New to home-brewing so am using extract kits for now. So far I have completed one brew start to finish. That was the rye stout. Currently I have a Baltic porter and the SHB2 fermenting. After I transfer the Baltic porter to the secondary this weekend I want to try the Spiced Winter Ale Extract Kit. I love a very spiced beer and seeing that NB reduced the spice amount concerns me a bit. I was thinking of augmenting the spice NB supplies with my own mix, probably no additional cloves though.
My question is should I add them at end of boil like the kit states or add them in the secondary? If adding in the secondary I also suppose I can take samples as it ages and add more to taste, is that correct?
Appreciate the advice.
Thanks
Yes you can do that. I usually take a sample and add to taste then bump up proportionately.
I wouldn’t worry about the cut of spices. Spices like this go a LONG way and if you read the reviews many many people commented about how the spices were just too strong.
I would get this made asap as you will want it to age a little before drinking.
I agree with Loopie Beer, be careful with adding spices. I messed a holiday ale up one time with to much spices. I added to much caramom seed and it was a rough beer to drink. After that beer sit for a couple of years it mellowed out some, I still didn’t like it. I had eight or ten bottles left that I took with me on a camping trip to visit with the deer hunters. I gave it to a guy camped with a brother in law of mine. I didn’t even know the guy, we were talking about it and he wanted try it. He drank one and said it was one of the best beers he ever drank, I gave all of it to him and said, enjoy it man.
Thanks for the info.
I did see most of the comments about too much spice were dated prior to NB changing the spice amount so that is why I thought the spice level might be less than I prefer.
I’m planning to order the kit Monday 11/7 and will brew that weekend. I’ve seen some posts about infusing spices with vodka so i think i will try that. At end of primary I will taste it and adjust to my taste if necessary while it ages.
I brewed it after the spice reduction, and if I were going to do it again, I’d go with 1/4 of the new spice amount. Or go with a vodka tincture, and add it a few drops at a time. Even with the reduced spices, this was like snorting a spice-rack; it is still almost undrinkable a year later.
Brewing this right now. Opened up the mulling spices pack to find a lot of cloves in it. I like cloves but I think it was too many. Picked out 2/3rds of them and replaced with some more allspice, cinnamon, and some nutmeg. I can add more cloves later as it ages if necessary. Thanks for the advice.
