so I brewed a winter warmer from jaspers and i just added the spice pack as is to vodka for the month it was in secondary and then added to the bottling bucket and let sit for 2 week. I opened a bottle today and it smelled good but first sip was like eating a bottle of nutmeg, will this flavor mellow over time or is this a lost cause. cheers
If it helps the packing list said the spice pack was 1 vanilla bean, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 tsp nutmeg.
That’s a LOT of nutmeg. Not that you’re in danger, but nutmeg in high doses can be toxic.
Most cooking/baking recipes call for 1/4 - 1/2 tsp.
[quote=“mrv”]That’s a LOT of nutmeg. Not that you’re in danger, but nutmeg in high doses can be toxic.
Most cooking/baking recipes call for 1/4 - 1/2 tsp.[/quote]
Not really. It is commonly used in meads in amounts of over a couple ounces.
I had this problem with a rauchbier a few years ago. When I started I could barely drink it, but it did get at least acceptable. I found a couple in the fridge a year later and they were absolutely great. Hopefully the same will happen here. Good luck. :cheers:
Spices fade with time, and winter warmers usually should be aged a bit anyway, so give it a chance.
My spiced winter ale from Fall 2010 was like that, and by Christmas 2011, it was wonderful. That said, my winter warmer this time has 1/2 tsp nutmeg in it.
ok will let it age, the only bad part is now 3/4ths of my bottles are now tied up for a year :cheers:
The spices are easy to overdo. I think it’s a common fault in even most of the commercial spiced beers I tried (before I gave up and stopped trying them altogether). Some of them seemed like brilliantly concieved brews, only to be ruined by the spicing. It has become a bit of a gimmick.
In any case, I agree that aging the beer will help tone don the intensity of the spices. Stronger beers in general are almost always much better after they’ve aged (though admittedly, modern palates seem to be getting accustomed to young beer)
My favorite ‘winter warmers’ are still the more traditional ones anyway (no spices).
Go buy some brews at the liquor store.
That’s the fun part. Drinking beer to get the bottles.
“Honey, I don’t want to drink all these beers. I HAVE to…”
darn i was hoping to say hunny but i have to buy a keg system :twisted: cheers
Tell your friends that they need to buy beer, drink it and GIVE you the bottles as their contribution toward drinking your beer in the future - team effort:) I am sure they would love to help out.
Or, just go to a redemption center or local bar (preferably one that you purchase stuff at on a somewhat regular basis) and ask if they will save you bottles (22 ouncers if they get them) and you will pay them 5 or 10 cents a bottle, plus give them a sixer of homebrew on occasion. There is almost no reason to ever really even need to buy bottles. I have a friend who gives me 12-24 22 ouncers every 3 months or so, along with a case or so of 12 ouncers here and there.
Or . . . .get that kegging system - christmas is coming up!
Oh, the spice will fade. Any time I have used spices the beer has generally sucked for the first year before it got to be pretty good. I have had a couple that were excellent winter ales between 1-2 years.
[quote]Tell your friends that they need to buy beer, drink it and GIVE you the bottles as their contribution toward drinking your beer in the future - team effort:) I am sure they would love to help out.
[/quote]
What you mean that homebrews are not free and delivered by the beer elves. :roll:
I may have to go eat at the local pub alot more. although i do still want to make the switch to kegs soon. I did have a good chuckle though when I started brewing a friend said “I saved you a bunch of bottles can i get a six pack for them” i said sure turns out he saved 2 12 packs of linnies :cheers:
just an update, tried a bottle tonight (as i post this) Starting to mellow out. Still has a little harshness but is improving. Thanks to all for the help and I will let them age some more. Cheers
s2y: Like it !!
Now I’m thinking about ‘Spice beer’
