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adding spices to bottles

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hellbringer

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 11, 2004
56
1
0
i was just woundering if its ok to add spices to bottles just let it sit in there till opened? i seen in liquers they put hot peppers in there. would it be ok to do such things with wines and meads? and how long could i let it sit like that? here's a list of some items i am thinking of possibliltes let me know if any of these are no no's.

cin. sticks
cloves
hot peppers
vin. beans
ect.

also what about these? i figer there will be lots of sediment but other than that are they ok?

apples
oranges
lemons
limes
berrys
ect.


the main reason im wanting to do this is because i have 5 gallons of show mead and i wanted to try some different flavors and additions. i only have one carboy and its really a chore to wait 6 months to test somethin that might not taste all that great. and i cann't afford 5-10 1 gallonboys.
 

JamesP

Senior Member
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Dec 3, 2003
654
1
18
Brisbane Australia
Sure - BUT, some things start imparting harsher flavours with time, so you might want to rack off into another bottle and top-up after a month or three. The good thing about this is the regular tasting ;D.
Also, leaving the stuff in the mead means you are left with sediment and left-over bits in the bottle when you come to drink it. Racking removes this and gets you more usable mead, and a nicer looking end result.

Different flavours are extracted in alcohol than in water, so another method is to make a "tea" from the spices (boiled or soaked in water), which is added (and waters down the %Alc) and can be instead-of or as-well-as the infusion of spices in the mead.

You can also make your own "extracts" by using vodka or some tasteless Alcohol to soak the spices in, then use that as a flavouring adjunct to your mead.

Hey, the sky is the limit -> get out there and experiment ;)
 
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