Cinnamon in the mash

[Woolsocks]

Apparently a home brewing trick is to add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the mash to act as an antioxidant in the finished beer, while the flavor of the cinnamon is destroyed during the boil and fermentation and isn't present in the final beer.

Rumor has it beers brewed this way retain hop aroma/flavor longer.

Any truth to this?

[FourBeasts]

I have been hearing a lot about this in interviews on the Brewing Network with Sully from 21st Amendment in San Francisco. Apparently they used cinnamon in the mash for their Monk's Blood. He said it helps to reduce oxidization.

[wiredgourmet]

Are they talking about cinnamon (cinnamomum verum, aka cinnamomum zeylanicum), Saigon cinnamon (c. loureiroi), Indonesian cinnamon (c. burmannii), malabathrum (c. tamala), or cassia (c. aromaticum)? All are marketed as "cinnamon"; only the first one is cinnamon.

I'm sure the antioxidant effect and the flavour persistence will vary according to species. Cassia and Saigon cinnamon are incredibly strong in flavour and I would be pleasantly surprised to learn that boiling can neutralise them adequately. I wouldn't risk using either except in a pilot batch or homebrewing.

See if you can find out the actual spice that has been used successfully -- that is, the one or ones that really do provide a measurable antioxidant effect, and whose flavours really do disappear in the boil. If it works, this could be a cheap, natural way to provide antioxidants.

Here is a study abstract finding that true cinnamon (c. verum / c. zeylanicum) has significant antioxidant effects: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10077878

True cinnamon is delicate in flavour and I suspect it's the one most likely to dissipate. If I were going to experiment, that's the one I would start with.

[Woolsocks]

Hmm... planning to do my second homebrew in 4 years on Tuesday. If I can find some in time, I'll chuck a little in the mash.

[JDrum]

Making a Christmas stout tomorrow... plenty of cinnamon to spare...

I think I'll toss a little in the mash for good luck!

(Scaling a 5 gallon homebrew recipe to 9 bbl for the first time - hoo boy)

[Baerlic]

From what I've heard and read, the idea with Cinnamon in the mash is that it helps with the whole hot side aeration>oxidation later on>more shelf stability in aromas and flavors thing.

As far as the boiling off part, from what I understand cinnamon is not necessarily soluble in water. There are some fat-soluble contents, but any lasting cinnamon is supposed to settle out in the earlier parts of fermentation before enough alcohol can cause a tincture.