Ahh i remember crabbing for the ol blues! Sorry I am vague about how we spiced them but Iwe used a large kettle and more water than june said about 1/2 pot then in goes ol cabby kicking and scraming, must have pan lid handy to help escort the little devils ... Oh and don't forget to put somthing on the cooler lid after you get one out! they escape!!
Anyway we spiced the water and cooked till they were not longer blue
We used a spice fromn the local store --kinda like a pickling spice in a bag ... I never did with beer , but that sounds good too ...
when mom and I were broke (most of the time) we would buy (or get free if butcher was sypathetic) chicken necks and go a crabbing for supper, not a long year in my life but a memorible one ... we always ate.
This was in Fla, I think June that that is the only place for blue crabs -- somwhat smaller than your up north