looking for a Belgian Christmas recipe

[bobeer]

It's about that time of year when I brew my Christmas beer. I have some Belgian debittered black malt, some dark candy sugar, some Belgian yeast, and about 11 lbs of pilsner so I'm thinking about making it a dark Belgian Christmas beer this year. I've looked at several different Belgian dark recipes so I think I have that part down but as far as the adjuncts go I'm not sure what do to. I usually make an English style christmas beer with ginger, cinnamon, and some other stuff. Everyone always looks forward to drinking it because I've been told it smells and tastes like christmas. I could brew the same ole same ole but since I have some random ingredients I was considering switching it up this year. I have a corker and a rack of 750 ml bottles so i was thinking about doing a fancy bottling job this year too since I have the time...

With that said I have a lot of coca nibs, dried grapefruit peel, oak chips, and a full spice cabinet. Does anyone have a good go-to recipe for a Christmas Belgian I could pull some inspiration from? Thanks!!

 

[bobeer]

I think I'm just going to go with the Belgian Abby ale from Chop and Brew as my inspiration. The spices are sort of like what I use in my traditional english christmas beer. I might just use cinnamon and orange peel though and call it a day.
http://chopandbrew.com/recipes/belgian-abbey-style-christmas-ale-homebrew-recipe/

 

[Velnerj]

Look up basic brewing radio's fruitcake Barley wine if you're in the mood for something different but allegedly good (I've never tried it but it definitely looks interesting).

 

[bobeer]

I came up with this recipe that I'm going with for a 3 gallon batch sort of based on a dubbel

5 lbs 10 oz - German Pils
1 lb 6 oz- american 2 row
2.5 oz - caramunich III
3 oz - aromatic
2 oz - special b
2 oz - chocolate malt
8 oz - belgian dark candi sugar

.32 oz Laurel hops @ FWH for ~26 ibu

Should come out just under 1.080. I didn't have enough pils malt to make up the whole grist so I subbed in a little 2 row.
I don't think I'm going to add any spices in this one but I'm not 100% on that yet. I think this beer will come out with dark fruit and fruit cake character that I don't want to overshadow or mess up with spices. I have some sort of safale belgian yeast that i'm going to try. Should be tasty!

 

[bobeer]

Brewed it today!