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Kosch

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Joined
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Location
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Hey All,

Trying to design a winter ale to brew up this weekend, hoping for it to be drinkable by Christmas. Couple of questions:

1. Any ideas for what spices I could add?
2. Anyone think a bit of bourbon would be okay in this?
3. Any other thoughts on it? Good, bad, oh dear god don't even try it?

Thanks!

Kosch

BKs WrrBrr
Christmas/Winter Specialty Spice Beer
Type: All Grain Date: 10/09/2012
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal Brewer: Kosch
Boil Size: 7.57 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Pot and Cooler (10 gal) - 5gal All Grain
End of Boil Volume 5.82 gal Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 5.40 gal Est Mash Efficiency 71.4 %
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
12 lbs Brewer's Malt, 2-Row, Premium (Great Western) (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 69.1 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Crystal 40, 2-Row, (Great Western) (40.0 SRM) Grain 2 14.4 %
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.9 %
8.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.9 %
8.0 oz Crystal 120, 2-Row, (Great Western) (120.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.9 %
8.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 6 2.9 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 7 0.7 %
12.0 oz Candi Sugar, Dark (275.0 SRM) Sugar 8 4.3 %
0.75 oz Nugget [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 30.2 IBUs
0.75 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 10 5.8 IBUs
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 11 -
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 12 1.5 IBUs
2.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) [23.66 ml] Yeast 13 -

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.081 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.4 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Bitterness: 37.6 IBUs Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 31.3 SRM

Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 17 lbs 6.0 oz
Sparge Water: 4.37 gal Grain Temperature: 65.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F Tun Temperature: 165.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.20

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 21.54 qt of water at 164.2 F 152.0 F 60 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.49gal, 3.88gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
 
Well, I think I may just try it unless someone thinks it will be extra horrid. I'm wondering if it is going to be too complex to finish by xmas too. I need to start these things earlier!
 
Yeah I don't think it will be ready by Christmas. With an OG of 1.081 it's gonna need more time to condition and mellow out. Maybe a few months. Also I think you have way too much crystal malt in there. Looks like about 20% of your grain bill is crystal. Crystal malt is not very fermentable so you would end up with a cloyingly sweet beer. I would definitely drop the crystal 40 to 1 lb or less. Other than that it looks great to me. :mug:
 
I agree with peterj. I would also consider dropping the crystal 120 altogether, maybe bump the chocolate up for color or use debittered Midnight Wheat for more color without the sweetness.
 
I wouldn't drop the 120. Dark crystal is tasty in these kinds of beers. It will compliment the dark sugar and spices if you add them. If your process and fermentation control are solid this will certainly be ready to drink by Christmas. At it's peak?... probably not but I'd say more than drinkable. Maybe dial it back a tiny bit to 1.075 or so if you're worried about it.

I would think any combination Nutmeg, Ginger, Allspice and Cinnamon would go good in this but go EASY. I would do an 1/8 of a teaspoon or less of the Nutmeg, Ginger or Allspice. You could probably do up to 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Add the spices at 1 minute or flameout. Keep in mind you can add a little more spice in the fermentor. Removing? Not so much.

I like your hop choices. Not sure the oats are necessary. I agree about knocking the C40 back to a pound, especially if you are only hopping to 40 IBUs.
 
Well cool, thanks everyone! Honestly I was trying to put this together half asleep, 20% C40 does seem like a bit much today :)

I'm going to rework it a bit, pulling the C40 down to a pound or maybe a bit less. I'll likely go with the spices that you recommended, SC_Ryan. Maybe I'll bump up the IBUs a tad.

I'll repost back here in a bit.

Thanks!

Kosch
 
Okay, here is the latest:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.57 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.82 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.40 gal
Estimated OG: 1.076 SG
Estimated Color: 28.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 38.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 71.4 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
12 lbs 4.0 oz Brewer's Malt, 2-Row, Premium (Great Wes Grain 1 76.0 %
1 lbs Crystal 40, 2-Row, (Great Western) (40.0 Grain 2 6.2 %
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.1 %
8.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.1 %
8.0 oz Crystal 120, 2-Row, (Great Western) (120 Grain 5 3.1 %
8.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 6 3.1 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 7 0.8 %
12.0 oz Candi Sugar, Dark (275.0 SRM) Sugar 8 4.7 %
0.75 oz Nugget [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 31.3 IBUs
0.75 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 15.0 Hop 10 6.0 IBUs
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 11 -
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 5.0 Hop 12 1.6 IBUs
0.25 tsp Ginger Root (Boil 1.0 mins) Herb 13 -
0.12 tsp Allspice (Boil 1.0 mins) Spice 14 -
2.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 15 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 16 lbs 2.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 19.98 qt of water at 164.2 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.73gal, 3.88gal) of 168.0 F water
 
Looks good. I would bump the chocolate malt to 8oz, could be really good. Id also consider adding more spices in the secondary if you dint get enough out of the boil; cinnamon might be a good addition. Bourbon could be cool. Perhaps soak a vanilla bean or two in some bourbon and throw all of it in the secondary :)
 
Thanks folks! I actually had cinnamon in the recipe but forgot to update before I posted. I'm really considering the bourbon and vanilla, might make the impending snow all the more tolerable!

Thanks again for the help everyone, I'm going to try and brew this over the weekend.

Cheers!

Kosch
 
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