Tinctures

[bmd2k1]

Curious what tinctures peeps are making for additions to ur ciders? Using which spirit(s)? Any tips/tricks to pass on?

Cheers [emoji111]

 

[ebbelwoi]

I've got 20 cloves in 35ml of a 50/50 mix of filtered water and Spirytus Rektyfikowany (96% ABV). I haven't used it yet, but I'm aware that cloves are really powerful, and this should give me a little better control.

 

[Maylar]

I'm curious too. I wanna make a ginger tincture for flavoring a mead. I'm thinking some tasteless vodka, if there is such a thing. I could at least sample taste it to determine when it's usable. Couldn't do that with Everclear or other PGA.

 

[bmd2k1]

Started some whole nutmeg in vodka......wasnt sure if I should break em up or what.

Gonna get some toasted oak & soak in bourbon -- anyone have fav oak types?

Cheers!

 

[Maylar]

If you cut the nutmeg in half you'll expose more area. Medium toast American oak is probably the most popular (it's the only one carried by my LHBS).

 

[Blacksmith1]

Am I missing something here? The only things I've ever soaked in vodka was myself or a watermelon both of which ended with my inebriation. Is this a flavoring thing like vanilla extract? Or do you just like booze soaked spices?

 

[bmd2k1]

Am I missing something here? The only things I've ever soaked in vodka was myself or a watermelon both of which ended with my inebriation. Is this a flavoring thing like vanilla extract? Or do you just like booze soaked spices?

Flavoring thing [emoji111]

 

[bmd2k1]

Flavoring thing [emoji111]

...but now that ya mentioned it...here's a college flashback circa 1986/87 [emoji111]

...all in the quest for...errr...better flavoring!!! Lol

 

[andrewmaixner]

I've made tinctures for beer, from coriander, chocolate, vanilla, black pepper, oak, etc. In general, 8oz vodka for a week or two, strain with a coffee filter if needed, and then test ratios with a couple small sample glasses and see how much you want to add.
a mL measuring syringe works well, 1-5mL of tincture in 100ml of base.

Should be the same with any spices in any beverage type.

 

[bmd2k1]

I've made tinctures for beer, from coriander, chocolate, vanilla, black pepper, oak, etc. In general, 8oz vodka for a week or two, strain with a coffee filter if needed, and then test ratios with a couple small sample glasses and see how much you want to add.
a mL measuring syringe works well, 1-5mL of tincture in 100ml of base.

Should be the same with any spices in any beverage type.

Any need to sanitize toasted oak b4 tossing in bourbon to make a tincture? Doing some searching I've found recommendations for tossing in oven for 15mins at 200F.....and others for boiling em in water first to remove heavy tannins. Hmmmm....

 

[Morrey]

I didn't do a cider this fall, but last year I did a split 12G split batch with two flavorings:

6G of finished cider got a light back sweetening and 2C of tincture made from Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum with a stick of cinnamon and several cloves soaked for 2 weeks as the cider fermented. The rum has a spiced flavoring with vanilla, plus the additions kicked it up a notch.

The other 6G got less of a back sweetening but was dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin. I liked the drier, hoppy version, while the wife was all about the spiced version.

IIRC, 1 lb of brown sugar in a 5G keg raises the SG around .010. I was right at 1.000 (bone dry) when I started the additions, so I added .75 lb brown sugar in the spiced version and around .4 lb in the drier version. This is to taste of course.

 

[Maylar]

Any need to sanitize toasted oak b4 tossing in bourbon to make a tincture? Doing some searching I've found recommendations for tossing in oven for 15mins at 200F.....and others for boiling em in water first to remove heavy tannins. Hmmmm....

When I use oak cubes I just wash them in hot tap water to remove any wood dust. The alcohol in vodka or bourbon I'm sure would be enough sanitizing.

 

[andrewmaixner]

Any need to sanitize toasted oak b4 tossing in bourbon to make a tincture? Doing some searching I've found recommendations for tossing in oven for 15mins at 200F.....and others for boiling em in water first to remove heavy tannins. Hmmmm....

40% Ethanol is a relatively effective sanitizer
The heating and boiling are often used to respectively toast or remove tannins from the oak so as to change the flavor.

 

[AzOr]

For ciders I’ve made cinnamon and vanilla tinctures before. I used about 5 or 6 cinnamon sticks and one vanilla bean in about 2 cups of vodka. I let it sit for about two weeks.

I have used a habanero tincture for beer or cider. About 5 or 6 habaneros with just enough vodka to cover. For cider I use about a tbsp per gallon. It’s barely enough heat to wake up your taste buds. I use the cheapest vodka I can find.
A little habanero heat really makes the other flavors in cider or mead pop. The best was a hopped cider. The peppers made the hops really stand out.

 

[David_86]

I'm curious too. I wanna make a ginger tincture for flavoring a mead. I'm thinking some tasteless vodka, if there is such a thing. I could at least sample taste it to determine when it's usable. Couldn't do that with Everclear or other PGA.

I made a simple ginger syrup using a cup of water, a cup of sugar, and a hand of ginger. I boiled them together for about half an hour and let it cool. Added it to my cider and it came out great!

 

[bmd2k1]

When I use oak cubes I just wash them in hot tap water to remove any wood dust. The alcohol in vodka or bourbon I'm sure would be enough sanitizing.

Curious what my taste buds should be looking for with toasted oak? I made a tincture with .25oz toasted french oak in 4oz of bourbon soaked for 3weeks then strained and added to 124oz plain SG1.012 cider. I get a very slight bourbon aroma & nice light bourbon taste -- but it's unclear to me if the oak comes thru. Hmmmm.... Maybe I need some better educated buds to do some samplings

Cheers!

