I tasted my Grinchmas beer (gingerbread porter) today and my "err on the side of caution" use of molasses left the flavour a bit on the light side. just wondering if i can add any to primary. it's a week after i pitched the yeast. my gut says no.
sure, you can add fermentables at any time. if the yeast are available, they will get around to fermentation. 1 week out is not a big problem, though your yeast are probably dormant or on their way. my advice is to mix the molasses with some water to thin it, then pitch. my guess is that molasses will take a while to fully attenuate, especially with sluggish yeast. never brewed with molasses. but it is a very distinct flavor, too much and I think your brew might end up tasting like burnt rubber. sometimes these assertive flavors come to dominate after the beer isn't so green. Cheers.
yeah, hence my hesitancy. i also went light on the cinammon and nutmeg. i've decided to add some vanilla (2 pods), some more cinnamon and some nutmeg to an ounce of rum. after 2-3 days, i'll add that to my beer so that it brings out more "holiday flavour"
Yea if your yeast have kick in and done there job, i.e. safe enough to toss in something that could be contaminated. You did mention if you plan a secondary. I would even worry about thinning, the yeast will handle it. I would add the cinnamon and nutmeg in secondary. Then the rum at bottling maybe.
