12 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition

[passedpawn]

Thanks - good to know.

The way I'd read the recipe was to add an extra pound of sugar to the base dubbel (so 2lb/5G) and ferment on 5-10lb/5G each of both sour and sweet cherries.

Here are my notes from the 1st attempt. You'll just have to compare these to the recipe you have there. I brew a lot and can't really answer many questions - just can't remember it all. It's why I keep notes like this

[19MAR17] OG 1.058. Only 1# piloncillo added. No brown sugar added. Ground cinnamon was used instead of stick. 14.5# Cherries will add exactly 10 gravity points.

[later ?] I did add brown sugar

[19MAR17] taste wasn't as sweet as expected. Good flavor though. Cinnamon was not too pronounced, which is good.

[18APR17] 1.008. Taste was not sweet, fairly cherryish. Not super tastey I don't think. Probably needs more ABV.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I'll throw in one note about piloncillo sugar, at least the batch that I used seemed to impart a fair bit of unfermentables.

During the first go round I got stuck pretty high, so I brewed my second batch and cut it 50/50 with cane sugar to help dry out the tripel.

 

[Scturo]

Brewing the Caramel Quad today. The toffee part was the trickiest for me. I think it went good. Hoping everything turns out ok.

 

[biochemedic]

Brewing the Caramel Quad today. The toffee part was the trickiest for me. I think it went good. Hoping everything turns out ok.

Yes, I did that beer a couple years back...making the toffee was definitely an exercise in keeping a *very* close watch on it!

 

[badgerfan79]

I’m thinking of trying to brew up a test of the gingerbread ale right after the new year and see how it goes and if I need to make changes.
The recipe calls for a soft brown ale as a base. I will probably try it with my normal brown ale and see how it is. Here is the recipe, what do you guys think?
Style Name: British Brown Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.038
Efficiency: 60% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.013
ABV (standard): 5.69%
IBU (tinseth): 22.98
SRM (morey): 19.13

FERMENTABLES:
10 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (76.6%)
1 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 60L (7.7%)
1 lb - Flaked Oats (7.7%)
0.75 lb - American - Victory (5.7%)
0.3 lb - American - Chocolate (2.3%)

HOPS:
0.8 oz - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 15.28
1 oz - East Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 7.7

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temp: 154 F, Time: 60 min

YEAST:
Danstar - Nottingham Ale Yeast
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 77%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 57 - 70 F
Pitch Rate: 0.75 (M cells / ml / deg P)

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: London (Porter, dark ales)
Ca2: 100
Mg2: 5
Na: 35
Cl: 60
SO4: 50
HCO3: 265
Water Notes:

 

[Scturo]

Yes, I did that beer a couple years back...making the toffee was definitely an exercise in keeping a *very* close watch on it!

I don’t have any experience with melting sugar, and SWMBO was working. I got nervous because some parts of the pan were getting darker faster then the rest. I thought I might’ve cut it short. I did taste some of the darkest parts, and it tasted good, no bitterness. Expanding my skills with the 12BOC, [emoji3]

 

[BigCrazyAl]

I don’t have any experience with melting sugar, and SWMBO was working. I got nervous because some parts of the pan were getting darker faster then the rest. I thought I might’ve cut it short. I did taste some of the darkest parts, and it tasted good, no bitterness. Expanding my skills with the 12BOC, [emoji3]

This is the part I'm nervous about as well since I'm new to caramelizing things. I'm curious to see how your brew day goes as I'll be getting mine done within the next few weeks.

 

[Scturo]

This is the part I'm nervous about as well since I'm new to caramelizing things. I'm curious to see how your brew day goes as I'll be getting mine done within the next few weeks.

It went ok overall. I hit the 1.080 OG mark, but my yield was only 4.5 gals. Would’ve liked at least 5 gals. It’s still enough to make 36 bottles. Like I mentioned, the toffee was the tricky part. Other than that, it’s pretty straight forward. I just pitched my yeast, so it’ll stay put for a month. Good Luck,

 

[btbnl]

It went ok overall. I hit the 1.080 OG mark, but my yield was only 4.5 gals. Would’ve liked at least 5 gals. It’s still enough to make 36 bottles. Like I mentioned, the toffee was the tricky part. Other than that, it’s pretty straight forward. I just pitched my yeast, so it’ll stay put for a month. Good Luck,

I guess you could add 1lb of some raw brown sugar dissolved in 0.5G of water to up the volume without dropping the ABV.

 

[Scturo]

I guess you could add 1lb of some raw brown sugar dissolved in 0.5G of water to up the volume without dropping the ABV.

I thought about doing something like that. Do you think it would effect the flavor?

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

I would just leave as is. 4.5g isn't a huge miss.

 

[BigCrazyAl]

It went ok overall. I hit the 1.080 OG mark, but my yield was only 4.5 gals. Would’ve liked at least 5 gals. It’s still enough to make 36 bottles. Like I mentioned, the toffee was the tricky part. Other than that, it’s pretty straight forward. I just pitched my yeast, so it’ll stay put for a month. Good Luck,

I thought the OG of the quad was 1.100 with the added Amber malt and toffee to the tripel recipe provided. I put it in BeerSmith and got this.

Edit: ignore the carapils malt. It doesn't add much other than to help head retention and my efficiency.

 

[Scturo]

Edit: You are right. Looks like it’s low. It should end up around 8%. Now I have to decide to leave it or bump the abv.

 

[JDXX1971]

Edit: You are right. Looks like it’s low. It should end up around 8%. Now I have to decide to leave it or bump the abv.

I'd say rebrew and send the entire first batch to.................ME!

