i've recently brewed up 11.5 L of christmas ale. after primary fermentation i added spices (below) which had been steeped in half a cup of makers mark bourbon.
1 cinnamon stick
5g star anise
5 whole cloves
.5 tsp ground nutmeg
.5 tsp dried ginger
they've been in there about a week but i've seem some conflicting views on how long to leave them. some suggest a week maximum, some suggest minimum 2 weeks up to 3. i'm only looking for background hints of the spices, not to be overpowering. i plan to take a sample tonight but understand that flavor/aroma will generally mellow with aging so should i be looking for slightly stronger flavor/aroma than i want in the finished beer? i intend to age this beer for 3 months.
has anyone had any experience in this field?
cheers
1 cinnamon stick
5g star anise
5 whole cloves
.5 tsp ground nutmeg
.5 tsp dried ginger
they've been in there about a week but i've seem some conflicting views on how long to leave them. some suggest a week maximum, some suggest minimum 2 weeks up to 3. i'm only looking for background hints of the spices, not to be overpowering. i plan to take a sample tonight but understand that flavor/aroma will generally mellow with aging so should i be looking for slightly stronger flavor/aroma than i want in the finished beer? i intend to age this beer for 3 months.
has anyone had any experience in this field?
cheers