 

[Maylar]

Curious what my taste buds should be looking for with toasted oak? I made a tincture with .25oz toasted french oak in 4oz of bourbon soaked for 3weeks then strained and added to 124oz plain SG1.012 cider. I get a very slight bourbon aroma & nice light bourbon taste -- but it's unclear to me if the oak comes thru. Hmmmm.... Maybe I need some better educated buds to do some samplings

Cheers!

I know exactly what you mean. The experts say to train your buds you should make a tea with them. I just bought some of every type of oak cubes that MoreWine sells. I'm gonna make "tea" with boiling water with each one of them and try to discern what the differences are.

 

[bmd2k1]

What's ur preferred booze to make ur fav tinctures with - vodka, bourbon, rum, other ? Cheers [emoji111]

 

[andrewmaixner]

What's your preferred booze with which to make your favorite tinctures - vodka, bourbon, rum, other ? Cheers [emoji111]

Vodka if you want nothing but the tinctured substance to come through.
You could certainly use a barrel aged or flavored spirit if you want that character to come through in the final product. There's a reason barrel aged beers are popular, they take on some of the previous barrel occupant's flavor/aroma -- bourbon, brandy, rum, etc. Note that some spirits (spiced rum, for example) will have additional things in them, like vanilla.

 

[bmd2k1]

Next 2 tinctures for me are gonna be:

some cinnamon sticks jacked up with Captain Morgans spiced rum (4oz)

..and

Celestial Seasonings Cinnamon Apple Spiced Tea (herbal) jacked up with vodka (4oz).

I obviously dig my cinnamon....wanna see how each of these affects a plain D47 cider.

Cheers.

 

[Blacksmith1]

I like the sound of both. I don't have captain morgan but I do have vodka and Black Magic spiced rum (94 proof) which I have used in that tea when sick. Good stuff.

 

[tfrommer]

I made a simple ginger syrup using a cup of water, a cup of sugar, and a hand of ginger. I boiled them together for about half an hour and let it cool. Added it to my cider and it came out great!

"Hand of ginger" How much is that? Peeled? Grated? Chopped? Last time I tried to add ginger to a beer it came out too muddy. Went the tincture route with vodka. The ginger syrup is an interesting idea.

 

[AzOr]

Time to revisit this thread.....
I fermented a crap ton of cider last fall and in a few months I'll be holding a few bottling "parties". I currently have 10 carboys with cider and about to have 2 with Perry. All ciders are straight juice fermented dry with a few oak cubes (about 20 med toast French cubes). I'll be back sweetening with aj to about 1.004-6.

I want friends to be able to customize their cider by using tinctures at bottling time. Currently I have; habanero and mint tinctures.
I just started an oak tincture and plan on doing a ginger tincture in a couple of days.

All tinctures are made with cheap vodka only.

Questions...
-how long should I let the oak cube tincture sit?
-what about the ginger? I plan on using fresh ginger but I also have dried powder ginger
-I have done a cinnamon tincture before but it turned slimy and viscous. It tasted ok and I still used it but I'm wondering if anyone has advice.

What other tinctures should I be preparing?

ps- I'll also have simple syrup or agave syrup so people can adjust sweetness to their liking. I always bottle force carbonated cider from keg and bottle pasteurize the same night.

 

[madscientist451]

Not really a tincture, but I put whiskey in a quart jar with Jack Daniel's brand barrel chips and use that to blend with cider and beer.
I also use vodka and homegrown (whole cone) hops together.
You could try using frozen fruit like tart cherries or raspberries/blackberries.

 

[AzOr]

Not really a tincture, but I put whiskey in a quart jar with Jack Daniel's brand barrel chips and use that to blend with cider and beer.
I also use vodka and homegrown (whole cone) hops together.
You could try using frozen fruit like tart cherries or raspberries/blackberries.

thanks madscientist. I forgot about hops- I have quite a bit in my freezer for beer.

 

[Johnny_M]

I'm curious too. I wanna make a ginger tincture for flavoring a mead. I'm thinking some tasteless vodka, if there is such a thing. I could at least sample taste it to determine when it's usable. Couldn't do that with Everclear or other PGA.

Try Sobieski vodka. While it's fairly cheap, it is made from rye instead of other cheaper methods and produces a vodka with a really clean flavor. The only other one that I know that's similar in flavor is Belvedere, which is also made from rye, but is much more expensive (about 4-5x more).

 

[AzOr]

Try Sobieski vodka. While it's fairly cheap, it is made from rye instead of other cheaper methods and produces a vodka with a really clean flavor. The only other one that I know that's similar in flavor is Belvedere, which is also made from rye, but is much more expensive (about 4-5x more).

Great suggestion! I still have to work through what I have now but I’m sure I’ll have to get some more soon.

 

[Maylar]

Try Sobieski vodka. While it's fairly cheap, it is made from rye instead of other cheaper methods and produces a vodka with a really clean flavor. The only other one that I know that's similar in flavor is Belvedere, which is also made from rye, but is much more expensive (about 4-5x more).

I tried making a ginger tincture and wasn't happy with the results. I got a dark colored jar of vodka (used Absolute) that was more alcohol than ginger. I've decided that using spices like ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves etc works well just adding the spice in a tea bag or brew sock. Take it out when the taste is where I want it.

I never use powdered spices though, they don't dissolve.

 

[Johnny_M]

I tried making a ginger tincture and wasn't happy with the results. I got a dark colored jar of vodka (used Absolute) that was more alcohol than ginger. I've decided that using spices like ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves etc works well just adding the spice in a tea bag or brew sock. Take it out when the taste is where I want it.

I never use powdered spices though, they don't dissolve.

If you wanted to use powder or whole for that matter, but wanted to avoid the steeping process you could give a go at making your own extract. Here is an example video of making a pepper corn extract for 18th century candy: