I was thinking of using a micro-plane and grating them into the kettle...any thoughts for / against this method? I know it'll turn the ginger into more of a liquid-pulp, for sure....that should be a good thing, though, right?
Winter Seasonal Beer Great Lakes Christmas Ale Clone
- Thread starter Shinglejohn
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Breck09
Well-Known Member
What is the time frame of this beer from grain to glass. Want to brew a Christmas ale this year but thinking I might be a little behind.
Are you recommending over 3 months in total? (All of Sept + Oct + Nov + into December)?
I'm still fairly new to brewing, but, I've been using the following schedule (and planned to do so for the my Christmas Ale which is very similar...
Oct 27 - Brew Day + Into Primary
Nov 10 - Rack to Secondary
Nov 24 - Bottle
They should be "technically" ready around Dec 8 (after 2 weeks in bottle), right, BUT Dec 15th / Dec 22nd would probably make them perfect after they bottle condition for about a full month?
Thoughts?
cyberbackpacker
Well-Known Member
I agree with Moncong... This is a spiced, a higher alcohol beer, and IMO extra conditioning time serves this beer well. A few years back I pulled some out on July 4 and it was A-mazing!
pietro1022
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mcmillb1 said:
Skip the secondary. No need on any beer unless u are adding fruit or souring. Long primary, cold crash in there if u want to condition prior to bottling. Or bottle earlier.
I've seen that this is an age old question - to secondary or not to secondary.
I've done four batches on my own, and racked each one to a secondary carboy - only one have I added extra goodies (bourbon + oak chips), though...
Racking to a carboy for secondary was how I was taught on from a friend on three previous extract brews, so, it's what I've been comfortable with and used since.
I have noticed it helps the clarity immensely...are there any other "pro" thoughts about using secondary?
SO, instead of doing two weeks in primary (I use a fermentation bucket, not a carboy) followed by two weeks in secondary carboy, I could just do four weeks in the bucket and be fine, that's what you're recommending?
I need to try a batch this way and see if I notice any results...maybe I can skip a step, possibly?
I thought I read that it was advantageous to get the primary beer off the trub, though?
Thoughts?
scottatdrake
Well-Known Member
It's really 0.08 lb. Roased barley is extremely dark with an SRM value of around 300. Half a pound of it would be way too much.
I just checked back on my notes: brewed Sep 3, bottled Oct 17. I left it in primary the whole time.
I have never had clarity issues because I use the best brewer's ingredient of all; time. I'm in no rush to get the beer to glass because I've always got something "ready" in the pipeline.
If your carboy is large enough, I'd primary directly in there. I've read elsewhere there are issues with long term aging in buckets, since they are not O2 impermeable.
I say quit worrying about making it perfect and get it done asap. Once you taste it use your judgement to make changes for next year. Good luck.
I brewed 10g of this Sept 1st and I came in at 1.071. Mashed @ 156. I pitched 1.5 pkgs of s04 into each bucket and figured I would bottle tomorrow (9/21). Fermentation took off and then after the first 4-5 days the airlocks settled down and haven't moved since. I forgot to check the gravity yesterday (I normally check on Wednesday then verify it hasn't moved by Friday), but I checked today and it is at 1.018. At 73% attenuation I am guessing it is done, but I haven't used s04 before. Do you think I am safe to bottle tomorrow, or should I wait and verify the gravity again in a few days?
dr0ker said:
You should be more than ok. My normal procedure is to bottle 3 weeks after brew day and haven't had any problems. I usually give 2 weeks for fermentation and then 1 week for dry hopping or just settling and then into the bottles it goes.
Make sure you calculate your priming sugar and just don't dump the whole bag in though.
OP
OP
Shinglejohn
Well-Known Member
You should be good, thats about where you want your FG. BUt there is only one way to know for sure. Check your gravity again a couple days later. If it has not changed, your good.
Well brewed this bad boy a week ago and just took the first hydro sample. OG was 1.071 and current SG is 1.017, so right where I was hoping it to be. I followed the recipe exactly, just making adjustments to ensure the target numbers would be the same. The sample tastes pretty dang good so far. I was going to ask you Shinglejohn, does the ginger taste fade a little bit with time? Also, do you add any extra cinnamon ever? I've only had this beer once last winter, and I thought I remember seeing a bunch of cinnamon particles in suspension in the nice clear beer. I know it is really early to judge, just wondering if you've ever added extra and which method you took to do that.
