Question about adding spices to my Secondary

[andrewhicks237]

Hey guys!

I did a Boulevard Nutcracker Ale clone a few weeks ago and I'm getting ready to dump it into secondary. I was looking for advice on adding spices to my secondary to give it more wintery flavor. It is roughly 5 gallons. Was thinking of adding 1 Tbsp of Cinnamon, 1 tsp of nutmeg and 1/2 tsp of clove to secondary and then siphoning from primary on top of the spices. Has anyone ever done something like this? How does my spice bill look? Too much? Do I need to boil it in some water first to sanitize and then let it cool? I've heard people soak spices in vodka and then pour over top? Just looking for some pointers, have never done this.

Thanks guys!

On deck: Left Hand Milk Stout clone
Fermenting: Boulevard Nutcracker Ale clone, Schlafly Pumpkin clone
Lagering/Aging/Souring:
Conditioning: Green Flash WC IPA clone, Mild English brown ale
Drinking: Water...... Night off!

 

[TheJollyLlama]

For my pumpkin beer, I made a potion (spices soaked in vodka for a few weeks) and then added to taste at bottling. Easier to control the spice level that way.

Just be careful, the spice will fade a little bit by the time it's ready to drink. Don't be afraid to get a little aggressive with the spices.