12 Beers of Christmas 2012!

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wait, full already? i'd love to do the ginger IPA... are the names the ones that have it already?
 
okay - just noticed, yeah - looks all full (except bock and i have zero experience so i'll pass on that) - if any ale dudes drop off for whatever reason, let me know via PM... nice project.
 
Here's what I have cooking...

Caramel Quad
Brewing Date: Sunday March 11, 2012

Recipe Specifics
----------------
Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Anticipated SRM: 12.8 <---- is *much* darker due to the caramelized DME/Sugar portion and long boil
Anticipated IBU: 30.9
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
66.7 12.00 lbs. Pilsener Belgium 1.037 2
11.1 2.00 lbs. Amber Malt Great Britain 1.032 35
11.1 2.00 lbs. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8
5.6 1.00 lbs. Cane Sugar Generic 1.046 0 <--Caramelized
5.6 1.00 lbs. Generic DME - Light Generic 1.046 8 <--Caramelized

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.50 oz. Styrian Goldings Pellet 5.10 28.2 50 min.
1.00 oz. Saaz Pellet 2.60 2.7 15 min.

Yeast
-----
White Labs WLP500 Trappist Ale

Mash Schedule
-------------
Mash Type: Single Infusion
Saccharification Rest Temp: 148 Time: 60
Mash-out/Sparge Temp: 170 Time: 10

Notes
-----
Based on Caramel Quadrupel recipe (pages 125 and 166) from Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing (one of the '12 Beers of Christmas.')
The 1 lb of light DME and 1 lb of cane sugar are to be caramelized together and added to the boil.
 
Are we going to do 3 per brewer as was last year? Need to set this so that those of us that are already brewing can set aside the correct amount of bottles, before we drink them all :)
 
Another +1 to three 12 oz longnecks. This worked well last year...pretty easy to pack and ship in relatively small boxes, and as was posted earlier in the thread, gave us the ability to try one or two, and still put one away for this year.
 
Here is the actual report for my beer, minus the vodka, bourbon and the pinch of black pepper...(which I will admit I am thinking pink peppercorns for the peppery sweetness instead of all black).

Recipe: B2 Spiced Bourbon Imperial Stout
Brewer: Brendan Hogan
Asst Brewer:
Style: Imperial Stout
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.52 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.98 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.106 SG
Estimated Color: 39.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 27.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 157.3 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type
12.0 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain
12.0 oz Vienna Malt (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain
6.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain
5.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain
5.0 oz Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain
5.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain
12 lbs Dark Liquid Extract (17.5 SRM) Extract
12.0 oz Turbinado (10.0 SRM) Sugar
0.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop
0.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop
0.75 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice
1.50 oz Sterling [7.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35. Yeast
2.50 oz Anise, Star (Secondary 0.0 mins) Spice
0.50 tsp Cinnamon Stick (Secondary 0.0 mins) Spice
0.50 oz Crushed Juniper (Secondary 0.0 mins) Spice
0.50 tsp Vanilla Bean (Secondary 0.0 mins) Spice
0.25 tsp Allspice (Secondary 0.0 mins) Spice
0.25 oz Coriander Seed (Secondary 0.0 mins) Spice
 
Here's what I'm starting with. I'd be happy to hear any thoughts or suggestions.

Belgian Saffron Tripel Style: Belgian Tripel
Type: All Grain Calories: 245
Efficiency: 72 %
IBU's: 43.88 Boil Size: 4.38 Gal
Color: 6.2 SRM Batch Size: 2.50 Gal
Boil Time: 90 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Results
Brew Date: - 06/20/2012
OG: 1.075 FG: 1.018
ABV: 7.47 %
Serve Date: 08/14/2012

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp Estimated Actual
Primary 21 days @ 68.0°F 06/20/2012 06/20/2012
Secondary 20 days @ 70.0°F 07/11/2012 -
Bottle/Keg 14 days @ 70.0°F 07/31/2012 -

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
5.00 lbs 66.67 % Pilsner (2 Row) Bel 60 mins 1.036
1.00 lbs 13.33 % Briess Munich 10L 60 mins 1.035
1.50 lbs 20.00 % Cane (Beet) Sugar 60 mins 1.046

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
20.00 g 38.72 Mt. Hood 60 mins 6.00
10.00 g 19.36 Mt. Hood 15 mins 6.00

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.00 pkg Trappist Ale White Labs 0500

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
0.50 oz Orange Peel 01 mins Boil
0.05 oz Paradise Seeds 01 mins Boil
0.50 oz Irish Moss 15 mins Boil

Mash Profile

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Light Body Infusion In 75 min @ 150.0°F

Add 8.40 qt ( 1.40 qt/lb ) water @ 162.0°F

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Carbonation
Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols
7.2 psi Force Carbonation 36.0°F 2.20

Notes
2 grams saffron threads secondary
 
The first thing I would suggest is for a 2.5 gallon batch, assuming you are able to bottle a full 2.5 gallons, you only yield 26 bottles. At 3 bottles per person even if you don't want any of your own beer, you will need 33 bottles.
 
