Christmas Ale Recipe Critique

Looking for your help and suggestion with this years Christmas Ale.

Here is what I have so far.

St. Nick's Winter Warmer Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 13.50
Anticipated OG: 1.066 Plato: 16.06
Anticipated SRM: 11.1
Anticipated IBU: 49.2
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
88.9 12.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
7.4 1.00 lbs. Crystal 80L 1.033 80
3.7 0.50 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.75 oz. Chinook Pellet 13.00 44.5 90 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade Whole 5.75 2.9 15 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade Whole 5.75 1.8 1 min.
0.25 oz. Cascade Pellet 5.75 0.0 Dry Hop
0.25 oz. Centennial Pellet 10.03 0.0 Dry Hop

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon 1 min
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger 1 min
1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg 1 min
1/8 tsp Ground Allspice 1 min


Mash Temp
-----
152 degrees


Yeast
-----

WYeast 1056 American Ale/Chico

Or

WYeast 1028 London Ale


Thanks for your input

CHEERS

Bump

I made something a little similar...preferred mine to be a little maltier, so subbed out the 2-row with Maris Otter, and threw in a little Munich.

Winter beers I buy seem to have a certain spice to them I cant put my finger on. What is it? Also my local home brew shop gave me hops to put in my brown nut ale after like two weeks. I only have a primary so should I just add them directly to the primary in two weeks?

benharper13 said:

Winter beers I buy seem to have a certain spice to them I cant put my finger on. What is it? Also my local home brew shop gave me hops to put in my brown nut ale after like two weeks. I only have a primary so should I just add them directly to the primary in two weeks?

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From what I have read the four spice combo that I am planning on using seem to be pretty common in winter brews.

As for adding hops to the primary, I would say without any other option go for it. I would just make sure you are done bubbling or will use most of that awesome aroma you are looking for.

Good luck

When should you add the spices in to the recipe?

last 5-10 mins of the boil.

Naked_Eskimo said:

last 5-10 mins of the boil.

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Agreed!

This is on the line up for this week. I'm planning to brew this Thursday and Than next week I will be brewing Biermuncher's Centennial Blond which I will be pitching on top the happy Wyeast 1056 yeast from my holiday batch.

SAMPLER said:

Agreed!

This is on the line up for this week. I'm planning to brew this Thursday and Than next week I will be brewing Biermuncher's Centennial Blond which I will be pitching on top the happy Wyeast 1056 yeast from my holiday batch.

Click to expand...

i think you may get some unwanted or carry over flavors from the holiday beer if you are pitching onto the cake going to such a light beer.

defenestrate said:

i think you may get some unwanted or carry over flavors from the holiday beer if you are pitching onto the cake going to such a light beer.

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Good point!

Maybe I'll do a quick yeast wash then reuse them following day after I hit it with a quick starter overnight.

I'm brewing this tomorrow.

SAMPLER said:

Good point!

Maybe I'll do a quick yeast wash then reuse them following day after I hit it with a quick starter overnight.

I'm brewing this tomorrow.

Click to expand...

that would probably work better... good luck!

Do you think the late hop additions and dry hops will fight with the spice flavor, or blend well?

strat_thru_marshall said:

Do you think the late hop additions and dry hops will fight with the spice flavor, or blend well?

Click to expand...

I'm only looking for a subtle spice flavor so I think it will work out okay
Only way to know.

We are boiling

I'm planning on only adding cinnamon and nutmeg to the boil. I will add allspice to the secondary to have a better control over the spiciness of the final product.