12 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Haha you got my split up label! I accidentally cut one in half, I was wondering who would get it LOL.

Glad you like! It was a fun/weird one to brew for sure.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

@jerbrew Trying your group 1 gingerbread ale. WOW! Absolutely spot on. The spicing is perfect. I keep shaking my head after each drink if you know what I mean. Just like...damn!, with each gulp haha.

 

[cegan09]

Did the other 5 beers survive? I'm sorry about this. Please let me know your favorite beer style and I'll forward you a 6er. I have plenty of shipping materials now lol.

yea, the other 5 are just fine. I'm more puzzled by how it got dropped at the wrong house. Address is correct on the label. I'm really not worried about it, stuff happens.

 

[Scturo]

More 12BOC beers I’ve been enjoying over the last couple of days. All very tasty, great job everyone.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Got both of these this week. Everything was safe and sound.

 

[Yeroc]

I see a few people have wrapped electrical tape around their caps/bottle necks. Didn't know that was a thing. Does it help avoid breakage or loss of carbonation?

 

[TBC]

I see a few people have wrapped electrical tape around their caps/bottle necks. Didn't know that was a thing. Does it help avoid breakage or loss of carbonation?

I started doing it because I saw it being done by others. It’s to secure the cap. I’ve had a couple of bottles over the years that the cap got jarred enough during shipping that some beer was lost from the bottle and what wasn’t was flat. So it’s more precautionary for me. I tape all bottle caps and corks when I ship.

 

[fourfarthing]

I do when I remember, which isn’t always, just to be safe.

 

[jerbrew]

@jerbrew Trying your group 1 gingerbread ale. WOW! Absolutely spot on. The spicing is perfect. I keep shaking my head after each drink if you know what I mean. Just like...damn!, with each gulp haha.

Thanks for the glowing review.

I haven't tasted anything yet. I'm doing a whole 12 BOC tasting thing this weekend with some friends. I hope to have some good notes for everyone.

 

[jerbrew]

Oh! and @TBC I still have one of your gingerbread browns from last year. I kept it cuz I knew I wanted to do my version. I'll let you know how it held up in the fridge for a year.

 

[TBC]

Thanks for the glowing review.

I haven't tasted anything yet. I'm doing a whole 12 BOC tasting thing this weekend with some friends. I hope to have some good notes for everyone.

So am I!! Same 2 guys as last year. We are doing it Saturday night. That’s why I’ve been waiting to try these.

 

[jerbrew]

I actually got the idea from you last year.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Having one of these right now. It’s pretty dang good! I thinks it’s my favorite so far.

 

[Zimm9]

Think I got tracking numbers sent to everyone. Sorry again for the delay with shipping.

I'm resisting trying any yet. I promised my sister-in-law I'd bring all the beers I get from this to Christmas next week. Really looking forward to it, especially after all the pics posted here!

 

[gromitdj]

Got these dropped on my doorstep yesterday. Thanks @cegan09 !

 

[awoitte]

I love this idea.

Is this generally a one time a year event with only ~12 people?

Would be awesome to do this for all seasons throughout the year with a larger group of participants...

 

[Zimm9]

Krampus arrived today. None broken for me. Thanks guys!

 

[Zimm9]

I love this idea.

Is this generally a one time a year event with only ~12 people?

This particular one is just for Christmas. I don't know how long it's been going on here at HBT but the styles come from a list that's included in the original post for this thread.

 

[passedpawn]

This particular one is just for Christmas. I don't know how long it's been going on here at HBT but the styles come from a list that's included in the original post for this thread.

I think it would be good to include these links in the new thread. Helps with continuity, and maybe people can search and find brewing ideas.

2011
2012
2013
2014 (didn't happen)
2015 (didn't happen)
2016
2017
2018

 

[Zimm9]

Thanks, @passedpawn ! Those past years are a great resource. Maybe we can beat the 3 consecutive years record. lol

 

[gromitdj]

I'll likely participate again. And this year, we had to 2 groups going.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

2019 thread will go up tomorrow! We'll get 2 groups going again if necessary.

 

[anotherbeerplease]

I love this idea.

Is this generally a one time a year event with only ~12 people?

Would be awesome to do this for all seasons throughout the year with a larger group of participants...

All seasons??!! I love it. Spring could have earthy flavors, summer could be lagers, helles, etc.

BTW I am interested in doing this again for 2019... this was really fun to do this year and I would definitely do it again

 

[cegan09]

As long as my submission this year isn't hated, I'd participate again.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

2019 thread will go up tomorrow! We'll get 2 groups going again if necessary.

Thinking ahead, it may be best to separate them out into East Coast and West Coast. I spent $105 on shipping (and $40 canning), and sending out to the California folks was twice what it was to NY or my fellow Midwesterners. Everyone might save some money if divided by geography.

 

[HopHeavy]

@jerbrew , @gromitdj , @Scturo ... Got your package yesterday from the west coast crew... I have to agree, fantastic labels!
Unfortunately, one soldier was down in the package. The rest were unaffected... Now I am worried about our package which is supposed to get your way today or tomorrow... Let me know if there any issues.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Thinking ahead, it may be best to separate them out into East Coast and West Coast. I spent $105 on shipping (and $40 canning), and sending out to the California folks was twice what it was to NY or my fellow Midwesterners. Everyone might save some money if divided by geography.

