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ApothecaryBrewing · 11-15-2012, 12:13 PM

I brewed the extract w/ specialty grains version of this bad boy with my brother for his birthday. It is currently sitting in secondary with the vanilla and cinnamon and will be bottled the first weekend of December.

I am interested to see how it turns out since he screwed the pooch and racked it to secondary after only 9 days in primary. The gravity is still a little high, 1.022 I believe.

I have done about 8 batches of extract so far but this was the first that dealt with fruits and dry spicing. When I get a chance to try it, I will post a review. Probably won't be drinkable until mid to late December though.

nwroadie · 11-17-2012, 02:40 AM

Also, when exactly did you add the vanilla, at primary or with the cinnamon during secondary?

I would think that adding it during primary might be like adding hops during primary and that it could/would drive off some of the vanilla flavors.....but the bean pod and its contents are a solid???

**trub quaffer** · 11-18-2012, 02:19 AM

I added the vanilla bean to the secondary for 3 weeks. The vanilla flavor never went away. It was way too overpowering for me, kind of like drinking an alcoholic cream soda. Maybe the cherries would have helped.

ApothecaryBrewing · 11-19-2012, 12:44 PM

My brother and I are bottling our extract version of this bad boy in roughly 2 weeks. I will write back on how things taste at that point. We did the cherries and it aided in turning the beer a nice dark burgundy brown.

The spices (1 vanilla bean and 3 cinnamon sticks) were added when it was moved to secondary back on Oct. 29th so I am expecting a rather overpowering spice profile. We have been letting it condition a bit longer because it was moved to secondary a little prematurely.

More to come in 2 weeks!

nwroadie · 11-20-2012, 12:08 PM

I brewed this up on Saturday and it's currently burble-ing away in primary, I added the cherries and have a vanilla bean soaking in vodka for when I transfer to secondary.

I'm pretty interested in how this one comes out, especially since I brewed it specifically for a keg swap in Jan. (at least if it tastes terrible, I'll be giving it away

Heckle · 11-22-2012, 07:50 PM

Is this in the November or December issue? I could not find it in either after a quick scan through them. What page is it on?

Just noticed this was from the 2010 issue. Could someone post the extract recipe?

ApothecaryBrewing · 11-23-2012, 11:26 AM

I don't know if this is common knowledge but a large portion of the recipes published in byo can be found on byo.com under their recipes tab.

Here is the Bad Santa recipe. All grain is listed first, followed by extract.

http://byo.com/stories/recipeindex/article/recipes/112-specialty-a-experimental-beer/2357-bad-santa

nwroadie · 11-25-2012, 02:29 AM

I just took a sample this afternoon, and while it still has another week before adding the vanilla in secondary, I'm really impressed with the flavor, nicely balanced malt bill with a subtle, earthy cherry flavor that comes in at the end without being too sweet.

Very excited for the finished product on this one.

nwroadie · 12-01-2012, 01:07 PM

Took another sample last night as I was transferring to secondary and added the vanilla and cinnamon.

The cherry flavor was slightly more pronounced, but the vanilla and cinnamon should mellow that.

ApothecaryBrewing · 12-02-2012, 02:11 AM

Just primed and bottled this bad boy today. Delicious tangy cherry flavor followed up with the smooth vanilla cinnamon. Honestly one of the best darker winter brews I have tasted. Cant wait to try this stuff carbed up and conditioned... 3 weeks should do it!