Best way to add more spice to my pumpkin ale

[SDouglas82]

I tried my pumpkin ale today (10 days after brew day) and it is a little weak in the spice department. I was told that you'll lose a lot of spice flavor during fermentation. How should I add more pumpkin pie spice? Should I add it to my primary for a couple of days or add before bottling? I just want to make sure it distributes evenly in the 5 gallons of beer. Also, I have a couple of cinnamon sticks if that might help. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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[Transamguy77]

A little spice goes a long way, you could add it to your primary now and taste it before bottling then add some more with your priming sugar if you want more flavor. I've done it both ways and I've also added to much and had to wait 6 months to drink it.

 

[govner1]

You can also add small amounts to secondary. Test after 3-5 days & gauge from there.
I did a PumKing clone last year that was spot on. This years brewery version is WAY over the top w/ cinnamon. Definitely won't change my recipe!


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[Hello]

I added another tablespoon of spice 10 days after fermentation. It worked very well.

You can also add small amounts to secondary. Test after 3-5 days & gauge from there.
I did a PumKing clone last year that was spot on. This years brewery version is WAY over the top w/ cinnamon. Definitely won't change my recipe!


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What was your recipe?

 

[SDouglas82]

Can I just add the pumpkin pie spice into my primary or do I need to bake it to sanitize?


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[cap]

I would recommend making a spice tea. I worked well in my pumpkin ale.

 

[DrunkleJon]

If you have already made the beer and it needs more spice, make a tincture (put spice in with vodka or something similar to extract the smell/flavor) and add it a little at a time to the beer until it gets where you want it. It is really effective just prior to packaging.

 

[Wolfbrau]

I usually use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove to the boil. When it's all done and I'm just about ready to package it I use a tincture of allspice. Allspice is very forgiving and multiplies the effects of all the earlier spices. So you don't risk overdoing it on any particular spice and have a little more room for error.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Anybody care to publish their full spice bill for discussion? I have done 3 differect pumpkin beers over the years and have yet to produce one that I find acceptable. No spice flavor in the final product.

 

[SpeedYellow]

...
I did a PumKing clone last year that was spot on. This years brewery version is WAY over the top w/ cinnamon. Definitely won't change my recipe!

This made me LOL because guys have been trying for years to clone Pumking without success (see the thread "Southern Tier Pumking Clone"). If you really did it, you'd be a hero to many of us!! Please share.

 

[drkwoods]

I have used pumpkin vodka with excellent results to bump up the flavor after ferment. I've also added the pumpkin pie spice to a few oz of the vodka and added to the keg until I was happy with it.


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[illinibrew04]

+1 on the spice tea. Works like a charm, and you can add to taste into the bottling bucket/keg

 

[illinibrew04]

I basically used Gordon strong's procedure here for the tea only with pumpkin pie spice:

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/beer-recipe-of-the-week-chai-tea-brown-ale/