Adding adjunct flavors into secondary

[Bradyevenson]

I'm curious about the process of adding flavors to secondary fermentation. I've done dry hopping which has worked out fine, but I tried to add toasted coconut and the ale soured. I toasted the coconut in the oven and then poured it straight into the fermenter. I've seen some people say to boil it before adding to the fermenter because boiling sanitizes everything. They also say to add the water since it has some of the flavor that just got boiled. Does adding this water have an effect on the final OG? How much water is being used in a circumstance like this?

I have a chocolate milk stout in primary right now and I've toyed with the idea of adding cinnamon sticks to secondary. Should I boil the sticks before I use them? If I drop them in without boiling will potentially spoil the beer?

 

[kev211]

For the cinnamon sticks make a tincture. Plunk them into a thing of vodka for a week and add the vodka to the fermenter (or keg, if you keg). It doesnt take much. When I do my Christmas beer I soak about 2-3 sticks in vodka for 2 weeks and add about 1 shot glass of the vodka to the keg. Works/tastes great!

 

[Xernex]

Personally I keep a toasted coconut on tap at all times, and all I do is toast the heck out of the coconut, low and slow in the oven, then cool and pour directly in my secondary - I haven't had an issue yet.