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Shinglejohn · 01-15-2011, 10:03 PM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Wyeast 1028
Yeast Starter: Basic
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.075
Final Gravity: 1.018
IBU: 40
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 11.6
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14
Tasting Notes: Very close!

**Update - Great Lakes changed the IBU's for this beer from 40 to 30**

10.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US 73.64 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 7.36 % (they use 45L, but i could only find 40L)
1.00 lb Wheat Malt 7.36 %
0.25 lb Special Roast 1.84 %
0.08 lb Roasted Barley 0.59 %

Cascade (60 min) 27 IBU
Hallertauer (10 min) 3 IBU

2 Cinnamon Stick (boil 60.0 min) Misc
1. oz Ginger Root (boil 60.0 min) Misc
1.25 lb Honey (Flame out) Sugar 9.20 %
1 Pkgs London Ale (Wyeast Labs #1028) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Original Gravity: 1.075
Final Gravity: 1.018
Alcohol by Vol: 7.53 %
30.0 IBU
11.6 SRM C

Mash Profile

60 min 154.0 F

All great lakes beers are carbed at 2.5Volumes.

A letter from a brewer at the GL

"Chris,

I’m sorry, I was going through some old emails and it looks like I neglected to answer this one. The recipe looks perfect. Did you brew it yet? I was just wondering how it turned out. Sorry again for not getting back to you. Let me know if I can help you with any other questions.

Cheers!

Luke Purcell

Great Lakes Brewing Company

Brewer/Field Quality Specialist"

Thanks to MMJfan for this killer nugget below!

"I mentioned this before, but I emailed Great Lakes about this recipe and their response was that they put the cinnamon and ginger in for the entire 60 minute boil and then remove them. I peel and cube my ginger and put it along with the cinnamon sticks in a hop sack and just throw it in my kettle for the entire boil fwiw..."

**Beer_Maker** · 01-15-2011, 10:11 PM

I was at the brewery a year or so ago and the head brewer and I talked about this beer specifically. I don't remember him mentioning any ginger in it. I do remember something to the tune of 600 lbs of cinnamon and 400 lbs of honey for an 80 bbl batch.

Shinglejohn · 01-15-2011, 10:41 PM

I use their trub in my compost pile, believe me there is plenty of ginger in there!

MichaelsBrewing · 01-20-2011, 11:38 PM

The original Christmas Ale creator is now at thirsty dog in Akron.... This is why the GL Christmas Ale is always different... they cannot figure it out...

-Anyhoo-

I am glad to see you post this! Thanks for all the hard work; this may be my first all grain.

Cheers

Shinglejohn · 01-20-2011, 11:49 PM

I would disagree somewhat. The original Christmas Ale, as brewed now by Thirsty dog is a completely different beer from the one Great lakes does.

The great lakes one changes year to year as many seasonals do.

I personally think they are both fantastic, though now that the GL one is so popular, all the beer nerds shun it. The thirsty dog beer is much lower in IBU's, higher in alcohol, and way spicier! Its a more outrageous beer but GL's is much more balanced.

mmmmm.... I think ill go to my beer vault and do a side by side comparison....

evilhomer · 01-23-2011, 06:07 PM

The Great Lake profile specifically lists ginger. http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/uploads/Beer/Profile%20Christmas%20Ale.pdf

mainemike68 · 05-23-2011, 11:48 AM

Thanks for the hard work. I am going to try this out soon. I am originally from Ohio and all my buddies rave about this beer but I can not get it where I live. This looks like a winner.

Mike B

**Julohan** · 05-23-2011, 03:28 PM

I never liked christmas ale before the new brewer. I think the current christmas ale is much better. Still not a big fan of it, unlike most people.

Side Note: Anyone think Dortmunder is terrible now? Every time I get it by the bottle it tastes awful.

mainemike68 · 05-24-2011, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julohan

I never liked christmas ale before the new brewer. I think the current christmas ale is much better. Still not a big fan of it, unlike most people.

Side Note: Anyone think Dortmunder is terrible now? Every time I get it by the bottle it tastes awful.

I have never had the Christmas Ale so I am not sure. I had the Dortmunder last summer in the bottle and it was OK, not great. I had it on tap and it was good.

SmallBrewzz · 05-25-2011, 06:57 AM

Christmas Ale is one if my favorites. Maybe I'm partial to it because I grew up there but haven't lived there 12 years. I'm looking for a good clone to get started!