5 minutes left in the boil. I've dry hopped with cinnamon sticks a few times too tho.

 

[hockeygreg44]

Oh and I think it's self explanatory but cinnimon sticks not powder haha

 

[hockeygreg44]

Jester, what do you think worked better, added with 5 minutes left or dry hopping. And when you added it with 5 minutes left, did you also put the same cinnimon sticks in with the primary?

 

[jester5120]

I usually would add it in the boil. then taste and smell it when you transfer to your secondary. if you think it's good don't do anything but if you think it needs a little more spice then i'd dry hop too.

I wouldn't add anything to the primary but that's because typically you don't dry hop in the primary. I don't know the science behind it but that's what i've been told

 

[arnoldk2]

I'm making a spice beer this weekend. Normally I add Cinnamon (powder), Nutmeg, Ginger, and Allspice with 5 minutes left in the boil. Never had a problem with it. Typically I see people use cinnamon sticks in their secondary. I guess it is whatever you're comfortable with. I've never used cinnamon sticks in the secondary because I'm to lazy to sanitize them before putting them in the carboy.

 

[bigbeergeek]

Don't add them in the kettle! There's a better way!

I've added spices to the boil on two different brews (flameout followed by 5 minute steep, then pulled the spice bag and chilled through the CFC) and both came out powerfully overspiced. My recommendation is to buy a pint of cheap vodka, pour it in a mason jar, add 10 cinnamon sticks and whatever other spices you like and let the thing sit for a week or more. Strain the spice tincture on bottling/kegging day and add it a tablespoon at a time to the batch, gently stir and taste. This is the only reliable way to get your spice level exactly the way you want it. An overspiced beer is a terrible thing. An underspiced beer is a disappointment. The tincture method is foolproof. Highly recommended.