A Holiday Beer - "Christmas Ale"

This is not my recipe but one I found out of a book.

Besides the blend of spices, the secret to this recipe is the use of a Trappist or other Belgian ale yeast. Try to make this one many months before Chrsitmas, then let it age.

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O.G.: 1.045-52
F.G.: 1.008-12
Primary: 4 days
Secondary: ??? Age a few months for best result

1/5# German Dark Crystal Malt
1/8# Chocolate Malt
2 cans light LME
2# wildflower Honey
2oz Cascade pellets (boil)
1/2oz Hallertau Plug (finish)
1 tsp Irish Moss
1 package Beer & Wine Hobby Special Spice Blend (sweet orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice) (from Beer & Wine)
1 package of Burton Water Salts
1 liquid Trappist Ale yeast w/ 1liter starter (WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast)
3/4 Priming Sugar

1.) Put grains into bag and into 2 gallons of water. Bring to boil then remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes.
2.) Return to boil add extracts, honey, and cascade hops. boil for 45 min. last 15 min add Hallertau, Irish Moss, and water salts. remove then strain.
3.) Run to 5 1/4 gallons and place the spices in a bag into fermenter.
4.) Pitch between 65-75.
5.) Rack into 2nd w/out spices
6.) Prime w/ priming sugar and bottle.


According to the yeast it likes the slightly higher temps to ferment, so I wont bother chilling it besides using the basement.... generally the primary reads 76.

I think I am brewing this coming up sat... Sept. 1st and will bottle late Nov to beginning of Dec


I always like a nice warming drink during the cold times but this just isn't that warming. I was thinking of adding 8-16oz of Dextrose to maybe jump the alcohol up a bit. Not sure how that will affect the flavor as well. Any other suggestions?

Also bought "White Labs Servomyces Capsules" and don't think I need one but don't think it would hurt either.

Only thing I can think of is with the use of the Belgian yeast and the spice pack, be careful that it doesn't come out too spicy.

Don't boil the grains, this will extract a lot of tannins and make the beer astringent. Hold them around 150 for 30 minutes.

Let it sit in the primary for at least 2 weeks. No reason to rack it after 4 days.

Oh, and why the Burton Salts?

Good luck, look forward to hearing how it comes out.

Beerrific said:

Only thing I can think of is with the use of the Belgian yeast and the spice pack, be careful that it doesn't come out too spicy.

Don't boil the grains, this will extract a lot of tannins and make the beer astringent. Hold them around 150 for 30 minutes.

Let it sit in the primary for at least 2 weeks. No reason to rack it after 4 days.

Oh, and why the Burton Salts?

Good luck, look forward to hearing how it comes out.

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I think thats why they have it in the primary for the 4 days and not longer.

For the salt not sure.... do you think it would be necessary? I live where the water seems just perfect almost but is also on the softer end of the scale. Should this be a hard water beer?

I don't understand the part about leaving it in the primary for only 4 days. Four days is barely enough time for proper fermentation to take place, plus the yeast need to time to go back and clean up after themselves. Go for like 10-14 days, 7 at the absolute minimum.

I would not use brewing salts unless you have a water analysis done and you know you need it. If you up your salt too much you will taste it and it will make you hops have a harsh bitterness.

Is this book telling you to boil your grains? Might be time to get a new book.

Beerrific said:

I don't understand the part about leaving it in the primary for only 4 days. Four days is barely enough time for proper fermentation to take place, plus the yeast need to time to go back and clean up after themselves. Go for like 10-14 days, 7 at the absolute minimum.

I would not use brewing salts unless you have a water analysis done and you know you need it. If you up your salt too much you will taste it and it will make you hops have a harsh bitterness.

Is this book telling you to boil your grains? Might be time to get a new book.

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Understandable. Do you think leaving the spices in that long will affect it.... or should I take the spices out at 4 days and keep it in the primary. BTW I have only done one secondary so far... the beer was in there for a little over a week.

Bring the water to a boil.... But I will go max 150 for steeping...

Heh... yeah I don't like most of the water in GA... just what comes out of my house. Weird..... And I don't feel like doing a special water test and getting it properly analyzed... my mouth says it all! So no water salt for this beer!

The Brew-Masters Bible (with the beer with lots of head on the cover) - Stephen Snyder... contains a compilation of lots of recipes across the world I think.