Thanks for the recipe! I'll make sure to post a pic of a pint once it has really hit its stride. I plan to leave in primary for 2 more weeks and then keg and not touch it for atleast a month (we'll see how long I can keep that up!)
Thanks for the recipe! I'll make sure to post a pic of a pint once it has really hit its stride. I plan to leave in primary for 2 more weeks and then keg and not touch it for atleast a month (we'll see how long I can keep that up!)
OP
OP
Shinglejohn
Well-Known Member
I don't usually add any extra spices after boil but if you want more cinn., go for it!
the ginger fades slightly but not much, though as the beer cleans up the flavors meld. tbis beer benefits from a few weeks. at cold temps. it doesn't really age well so there is a balance there. let us know how it turns out!
the ginger fades slightly but not much, though as the beer cleans up the flavors meld. tbis beer benefits from a few weeks. at cold temps. it doesn't really age well so there is a balance there. let us know how it turns out!
MMJfan
Well-Known Member
I brewed an extract version of this recipe and I had emailed GL to see if I was on the right track. In my recipe I noted that I was adding 1.25 oz of ginger and 3 cinnamon sticks at 5 minutes left in the boil and my response from Mark Hunger was that they use equal amounts of ginger and cinnamon and they add it at 60 and keep it in for the entire boil.
I have my batch that has conditioned in the bottles and the taste was very good, and my only issue was that I think I went a little too heavy with the honey (I used 1.5 lbs). Just brewed up my second batch over the weekend and cut back on the honey by half a pound so we shall see how that turns out.
I just got into BIAB so my next batch will be doing AG using BIAB!
Edit: Forgot to mention that Mark also commented on the hop schedule they use. He said they have 3 total hop additions with the first two being Hallertau and the last one being Cascade.
MMJfan said:
Thanks for that info! I was curious about that because don't you typically see the cinnamon spices floating throughout your glass? I've only had this brew once last year when I picked up a 6-pack on a whim, but thought I remembered that. It was so good I had to try making a clone myself!
MMJfan
Well-Known Member
I don't recall having any spices floating in my GL Christmas Ales I've ever had (and I've had TONS 
)
I use whole cinnamon sticks and skinned/cubed pieces of ginger for my brew and I also put them in a muslin sack to contain them so they are easy to remove at the end of the boil...
) I use whole cinnamon sticks and skinned/cubed pieces of ginger for my brew and I also put them in a muslin sack to contain them so they are easy to remove at the end of the boil...
Ok thanks, perhaps I had a few too many and dreamt of floating cinnamon spices! I'll post a picture of my clone in a few weeks, so far it has tasted great!
Hi all. Made this a year ago and it was a huge hit. The only differences in my recipe was that I used London Ale III (it was all they had, but i liked it so I am going to use it again). And the honey. I added it at 10 minutes and I don't think I could taste it at all. Though, I do know that it thinned the beer out a little and added alcohol (I could taste that).
I should add that I make 12 gallon batches into the fermenter. Would a flameout addition of honey make a big difference to the honey profile, or would subbing in 6-8 ounces honey malt in the mash in place of the real honey in the boil have the effect I am looking for?
I am also upping the cinnamon sticks, I couldn't taste them in my beer. Perhaps the volume of wort had something to do with that.
Thanks in advance!
I should add that I make 12 gallon batches into the fermenter. Would a flameout addition of honey make a big difference to the honey profile, or would subbing in 6-8 ounces honey malt in the mash in place of the real honey in the boil have the effect I am looking for?
I am also upping the cinnamon sticks, I couldn't taste them in my beer. Perhaps the volume of wort had something to do with that.
Thanks in advance!
BrunstuckyJoe
Well-Known Member
What are the weights of the hop additions?
That's going to be different depending on the AA % of your hops. Try utilizing some of the free recipe software out there to figure out how much you'll need to get the same IBU's at each time addition.
mainemike68
Member
1056 will work, however 1028 is waaay better. I have made it with both and prefer 1028 by a longshot.
BrunstuckyJoe
Well-Known Member
What type of honey works best with this beer? Clover?
BrunstuckyJoe
Well-Known Member
I'd like to add a bit of orange and lemon zest....how much would I add in a 5 gal batch? Or should I use lemon and orange peel?
