Hi all,
My dad has been gracious enough to bring me a huge bottle of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice latte syrup. I’m doing a Pumpkin Ale for Halloween, and have been mulling over the addition of some of the syrup in the primary. I know it’ll lighten the body/increase the alcohol, but will the flavor remain at all? How much would be “just right?” Any yeast strains that you could recommend that would lend a bit of a spicy finish?
I would target my FG with the grain bill and then add this to the fermenter.
Fred
+1
I would add it after fermentation and sweeten to your tastes.
What’s normal for an additive like this? 1/2 cup per gallon?
1/2 cup seems like a lot, but it depends on your tastes. I would get a commercial example of the base style you plan to make and dose it in a glass to give yourself a feel for it. If you plan to ferment the syrup then it won’t be exactly the same, but it will give you some idea at least. Aim low, you can always add more. The spices should last through fermentation just fine.
Normal, ?
adding latte syrup to a beer is not normal, not bad, just not normal.
Add to a class if a similar style beer and increase the amount used to meet your batch size. Always a good idea when you are going where no man has gone before.
Why add it to the primary? If you do that, you’re guessing at the amount. I like to add at bottling or kegging. You can pour 4 2 oz. samples of the uncarbed beer and dose each with a different, measured amount. Taste and choose which you like best, then scale that amount up to the batch size.
I was hedging of using a good amount of a heavy sugar syrup, thus fermenter to ferment it out. if the amounts are smaller, post ferment.
Ahha, that’ll be perfect I think. Plus I get to drink beer to test it! And, if it doesn’t work out, I won’t have screwed up a whole batch. Thanks guys! Will post the recipe if it turns out good.