Flavorings in secondary

[Bezron]

I finally got around to doing my Mexican Chocolate stout, which is happily fermenting away.

When it goes into secondary, i will be adding cocoa nibs, vanilla, Ancho chili powder, part of an Ibarra mexican chocolate disk, and additional hops. Some questions that I have:

For the additions, I'll be soaking them in vodka to sanitize. Should I do each one as a separate infusion or is it ok to put all of the flavors into one container and cover with the vodka? I did a mango habanero last summer where I pureed the mango and habanero together and it seemed like the pepper overpowered the fruit, so I don't want that to happen again.

How long should I soak the ingredients in the vodka? Should I be doing the soak at room temp or in the freezer/fridge?

Finally, the hops for this one are leaf rather than pellet since they are an expiremental strain. I had an issue recently where I ended up with an infection after using leaf hops of a different variety from the same source (purchased on the same order). It could have been caused by something else, since I recentlymoved and had to modify my process slightly, but I like to think I'm pretty diligent about cleaning and sanitizing (keep a spray bottle handy and everything gets soakedmultiple times from the point that I take itout of my sanitizer bath until it touches the beer). The question is, should I go ahead and soak the hops in vodka too to be safe? Would this cause any issues?

Thanks

 

[CJ-3]

You have a lot of additions to make so it's understandable that you want to be careful.

Unfortunately when it comes to additions everyone has different ways to do it so I'm not sure if there is one way which is better than any other.

If it were me, I would soak the nibs and vanilla in one container, the Mexican chocolate disk in a second one, but I personally would not siak the chili powder. Maybe it's because I haven't soaked spices in the past but I should have? I typically soak in vodka for 2 weeks prior to use and add the vodka and nibs together.

As for the hops........I want to preface thus by saying I have never used leaf hops. Since you are not boiling them it may be a good idea to give them a quick rinse and a soak in Star San just before use. If someone else chimes in with another idea about using leaf hops I would definitely give more credence to someone who has used them and has experience.

 

[Bezron]

Thanks!
A local friend suggested maybe doing the disk and chili powder in one container (to make a vodka infusion) and the vanilla and nibs in another, and only using enough to cover the ingredients.

I was also considering boiling the leaf hops in a small amount of water for 5 minutes or so. Since I'm adding the vodka, I'm less concerned about watering down the brew and a short boil like that should sanitize them and activate some of the aroma qualities.

I've honestly only used leaf hops once before, and I likely will never do it again unless its some super special experimental strain. They are really mess and lots and lots of work, lol