Christmas beverage...just thinking ahead

I would like to brew something now for the Christmas season. I'm sorta new to the brewing thing. Most of my brews have been from a kit. So far they have all turned out very good...so I would like to spread my beer wings and fly to the next brewing challenge. I would like to create my own recipe insted of using the kits. I am looking for a good 5 gallon holiday recipe that needs 6 month aging. Perhaps a barley wine or framboise? I'm up for anything though. Thanks for the suggestions.....


Drinking - American Pilsner, Red Ale
Primary - Soon to be Raspberry Cream Ale, Stout
Secondary - Cerveza Style Ale
Upcoming - Good Christmas Brew

Last year I did an amber honey ale with my usual hard cider spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Used 4 1/2 lb light DME, 3 lb amber DME, and 3 lb honey, with about 1 lb light crystal, 1/4 lb victory,and 1/4 lb carapils. I think I used Safale s 04 dry yeast, but cant remember offhand. Northern Brewer and Fuggles hops. Came out about 8.5 abv, up there around barleywine strength. Probably would have been better after 6 months, but somehow it disappeared too soon. Some of my friends didnt care for it ,but I really liked it

Or get the recipe for Anchor's Christmas Ale out of Beer Captured and practice doing other people's recipes before you start making your own. It's a good recipe and if you buy the book and make a few beers out of it you can figure out what ingredients do what.

i also have done an extract brew for christmas. Im from cleveland, ohio and the Great Lakes Brewing Company's Christmas ale is real big around the area. I tried to base this recipe off of that, but it was my second batch ever, so take it for what its worth, i didnt realy know what i was doing at the time...

4.7 lbs dark malt extract, 3.3 lbs wheat malt extract, 1 lb Pale Malt extract, 1 lbs clove honey

1 lbs Crystal 15L and 0.25 lbs German Caramunich both steeped.

1 oz amarillo for 60 mins , and 1 oz willamette for 10 along with 3 tsp cinnamon and 1 oz freshly grated ginger

WL820 Oktoberfest/Marzen larger yeat, but fermented at ale temp (about 69).

I though it was a decent representation of the original beer, would like to do it again this year...would just have to convert it to all grain

Do a spicy ale. Brew up an nice darkish ale with some orange peel, ginger, cinnamon, etc. I brewed one last christmas break, and I am aging it until next christmas. Then, I am going to brew it again next christmas break for the following chistmas . . . . a tradition of sorts.

Also, you could do a Samichlaus clone . . . um . . . that is if your mash tun is big enough .

Sounds like a good simple solution. What percentage does your yearly holiday brew turn out to be. I'm looking for something with a little kick.

buckeyebrewer said:

Sounds like a good simple solution. What percentage does your yearly holiday brew turn out to be. I'm looking for something with a little kick.

Click to expand...

ABV was around 7% - I may make the 2007 batch stronger.

Here is the recipe (note that it is only a 2.5 gallon batch):

Christmas Celebration Ale 2006 – 2.5 Gallons

4.75 lbs. Pale 2-Row
1 lb Crystal 80
.25 lbs Cara-Pils
.5 lbs. Turbinado Sugar

.5 oz. Cascade (60)
.5 oz. Cascade (30)

Spices added at end of boil:
3/8 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoons Ginger
1/8 teaspoons Nutmeg
.25 oz. Sweet Orange Peel

Yeast: Nottingham Strain
SG – 1.063
FG - 1.010

And a picture:

I'm formulating a Grand Cru. What I'm thinking of doing will be more-or-less like a Belgian Tripel but with flavored with coriander and orange peel.