You make an excellent point, sfrisby!

In fact, now that I think about it a little more, I may brew 10gal of the base wort and then split the batch to ferment with different yeasts. Depending on the outcome, I send 3 bottles each of the best batch OR one bottle of each type. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking Trappist (wlp500), French Saison (Wy3711), and an Abbey version (not sure which).

Do the participants have any preference? Anyone see problems with this?
 
I will be doing something similar. I brew a gingerbread porter every year. With needing a second batch for this, I intend to experiment a little and mix and match to everyone.

Also Pirate, if you have access to BYO, the most recent has a big article on Tripples that may interest you.
 
sfrisby said:
I will be doing something similar. I brew a gingerbread porter every year. With needing a second batch for this, I intend to experiment a little and mix and match to everyone.

Also Pirate, if you have access to BYO, the most recent has a big article on Tripples that may interest you.
Click to expand...

Thanks, sfrisby! I'll check it out.
 
Brewing the spiced bourbon stout base today, have all the spices needed for it. Have to still buy the vodka and bourbon to mix in as well. I am going to go with high quality for both, and add in a bit more bourbon than the recipe states.
 
Draygon said:
Brewing the spiced bourbon stout base today, have all the spices needed for it. Have to still buy the vodka and bourbon to mix in as well. I am going to go with high quality for both, and add in a bit more bourbon than the recipe states.
Click to expand...

I do a couple of beers (vanilla porter, rye pale ale) using bourbon soaked oak chips, and I would say that bourbon is a pretty readily recognized flavor in beer, at least to me. I'd add incrementally to be sure you don't overshoot what you're looking for in flavor.

We're still looking for a last brewer to do the Juniper Rye Bock.....
 
Been thinking about the Honey Ginger IPA.The recipe says to ad 2lbs of honey to the secondary. Adding sugar at that point would just restart fermentation. Why not just add it to the primary?
 
RedBeard1 said:
Been thinking about the Honey Ginger IPA.The recipe says to ad 2lbs of honey to the secondary. Adding sugar at that point would just restart fermentation. Why not just add it to the primary?
Click to expand...

Its for flavor, and you are correct that it will kick up fermentation activity ...but it wont restart it as it will still be going when you add it. Think of the honey like hopes...you sometimes add it incrementally to give a different flavor profile than it would have if all added at once.
 
I might be down for the juniper lager. I have been thinking of brewing a juniper based beer anyway, can you send me the recipe?
 
biochemedic said:
I do a couple of beers (vanilla porter, rye pale ale) using bourbon soaked oak chips, and I would say that bourbon is a pretty readily recognized flavor in beer, at least to me. I'd add incrementally to be sure you don't overshoot what you're looking for in flavor.

We're still looking for a last brewer to do the Juniper Rye Bock.....
Click to expand...

I make an amazing Bourbon Vanilla Porter, so i am used to bourbon (which is also why i wanted to brew this christmas beer).
 
Draygon said:
Its for flavor, and you are correct that it will kick up fermentation activity ...but it wont restart it as it will still be going when you add it. Think of the honey like hopes...you sometimes add it incrementally to give a different flavor profile than it would have if all added at once.
Click to expand...

You're correct, but I do agree with RedBeard1 in a sense too...I think it's best to keep fermentation in primary, and use secondary (if you do it at all) for clearing and bulk aging. When I add honey to a brew, I generally add in later primary -- as it is slowing or almost completely finished. I think this helps preserve some of the honey aromatics compared with putting it in from the start, and also reduces some of the stress on the yeast in the beginning (while still keeping the fermentation in one chamber)....
 
My cousin in law, biochemedic, PM'd me asking to do the juniper rye bock. This sounds like a really fun project! I'll need to check and plan my calender because I will also have 2 Octoberfests lagering at the same time, so I don't know if I will have enough real estate for another lager. For now, I will tentatively volunteer for the juniper rye bock. But if someone else comes along and says they can be 100% committed before I can, then by all means they can take it. If push comes to shove and no one else volunteers, I will make it work....so consider the list completed. Give me a couple of weeks to go over a calender to plan a schedule for 3 lagers.
 
biochemedic said:
Oh, and also the book "Brew Like A Monk" is an awesome resource regarding Belgian brews...
Click to expand...

Hah! GMTA, I guess. Actually, I found the book to be more an homage to Belgian brewing history and relatively lacking in specific brewing info... however, the first things I did after volunteering for this were to listen to The Jamil Shows on Belgian ales and re-read the Chapter on Dubbels, Tripels, etc. in BLAM.

I'm excited about this whole experiment & the exchange. I decided to go with 3711 & wlp500, as indicated, and chose 530 for my third yeast. It should be fascinating to see what difference the yeast alone will make in these beers. I'll be brewing Monday or Tuesday, depending on my schedule. :D
 
Piratwolf said:
Hah! GMTA, I guess. Actually, I found the book to be more an homage to Belgian brewing history and relatively lacking in specific brewing info... however, the first things I did after volunteering for this were to listen to The Jamil Shows on Belgian ales and re-read the Chapter on Dubbels, Tripels, etc. in BLAM.

