When to add cayenne

[okemasis]

Hi folks,
I've got the idea in my head to try a lemon cayenne mead. I've yet to venture into the world of spices in my brewing, so I'm wondering when is best to add the cayenne? Right off the hop when I boil my water/honey? I plan to try a gallon batch just using dried powder cayenne, but if successful I'll do a full batch with cayenne peppers from my garden. Will the powder drop out with my lees?

Any input from past experience is appreciated. Of course it's all personal preference, but is there a general ballpark for how much cayenne to add?

-Iano

 

[WVMJ]

Most folks stopped boiling their honey to help preserve more of the honey flavor. You are not going to get the same flavors from using powder vs fresh peppers. We are planting extra peppers this year for a hot pepper mead also. Since Capsaicin does not dissolve in water your better bet for the powder might be to make an alcoholic extract of it using everyclear and then adding everything including the powder back into the must so that the water soluble flavors also leach out?? WVMJ

 

[biochemedic]

While I agree with WVMJ regarding the boiling of honey (not necessary), and with the understanding that I've yet to make a capsumel, I have made a chipotle porter several times, and you can definitely get heat by either boiling or adding to secondary. My last version, I added 1/2 oz chopped dried whole chipotles (from Penzeys Spices...) to the boil at 10 min, and there is a very nice, definitely present yet not overwhelming spiciness to the finish. Previous version had both this and 1/2 oz added after primary, and those versions with both were much hotter, so you can get the heat both ways... I may try next time just adding post primary, and forgoing the pepper in the boil altogether, just to see how I like it best...