I need a different kind of Christmas Beer

LowBrewer · 11-19-2011, 03:42 PM

Hi folks,
I just found out that my parents and extended family wish to celebrate Christmas/ New Year at the coast. Lucky me right? Yeah...well...I'm the guy that has to supply the beer. My good ol' dad likes his Corona, everybody else is a BMC fan and I'm having trouble trying to come up with something that will please them all. I don't want to do a traditional spiced winter ale, too dark. A saison woud be pretty good, but I need this to be ready in a month. I guess what I'm really looking for is a light ale (I don't have lager capability), maybe spiced, light body and extremely dry. Any suggestions, advice, comments, recipes are GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Bradly

MrOH · 11-19-2011, 03:56 PM

I made this for my sister's wedding last year:

Hopville . "Sister's Wedding" Blonde Ale Recipe

Turned out very nice. Enough flavor for a beer geek, but light enough for macro drinkers.

LowBrewer · 11-19-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrOH

I made this for my sister's wedding last year:

Hopville . "Sister's Wedding" Blonde Ale Recipe

Turned out very nice. Enough flavor for a beer geek, but light enough for macro drinkers.

Thanks MrOH, I added this to my "favorite" list in Hopville. Looks tasty!

LowBrewer · 11-21-2011, 01:57 AM

I came up with a recipe for "quick" Saison. I want to add apple and cranberry extract to make it more festive. Let me know what you all think.

10 lbs Belgian Pilsner malt
1 lb Belgian candy syrup
10 oz Caravienne
4 oz Caramunich

2 oz Fuggles @ 60
1/2 oz EKG @ 15
1/2 oz EKG @ 5

Wyeast #3724 Saison
14 days in primary
7 days in secondary
Add fruit extract at bottling, 4 oz apple and 1 oz (to taste) cranberry
7 days bottle conditioning

Does anyone have an opinion on this; should I do 7 days primary and 14 bottle or leave it as I have it?

Much thanks in advance, I hope to start this next week.

**lowtones84** · 11-21-2011, 02:01 AM

Not familiar with that strand of yeast, but it's very difficult to force a beer, particularly a saison into that kind of schedule. Maybe if you ferment at 85F+? Mine was still chugging along slowly around 3 weeks in the primary fermenting 75-80F. Good luck whatever you decide to do!

**Yooper** · 11-21-2011, 02:21 AM

Do you really want a spiced beer? Most BMC and Corona drinkers would cringe, and even me as a craft brewer/drinker thinks "ewwww" at spiced beer. Not to mention that spices sometimes take time to mellow out and you've only got about 5 weeks.

If you want a crowd pleaser, a cream ale or other hybrid style would be great.

LowBrewer · 11-21-2011, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowtones84

Not familiar with that strand of yeast, but it's very difficult to force a beer, particularly a saison into that kind of schedule. Maybe if you ferment at 85F+? Mine was still chugging along slowly around 3 weeks in the primary fermenting 75-80F. Good luck whatever you decide to do!

What yeast did you use? I definately do not want to rush it, but need something ready in a month. I may need to abandon the saison idea and go for something else.

LowBrewer · 11-21-2011, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yooper

Do you really want a spiced beer? Most BMC and Corona drinkers would cringe, and even me as a craft brewer/drinker thinks "ewwww" at spiced beer. Not to mention that spices sometimes take time to mellow out and you've only got about 5 weeks.

If you want a crowd pleaser, a cream ale or other hybrid style would be great.

No, changed my mind on that one. I don't want any kind of spice. Wow, I hadn't thought of cream ale... that might actually work. Don't suppose you have a good recipe?

Torchiest · 11-22-2011, 12:11 AM

How about a wheat beer with a Belgian yeast? Slightly exotic, but should be easy drinking.