I'm excited about this whole experiment & the exchange. I decided to go with 3711 & wlp500, as indicated, and chose 530 for my third yeast. It should be fascinating to see what difference the yeast alone will make in these beers. I'll be brewing Monday or Tuesday, depending on my schedule. :D
Click to expand...

I actually have to respectfully disagree with you on Brew Like a Monk. Being a big Belgian Ale guy, I found the book really helpful in understanding what makes those phenomenal beers what they are. They discuss their water chemistry, a little bit about recipe formulation, but the biggest piece is understanding the methodology behind them, which the book goes into in good detail.

For my Crabapple Lambicky Ale, I've decided to go with 1214 as my primary yeast, and then the 5526 brett strain for the lambicky part. I also plan on reusing a yeast cake of the 1214 which I'm fermenting a golden strong ale on right now, which may or may not impart any extra character in the beer. We'll see. Once I'm closer to my brew day on this (probably about 2-3 more weeks) I'll post my full recipe.
 
Clanchief said:
I actually have to respectfully disagree with you on Brew Like a Monk. Being a big Belgian Ale guy, I found the book really helpful in understanding what makes those phenomenal beers what they are. They discuss their water chemistry, a little bit about recipe formulation, but the biggest piece is understanding the methodology behind them, which the book goes into in good detail.
Click to expand...

You know, in looking back at my post, I have to agree with your assessment. It IS full of specific info. What I meant to say is that there's not much specific info there that I hadn't seen in studying recipes and/or the BJCP style guide, and therefore what I found most interesting was the background history/stories in the first half of the book. There are some cool tips scattered throughout as well. It may also be that I'm just getting into brewing Belgian styles and won't appreciate the depth of BLAM until I'm better versed.... It'll be fun to see. I am in love with Saisons right now and my BDS is finally (at 5 months) starting to show a glimmer of real beauty. The Tripel and BGS are my next adventures & I can't wait to see how they turn out :)
 
For me, some of the most useful info in Brew Like a Monk was in the chapter on yeast in the back of the book. Yes, other inputs are part of the flavor of a Belgian beer, but it is the yeast that feels like the most critical.
 
waiting for my kettle to boil now for an english ipa right now. if this recipe turns out to be a good one, it'll be the one i'll brew in early september with honey and ginger to send to you guys!
 
I can do the juniper rye bock, but I see that watersr has expressed interest before I did...so If he doesnt want it I'll take it.
 
dgez said:
I can do the juniper rye bock, but I see that watersr has expressed interest before I did...so If he doesnt want it I'll take it.
Click to expand...

AFAIK, watersr hasn't definitely committed; I PM'd him the recipe a couple days ago, and I sent him a PM again this morning, if he doesn't reply today, it's yours...
 
I PM'd watersr last night and he said he was going to pass...so mark me down for the JRB.

BTW, does anyone know where I can get juniper branches online? There is a bunch of juniper around where I live, but its not wild, so I dont know if its been sprayed.

Who did the JRB last year? I'd like to get some pointers because brewing this type of beer is outside my comfort zone.
 
I brewed the base for the Spiced Bourbon Stout 2 days ago....OG: 1.110 lol, so this is definitely going to be a Spiced Bourbon Imperial Stout!

Should be getting the spices crushed up and "marinating" within the next few days so that they will be good to go in 3 weeks (all flavors infused into the Vodka and Bourbon). This will be well conditioned come Christmas time.

and DGEZ look at Penzeys (google it) for spices, thats where many people get their spices from.
 
dgez said:
BTW, does anyone know where I can get juniper branches online? There is a bunch of juniper around where I live, but its not wild, so I dont know if its been sprayed.
Click to expand...

The recipe calls for the berries...It might be cool if you could find some branches...the book describes the beer as a mix between a bock and a traditional sathi, which was generally sparged through juniper branches.

Anyway, you can get the berries at Penzey's Spices...

I think I remember you telling me you have this book, right? If not, let me know and I'll send you all the details of the recipe.
 
Part of the reason I was interested in this brew is that I am Swedish and I have been researching sahti. The juniper berries are easy to come by, and many home brew stores have them so you can probably order them along with your grains. Juniper boughs however have been very elusive. I have not been able to find a source for them as of yet.
 
biochemedic said:
I think I remember you telling me you have this book, right? If not, let me know and I'll send you all the details of the recipe.
Click to expand...

Yes I have the book.

There is a Penzeys in ATL, so I will be paying a visit to acquire the berries. My LHBS, Brewmasters Wearhouse, also has juniper berries, but I think getting them from Penzeys will be better.

I wanted a few juniper branches to boil in the mash water to extract some woody goodness. Although juniper branches are not mandatory, I think it will add a unique character to the beer. I'll search around. I think a few of my friends have juniper bushes/trees in their yards.
 
I have juniper bushes in my parents backyard. If I were going to visit them anytime soon I could have sent you some branches vacuum packed...but I dont think I will be going down fkr a few weeks.
 

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