 

[Scturo]

Ha, yeah, I’m definitely drinking this one. And brewing again. Only in homebrewing can you drink your mistakes.

 

[biochemedic]

Ha, yeah, I’m definitely drinking this one. And brewing again. Only in homebrewing can you drink your mistakes.

And....cross posted to "You know you're a homebrewer when..."!

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Trying to figure out which yeast to use for the spiced dunkel weizenbock. It suggests belgian abbey or altbier. Those couldn't be more different, so not really sure which direction to go with it yet.

 

[BigCrazyAl]

Trying to figure out which yeast to use for the spiced dunkel weizenbock. It suggests belgian abbey or altbier. Those couldn't be more different, so not really sure which direction to go with it yet.

I can't find a specific altbier strain but the style doesn't seem to utilize yeasts that produce ester/phenol flavors typically associated with a weizenbock. I'm seeing recommended yeasts that produce some fruity flavors but a mostly clean fermentation.

I'd lean toward a Belgian yeast that produces a banana/clove profile to fit the style. It seems the Belgian Abbey may do that but I haven't used that specifically.

Side note: I used WY3068 on my Weizenbock a while back and got a mostly banana flavor with some clove notes hiding in it. I under-pitched as recommended and fermented mid 60s to try and balance those flavors but the banana still overpowered the clove.

 

[Yeroc]

Wow. I followed the 2017 thread all year and was really hoping to take part in 2018. Can't believe I missed my opportunity and it's not even January yet. Also can't believe this new thread already has so many posts. Guess I'll just have to watch again this year. Bummer for me, but good luck everyone.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Wow. I followed the 2017 thread all year and was really hoping to take part in 2018. Can't believe I missed my opportunity and it's not even January yet. Also can't believe this new thread already has so many posts. Guess I'll just have to watch again this year. Bummer for me, but good luck everyone.

Have you read the thread? There's a second group going you can join.

 

[Yeroc]

Have you read the thread? There's a second group going you can join.

I did, but I thought both groups had filled up. Looking back at the first page I see that's incorrect. I'll take the group two Saffron Tripel if it's still available.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I did, but I thought both groups had filled up. Looking back at the first page I see that's incorrect. I'll take the group two Saffron Tripel if it's still available.

You got it!

We are now 9/12 in group 2!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

For visibility group 2 has the following open slots:


3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock
7) Christmas Gruit
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

For visibility group 2 has the following open slots:


3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock
7) Christmas Gruit
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale

I’ll take the spiced dunkel weizenbock in group 2 if that’s ok.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I’ll take the spiced dunkel weizenbock in group 2 if that’s ok.

You'll be over the one year mark prior to shipping, works for me!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

For visibility group 2 has the following open slots:


7) Christmas Gruit
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale

And then there were two.

 

[November]

I'm in for the gruit.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I'm in for the gruit.

You got it!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale

One to go.

 

[jerbrew]

wow we almost filled two groups before the end of the year. Good work on the 2017 crowd for inspiring others.

 

[cmac62]

Trying to figure out which yeast to use for the spiced dunkel weizenbock. It suggests belgian abbey or altbier. Those couldn't be more different, so not really sure which direction to go with it yet.

So use both

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

So use both

I plan on using wyeast 2007 german ale yeast. That’s what I use for my altbier.

 

[cmac62]

I'm starting the year out right, brewing my first rendition of the juniper rye bock. I'm going with 5 lb of each Munich light, red x, and rye, 1 oz simcoe at 60, 2 oz juniper at 30, 2 oz at 5, and will adjust with juniper tea at bottling. What do y'all think about this?

 

[cmac62]

I plan on using wyeast 2007 german ale yeast. That’s what I use for my altbier.

Sounds good to me.

 

[cmac62]

The brew is done. It smells awesome. It came in at an OG of 1.074, will put the starter and fermenter into the fridge and pitch in the a.m. at about 50°f. Won't get to taste this one for real for about 10-12 weeks. Patience is a virtue I rarely possess but I hope it will pay off this time.

 

[cmac62]

The Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers book has some interesting ideas I may try on the next version. Adding the first juniper to the mash water in a tea and rinsing it through juniper branches are some of the options. I love exbeeramenting. I figure I'll get a few versions done before I have to brew the one I'll send out.

 

[btbnl]

For my first go at the Spiced Cherry Dubbel I'm going to try the Vintners Harvest fruit puree:

They recommend using 10-15% less than you would with fresh fruit, so a 49oz can is equivalent to about 4.5lb of fresh fruit which sounds ideal.

Has anyone else used this stuff?

 

[cmac62]

I was part of a brew club sour project and I will get about 10 g of a lambicy/flanders thing that has been in a barrel for 8 moths and will be in there for another 5 before it is divied up. If anyone wants to brew the Juniper rye bock I will find some crab apples and put the barrel project on those for a few months and bottle. Let me know what you think.

 

[BigCrazyAl]

I was part of a brew club sour project and I will get about 10 g of a lambicy/flanders thing that has been in a barrel for 8 moths and will be in there for another 5 before it is divied up. If anyone wants to brew the Juniper rye bock I will find some crab apples and put the barrel project on those for a few months and bottle. Let me know what you think.

I'd love to try the sour over the Bock but that's just me. There are probably more people who can lager vs who will brew a sour.

 

[cmac62]

I'd love to try the sour over the Bock but that's just me. There are probably more people who can lager vs who will brew a sour.

After reading the recipe one the first page I don't think it would be too difficult to do the sour. I don't think it is like a flanders that has to sit and funk up for a year or more.