Great idea! Just took that advice for the new thread.

 

[TwistedGray]

For those interested in more frequent HBT trades - we have a homebrew trade thread that's semi regular and you can brew whatever you want be it seasonal or not
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...ug-and-mark-get-their-own-from-now-on.655881/

 

[jerbrew]

N

@jerbrew , @gromitdj , @Scturo ... Got your package yesterday from the west coast crew... I have to agree, fantastic labels!
Unfortunately, one soldier was down in the package. The rest were unaffected... Now I am worried about our package which is supposed to get your way today or tomorrow... Let me know if there any issues.

View attachment 603057 View attachment 603058

No!!!!!!!! My BEER! Anyways, 17 out of 18 bottles isn't too bad. Do you know where in the box that one was? Looks like it got smashed pretty good.

I'm glad it got delivered.

 

[Auger]

Krampus arrived today. None broken for me. Thanks guys!

Same here.

 

[Scturo]

Thinking ahead, it may be best to separate them out into East Coast and West Coast. I spent $105 on shipping (and $40 canning), and sending out to the California folks was twice what it was to NY or my fellow Midwesterners. Everyone might save some money if divided by geography.

So you can pay to have a small batch canned? I’m trying to decide whether to buy a canner or not. Can you give me details about the canning you did? Where did you get it canned, how much beer did you have canned, pricing?

 

[anotherbeerplease]

Same here.

He came not to give... but to take...

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

Been out of the loop lately just an update for group 1, my 3 of my packages are out for delivery today, 2 tomorrow and the remainder on Friday. Sorry again for the late shipping this year.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

So you can pay to have a small batch canned? I’m trying to decide whether to buy a canner or not. Can you give me details about the canning you did? Where did you get it canned, how much beer did you have canned, pricing?

One of the quasi-local homebrew supply stores has a canner they rent out: $20 flat rate plus cost of cans, so right at $40 for 47 cans. I did supply my own beer line and connections because I was canning a sour and they did not want to risk contaminating their own gear. Cans weight about half an ounce, and bottles weigh ~6 ounces, so I save about ~16 ounces. Not quite enough to justify the expense by itself, but cans are a lot more durable.

I dropped the fully-carbonated keg off a couple of days ahead of time. Came by after work, spray-santize the cans and dunk the lids in a bath of Star-San. Hook up a Blichmann Beer Gun to the keg and gas. Purge each can with CO2, add beer, put the lid on, put it on the seamer, flip the switch, dies seal the lid, and voila, canned beer. Not really any different from bottling from a keg really. One of the guys from the shop did all the filling and I operated the seamer. Really easy process.

Overall, I don't think the seamer makes sense on a single-user situation. Cans only get cheap in bulk and bottles are essentially free, and the price of seamers is still pretty high. The only place it makes sense to me is shipping. If I was worried about "no glass" places, I would package in used soda bottles. My 2¢, anyway.

 

[Scturo]

One of the quasi-local homebrew supply stores has a canner they rent out: $20 flat rate plus cost of cans, so right at $40 for 47 cans. I did supply my own beer line and connections because I was canning a sour and they did not want to risk contaminating their own gear. Cans weight about half an ounce, and bottles weigh ~6 ounces, so I save about 1.5lbs. Not quite enough to justify the expense by itself, but cans are a lot more durable.

I dropped the fully-carbonated keg off a couple of days ahead of time. Came by after work, spray-santize the kegs and dunk the lids in a bath of Star-San. Hook up a Blichmann Beer Gun to the keg and gas. Purge each can with CO2, add beer, put the lid on, put it on the seamer, flip the switch, dies seal the lid, and voila, canned beer. Not really any different from bottling from a keg really. One of the guys from the shop did all the filling and I operated the seamer. Really easy process.

Overall, I don't think the seamer makes sense on a single-user situation. Cans only get cheap in bulk and bottles are essentially free, and the price of seamers is still pretty high. The only place it makes sense to me is shipping. If I was worried about "no glass" places, I would package in used soda bottles. My 2¢, anyway.

Thanks for the info. It would definitely be a want to have item. So at roughly $40 a batch extra it would take canning about 25 - 5 gallon batches (1330 12oz cans) to recover costs.

 

[fourfarthing]

As long as my submission this year isn't hated, I'd participate again.

What he said

 

[fourfarthing]

For those interested in more frequent HBT trades - we have a homebrew trade thread that's semi regular and you can brew whatever you want be it seasonal or not
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...ug-and-mark-get-their-own-from-now-on.655881/

This. Always this!

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

2019 thread is up and filling quickly if anyone is interested.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Thanks for the info. It would definitely be a want to have item. So at roughly $40 a batch extra it would take canning about 25 - 5 gallon batches (1330 12oz cans) to recover costs.

The cost of materials was 39¢ per can plus the $20 rental fee and tax. 16oz cans would run 47¢ per can.

 

[HopHeavy]

N

No!!!!!!!! My BEER! Anyways, 17 out of 18 bottles isn't too bad. Do you know where in the box that one was? Looks like it got smashed pretty good.

I'm glad it got delivered.

I know. I lost one last year, too. The broken bottle was top and center. Thought it was weird that position broke. The bag kept the beer from compromising the box and saved the rest. However, we only received the nine bottles you see in the pics! Was there another box that met a similar, but worse, fate?