Spiced Winter Ale Suggestions

Northern Brewer General
1

I am going to brew the NB spiced winter ale kit this weekend. However, I have been reading a lot of reviews stating that the beer is over spiced. On the other hand, I have not ready many solutions to the problem. I was wondering if there was anyone out there that has brewed this kit more than once and was able to tame the spices? I like a spiced beer, but I do not like a beer that is over spiced. Any suggestions?

Cheers,

Rodney

2

I just received this kit yesterday and will be brewing it soon. I’ve brewed with mulling spices in the past and they can quickly overpower the beer. I plan on adding just half the spice pack at the end of the boil. I’m going to put the other half in a few oz of vodka to create a “tea” so I can adjust the flavor at the end of fermentation (adding just what I want at bottling/kegging time). Alternately, you could omit it on brew day and make a “tea” with all of it and add however much you want at bottling/kegging time based on how much of the flavor you want in the finished product. For me, I’m doing both hoping to get a deeper flavor without overpowering with spice.
:cheers:

3

I did this last year and agree, the beer is overspiced.
If I did it again, which I probably won’t, I’d cut the cinnamon stick in half and use half the vodka the recipe calls for. Maybe use a small amount of nutmeg, too.

4

I brewed this beer a little over a year ago. I find it undrinkable but my wife likes it. You definitely need to reduce the spices. The clove- amongst other spices - is overpowering. I still have a case left and it hasn’t mellowed at all in 14 months. If you like those spices, I’d suggest using 25% or less of what came with the kit.

5

Yeah, not my favorite style of beer by a long shot. Kinda like all those horrid flavored coffees you get at Christmas and you find them buried in the pantry years later.

This has been suggested before but when you serve an overspiced ale try cutting it with an amber ale to taste.

6

Thanks for all of the advice. The kit came with both Spiced winter all grains and mulling spices. Should I cut both in 1/2 or just the mulling spices? Which do you think overpower it. I am not going for a wild overspiced beer. I am shooting for a beer flavor with the hint of christmas morning in the background :smiley: . What do you think, cut both in 1/2 or just the mulling spices? I am worried if I don’t use all of the Spiced Winter All Grains that I will not get the OG I am hoping for, and I don’t have any DME on hand to substitute to raise the OG.

Your thoughts?

Cheers,

Rodney