What to do with cider

[jaygtr]

So I’m getting cider going in a couple weeks. Getting 6 gallons from my LHBS, and planning on splitting it up for secondary to do something interesting.
I did a batch last year, I ran 5 gallons straight, and have 1 gallon in with sour bug blend for the past year. Its getting there, but not quite what I want.

What I’m planning on this year is to dissolve a pound or so of dark brown sugar in there before pitching the yeast.
I do have the yeast - English Cider Blend so I’m not worrying about that.
What I’m planning is to split it in half after primary, I am getting some oak chips into bourbon for half of it. I’m still thinking about what to do interesting with the other half. I had an idea with vanilla beans and or cinnamon sticks, but I’m not sure. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[rebuiltcellars]

I did cinnamon and oak chips last year, and was not too pleased with the results. The oak didn’t come through strong enough to taste, and the cinnamon didn’t match well at all and it was too strong. I only used 3 2" sticks in a 5 gallon batch for a few days, and it was still too much.

[jaygtr]

Fair enough…
I’m planning on the oak with 1, 3 gallon carboy. I’m wondering about the second.

[lytnin]

I keep my cider almost ice cold then put half in a pan with mulling spices and some demerrara sugar and warm to a little above room temp. Steep about half the cider with the spices then pour the other half over the spices and into the fermenter through a strainer. Came out with some very pleasant cider. Fermented with US-05.

Mulling spices I used were a commercial blend I found of cinnamon, ginger, anise, cloves and cardamom (possibly something else).