12 Beers of Christmas 2013 Edition! (Need Brewers!)

We have 12 brewers at this time. If you are interested in being a back up brewer, just let us know by replying to the thread.

I haven't seen a thread go up this year, and I was bummed I didn't get to participate last year, so I'm going to volunteer to organize this years 12 Beers of Christmas .

Here's the concept for any new comers:

• 12 different brewers will brew one of the 12 beers of Christmas found in Randy's Mosher's Radical Brewing.
• Each brewer sends out three 12oz bottles of their beer to the 11 other brewers (33 bottles sent out in total) and receives 3 bottles of each recipe in return - that's 12 different beers for you to try around Christmas time!

We're a little behind this year compared to the previous year's threads, so I'd like to get enough brewers as soon as possible as some of these are big beers that need some time to age. Juniper Rye Bock requires lagering, so we will need a lager-capable brewer to jump in on that one!

If you need the recipe for anything, I can send it to you via PM.

Shipping:

• As mentioned in last year's thread, it will cost you some money to send out 11 packages UPS/Fedex (You aren't suppose to use USPS*), so keep that in mind. You're looking at about $120 in shipping (but you're getting 33 fancy Christmas beers!).
• All brewers will need to be located inside the U.S.
• If you can accept packages at a business address, that will save your fellow brewers some money.
• We will plan to ship out beers after Thanksgiving so that they arrive before the holiday rush.

*But brewers have used flat rate boxes in previous exchanges. Your call!


Choosing What You Want to Brew:

• We'll use the same system as last year: first come first serve.
• Reply to this thread if you're interested and let us know which beer you want to brew.
• As beers are claimed, I will update this post with the brewer's name next to their selection.

Here is the list of Beers. I'm going to throw down for the Spiced Bourbon Stout:

1) Caramel Quadrupel (NuclearRich)
2) Spiced Cherry Dubbel (gavball6)
3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock (bobdozer)
4) Juniper Rye Bock - Requires Lagering - (watersr)
5) Fruitcake Old Ale (jgourd)
6) Saffron Tripel (pheboglobi)
7) Christmas Gruit (stblindtiger)
8) Honey Ginger IPA (FermentedTed)
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale (obscurebrewing)
10) Gingerbread Ale (jjefrey)
11) Spiced Bourbon Stout (DanBrewTan)
12) Abbey Weizen (Stovetop535)

Other Notes:

• You will need to bottle most of your batch to get the 33 bottles that you need to send out.
• You should bottle in late October at the latest. The bigger beers will benefit from getting bottled earlier so that they have time to bottle condition.

I'm very excited, and I hope we can pull together 11 more brewers to participate.

For record keeping, here's the post from 2012:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/12-beers-christmas-2012-a-331431/

And from 2011:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/do-you-want-brew-one-12-beers-christmas-253676/

EDIT: Added lagering and shipping notes (thanks biochemedic)

What about the 13th - Christmas Ale on pg 150?

I'm in for the Saffron Tripel.
I've never done an exchange before, so I'm looking forward to it!

Great, thanks! I've got you added. We could always throw in a 13th beer if another brewer wants in

Super +1 Kudos to danbrewtan for volunteering to organize this year...it's funny b/c I had just been thinking about/talking to SWMBO about this a couple days ago.

Unfortunately, I can't participate due to logistical issues...Life just gets in the way too much in the next few months!

I do have a few additional thoughts/advice. You guys are starting late, so definitely start brewing in the next 1-2 weeks! If you're bottle conditioning one of the bigger beers, you may want to think about getting into the bottle even earlier than late October. Also, your not *supposed to* ship via usps, but I can tell you that at least one of the brewers in each of the past two years shipped in flat rate boxes via usps...just saying. Regarding lagering...if you actually go through the recipes, the only one that was truly done as a lager last year is the Juniper Rye Bock. Shipping? If you do UPS, I spent closer to $120 in shipping both of the last 2 years. Remember, shipping to a business address is cheaper than a residential address, so if you have a business address where you can get packages, it will save your fellow brewers money. Shipping definitely needs to be in the week following Thanksgiving in order for everyone to get their beers in a timely fashion...

Best of luck to all of you...I will be following along, and I will be hoping to participate again in 2014!

I'm in for the juniper bock! Got a suggestion for shipping that might reduce cost. Instead of shipping 11 packages we could send 3 12 packs to a coordinator who would mix the beers and them ship them out. Each brewer would send three boxes and three self adressed shipping labels to the coordinator who would get the benefit of not having to pay any shipping cost in consideration for his work.

