Thinking of a cranberry maibock

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looneybomber

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So I've been drinking the cranberry maibock from Mr.Beer and will be done with it soon. My wife and I love it.

Here's the info from Mr.Beer
MAKES APPROX. 2 GALLONS OF BEER IN ABOUT 3 WEEKS.
OG: 1.097 (approx.) -- FG: 1.024 (approx.)
Suggested lager time is 4 to 6 weeks.

Flavor: Malty
ABV (alc/vol): 9.5%
SRM (Color): 5
IBU (Bitterness): 18

A light, tangy ale that features crisp malt and tart fruit. It begins with a surprising tartness and ends with warmth. Reminiscent of a mulled wine, only better: it's beer!

RECIPE:
1 Can Whispering Wheat Weizenbier HME
1 Can Pale Export UME
2 Packets Dry Brewing Yeast
1 Packet No-Rinse Cleanser

YOU PR0VIDE:
1 Cup Honey
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cans Whole Cranberry Sauce (pureed)
2 Whole Allspice Berries
1 Jar Orange Marmalade (10 oz.)

So, to try and duplicate it, I was thinking of the following.
-3.15lb Pilsen LME (Northern brewer)
-3.15lb Wheat LME (Northern brewer)
-2.5 cups honey (5 minutes)
-3 cinnamon sticks (5 mins)
-5 cans whole cranberry sauce (flame out)
-5 allspice berries (5 min)
-2 Jars orange marmalade (10oz) (flame out)
-zest from 2 oranges. (5 min)
-Wyeast 2206 Bavarian lager.
-No idea on hops.

Mr.Beer uses about 0.5kg of LME per gallon, and mine uses about 0.55kg, so that's close enough.
18 IBU means not much for hops, maybe only a 30min boil with hop additions at 30min and 15min?
Should I go for a dry lager yeast instead of 2206? Should I go with an ale yeast?
 
If it were me, I'd be careful with the spices and especially go easy on stuff like allspice and cinnamon, which can be quite strong, but that's just me. I suppose you could add spice later if you needed it but you can't take it out! Looks like a very interesting recipe. Let us know how it goes.
 
I'd go with an ale yeast, you're adding so much stuff to this I don't see the point of a lager fermentation.
 
After doing some math (looking at labels and figuring out how much sugar there is per serving and finding the density of honey), i've come up with this in Brewer's Friend.

Batch 5.25gal
Boil 3.5gal
OG 1.072
IBU 19
SRM 3.76

3.15lb Pilsen LME
3.15lb Wheat LME
1.775lb Honey
1.86lb Cane sugar (that's how much sugar I added up from the cranberry and marmalade)
.5lb carapils (do I need it with the wheat malt? Right now the cran maibock I have bottled produces NO head)

1oz Cascade at 30min
1oz cascade at 15min
(Could just do 1oz at 60min for less flavor, but similar IBU's?)

Safale S-33

If it were me, I'd be careful with the spices and especially go easy on stuff like allspice and cinnamon, which can be quite strong, but that's just me. I suppose you could add spice later if you needed it but you can't take it out! Looks like a very interesting recipe. Let us know how it goes.

Well I'm trying to follow the Mr.Beer recipe as close as I can, because what I have now is delicious!

It's going to be a while before I can try this brew, so I have plenty of time to tweak it if folks have input. I'm waiting for my 8gal primary to arrive, then I will have an RIS in there for 3wks, porter for 3wks, and octoberfest for 2. So it looks like I'll be brewing this in about 10wks...I need another fermenter.
 
I'm going to resurrect this one
looneybomber did you ever make this?
Just curious on how it turned out.

I was thinking of trying it but was wondering how much cranberry flavor you get out of the cans of cranberry sauce.
I was thinking about cutting down the cans, (also how big of a can do you use), and adding a lb or two of fresh cranberries, (frozen then mashed up), to the secondary.
this will also cut down on some of the sugar, so maybe a bit less ABV? but it shouldn't be that much. Maybe 2 cans and 2lb of fresh/frozen
what do you think.
 
No, I didn't try tackling this, but instead brewed other recipes...and then school started. I think if I were to do this, I would add the cranberries (15oz cans), marmalade, and honey a couple days after pitching yeast.

I have another quad I want to brew, but I should look at rebrewing this one while on winter break.

I also have a pound of saaz pellets. I wonder how those might work in this beer?
 
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