A New Year's Eve Beer?

Perhaps I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but I'm trying to decide on what a good New Year's Eve beer would be. A large group of my friends are getting together as we always do on New Years and I thought I'd "sponsor" the gathering with a batch of beer brewed just for the occassion.

Anyways, I'm trying to decide on a good brew for a large group of people with a variety of tastes. More importantly, I want a beer that will usher in the new year. Not too heavy and wintery, but still with some character. Right now I'm thinking either a Pale Ale of some kind, or maybe an Oktoberfest. Call it Decemberfest or something. Anyways, any ideas would be appreciated. I really want to have a good time with this.
-Ben

I was thinking of making a beer for similar reasons, I still haven't decided, but I think I might try a dunkelweissen. I never have made one but it sounds like a good beer and one that I think a lot of people might enjoy, basically a wheat beer jazzed up with some crystal and maybe some munich or vienna.

I know what I'm having!

Nice....I'll have to keep my eyes open for something like that when I go to the liquor store tomorrow.

Mark Victor at Golden Valley brews a higher gravity version of his IPA, then ages it in used wine barrels before bottling it methode champaign with the neck freezing, etc. Bridal Ale was originally done by Pelican for the wedding of two employees (don't try dating at work in California). It's maltier and isn't as highly hopped as Mark's Brut. I don't know how many breweries do this style, but I suspect in five years any beer lover will be able to to toast in the New Year properly.

david_42 said:

Mark Victor at Golden Valley brews a higher gravity version of his IPA, then ages it in used wine barrels before bottling it methode champaign with the neck freezing, etc. Bridal Ale was originally done by Pelican for the wedding of two employees (don't try dating at work in California). It's maltier and isn't as highly hopped as Mark's Brut. I don't know how many breweries do this style, but I suspect in five years any beer lover will be able to to toast in the New Year properly.

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David, the DeuS Brut des Flandres is f'n amazing. I wish I was masterful enough to try the riddling process, etc.

uwmgdman said:

I was thinking of making a beer for similar reasons, I still haven't decided, but I think I might try a dunkelweissen. I never have made one but it sounds like a good beer and one that I think a lot of people might enjoy, basically a wheat beer jazzed up with some crystal and maybe some munich or vienna.

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My Wheat Doppelbock (basically a hybrid dunkelweizen / doppelbock) is bottle conditioning right now. I can't wait. Tasted it at bottling...wow. The alcohol is massive! It even has this faint licorice/anise aroma, even though I used no adjuncts. I just bottled it on Sunday, though, so I've got to give it awhile, let the alcohol calm down. I'll post my recipe if you want. I was trying to make an Schneider Aventinus clone...don't think I hit that, though...probably didn't use enough wheat malt, but we'll see. I went by the traditional ratios for Bavarian wheat beers, even went on the high side.

Anyway, I highly recommend brewing a wheat doppelbock. If you're going to go the dunkelweizen route, might as well go all the way

I also brewed a honey-ginger winter warmer lagerale that will be rocking my holidays with its 9.34% ABV

Hey Evan, I'd like to see that wheat doppelbock recipe. Thanx - Ev

Check out the May/June 2006 issue of Zymurgy; there is an article on brewing champagne beers. Looked like a good idea for New Years.

Evets said:

Hey Evan, I'd like to see that wheat doppelbock recipe. Thanx - Ev

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ditto ............(dots to fill needed character minimum)