As I organized this in my brew club this year, I won't be participating for the first time in 3 years. Good luck and enjoy the brews. Will enjoy following your thread.

watersr said:

I'm in for the juniper bock! Got a suggestion for shipping that might reduce cost. Instead of shipping 11 packages we could send 3 12 packs to a coordinator who would mix the beers and them ship them out. Each brewer would send three boxes and three self adressed shipping labels to the coordinator who would get the benefit of not having to pay any shipping cost in consideration for his work.

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Awesome! I'll add you. Not a bad idea either as long as everyone can print out a shipping label for themselves. We could reuse the box they used to ship the beer, too. The coordinator basically just swaps out beers and send the box back. The only issue I see is time since there will be two shipments. We could just send them a week earlier.

Let's get 12 brewers and see what everyone wants.

watersr said:

I'm in for the juniper bock! Got a suggestion for shipping that might reduce cost. Instead of shipping 11 packages we could send 3 12 packs to a coordinator who would mix the beers and them ship them out. Each brewer would send three boxes and three self adressed shipping labels to the coordinator who would get the benefit of not having to pay any shipping cost in consideration for his work.

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Oh, and... you can lager right?

Yup, sure can.

I have a RIS with a little real vanilla and a half cup chivas in it. Will be 10 months old by christmas. I guess you will have to list the names that are going to participate to avoid any confusion.
Oopps sorry I didnt realize you wanted specific brews please disregard....

I think this is a really cool idea. Anyway I could get the gingerbread ale recipe

I'll take the Honey Ginger IPA!

Thanks foe the heads up! I'm in on the caramel quad

Great! Got both of you added. And amfukuda, PM sent for the Gingerbread Ale recipe.

Put me down for the spiced dunkel weizenbock.

I've been wanting to participate for two years now and I'm always late to the party.

Hey Danbrew,
Can I switch up to take the Spiced Cherry Dubbel? It seems a little more adventurous and it probably will be easier to get another brewer to take the IPA!

Yep, no problem. I've got you switched. And added you bobdozer.

Excellent. Thanks. Looking forward to this!

We're halfway there. Need 6 more brewers!

danbrewtan said:

We're halfway there. Need 6 more brewers!

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Yeah... Come on brewers! It'll make you feeeeeeel gooooooood!

Sounds like fun. I would take the abbey weizen

Stovetop535 said:

Sounds like fun. I would take the abbey weizen

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Woohoo... Way to go stovetop. 5 more to go!

Can you pm me the recipe?

this was really fun last year! how great is it to get packages of homebrew delivered to your doorstep? i still have one of each aging for this christmas. while i can't participate this year, i hope you all have a blast! last year, the juniper rye bock was my favorite. enjoy fellas!

Awesome, I've got you added Stovetop535. PM sent with recipe.

I'm assuming that by saying you "would" take it, you're in

This is very cool. I'm in for the Honey Ginger IPA. Please PM me the recipe if you can... my copy of the book is currently in storage.

I'll do the Gingerbread Ale.

Please pm recipe

jjefrey said:

I'll do the Gingerbread Ale.

Please pm recipe

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There is no formal gingerbread recipe in the book. In the past I did my own yearly gingerbread Porter and sent that out.

Got both of you added and PMs sent with recipes.

OK so what the hell. Let me do the Fruitcake Old Ale, even if it will have less aging than it probably needs. Oh, and I'll need the recipe.

I could use a recipe too. Juniper Bock.

Had some extra time this afternoon, so I brewed the Saffron Tripel today. Should be around 9% - hope there's enough time to be ready for the holidays.

Awesome! added you jgourd. PMs going out with recipes too

Sounds cool! Could I do the Christmas Gruit?


I'd need a recipe too...

Thanks!

I do have the recipe!!! Didn't realize I had the book already!

I'm pumped that this is coming together. Rock on guys! When I missed out last year, I brewed myself a combo of two in one: caramel gingerbread quad. This year I still want to spice it, but maybe a different set of spices. Apple pie? Pumpkin? Suggestions? Its just a light flavor I go for, its still was and will be a belgian quad first.

Very interesting idea, a pumpkin quad. For me, a nice orange color is important in my pumpkin ale, so going for simplicity vs d-180 that I normally do in my quad would be a must. But that's just my preference. Good luck!

NuclearRich said:

I'm pumped that this is coming together. Rock on guys! When I missed out last year, I brewed myself a combo of two in one: caramel gingerbread quad. This year I still want to spice it, but maybe a different set of spices. Apple pie? Pumpkin? Suggestions? Its just a light flavor I go for, its still was and will be a belgian quad first.

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I'm psyched too! The caramel/apple combination sounds better to me, but nothing says Thanksgiving/Christmas more to me than pumpkin pie... I guess I would vote for apple if I would held over a burning Yule log.

stblindtiger said:

Sounds cool! Could I do the Christmas Gruit?

I'd need a recipe too...

Thanks!

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Only 1 more spot to go! Ms. Crabapple's Lambicky Ale is the only one left!