I used Buckwheat for mine.
Just brewed up a 5-gal batch this past Saturday. My batch last year, overall, turned out good with exception of a little too much ginger. I backed it off a touch this time around and also added an extra cinnamon stick. So far, she's a bubbling away and it smells wonderful.
That's exactly what I'd like to do next time around. The ginger has really toned down after being in the keg for 3 weeks, but I did add some extra ground cinnamon (1/2 tsp) to the keg as I could barely even detect the cinnamon. By doing this it definitely turned the color to more of a brown. I think the OP's recipe is very close to GL's Christmas Ale, but I think for my own tastes I like a little less ginger and a little more cinnamon.
+1 on the hop weights for original recipe.
I just brewed this about a week ago. I only made it to a gravity of 1.064, but the wort smells fantastic! Equal amounts of ginger and cinnamon stick, and wildflower honey. My IBU's were pretty spot on and the color looks great! I decided to go with WLP011 because I wanted something a bit more malty and sweet. Any comments?
The fermentation is going, but pretty slowly. My fermenter is staying around 68-70F (measured on the outside by a non-contact IR thermometer). I definitely have yeast floating on the top, so I am figuring RDWHAH
The fermentation is going, but pretty slowly. My fermenter is staying around 68-70F (measured on the outside by a non-contact IR thermometer). I definitely have yeast floating on the top, so I am figuring RDWHAH
I'm cooling my wort now and have a question (nothing like waiting till the last minute huh?). I put the cinnamon sticks and ginger around 5 min to flameout. Do they go in primary? As in, do I pull them out after I cool my wort or leave them in so they end up in the primary fermentor?
BullGator said:
I dont think it matters either way. Whatever is easiest for you just go with it. Some people filter out hop trub and some people put it all in the fermenter, doesnt really matter.
Sippin37 said:
I used a hop spider for the hops. I was referring specifically to the ginger and cinnamon sticks. I peeped and approximately quatered the ginger and I just threw the cinnamon sticks in whole. So after I removed the hop spider after cooling, they were the only thing in the wort. I went ahead and spooned them out as the wort was flowing into my fermenters.
WiseEyes
Well-Known Member
brewing this tomorrow, anyone use 1056 or s-04. I have a yeast cake of each to throw this on. Which one would you guys use and why?
OP
OP
Shinglejohn
Well-Known Member
Id go for the 04 but im sure either will produce a good beer!
WiseEyes
Well-Known Member
Ya, thats what i was thinkin I used london ale last year and imho it was way better than last years X-mas ale
MMJfan
Well-Known Member
I mentioned this before, but I emailed Great Lakes about this recipe and their response was that they put the cinnamon and ginger in for the entire 60 minute boil and then remove them. I peel and cube my ginger and put it along with the cinnamon sticks in a hop sack and just throw it in my kettle for the entire boil fwiw...
WiseEyes
Well-Known Member
Well made this Saturday to a gravity of 1.070 and put it on a s-04 cake. Instead of taking it to the basement I decided to leave it upstairs to keep the temperature in the upper 60's. Put it in the carboy at 530 and went to a wedding got home at 1:30 am and found beer all over the floor and beer on the ceiling!
I just brewed this about a week ago. I only made it to a gravity of 1.064, but the wort smells fantastic! Equal amounts of ginger and cinnamon stick, and wildflower honey. My IBU's were pretty spot on and the color looks great! I decided to go with WLP011 because I wanted something a bit more malty and sweet. Any comments?
The fermentation is going, but pretty slowly. My fermenter is staying around 68-70F (measured on the outside by a non-contact IR thermometer). I definitely have yeast floating on the top, so I am figuring RDWHAH
After 2 weeks in the primary, I checked the gravity to see how things were progressing. I was showing a gravity of 1.010, which puts me at 7.1% ABV - better than I had hoped for!
The color and clarity were beautiful, and the taste was pretty great. Cinnamon and honey dominated, ginger was pretty muted. It had a nice malt-forward taste, which is what I was looking for (and the reason I went with WLP011). I will let it go for another week and then bottle.
This is my third AG batch, and I am very happy with the results. I just have to dial in my equipment and process and I will be happy. BTW...this was a 2 gallon batch (bottling volume). Thanks for a great recipe
Now I will have to buy a 6-pack of the commercial beer and compare. But based on the hydro sample, I think mine will come out on top!
