Suggestions Wanted: Danish Christmas Beer

[aeonderdonk]

One of my good friends is from Denmark and complains that he can't get any good xmas beers over here in the US. Apparently every brewery has a spiced xmas ale there for the holidays and he has asked me to whip one up for him.

I googled around without much success for a danish xmas beer recipe so here is what I'm thinking. Anyone have any suggestions?

8.5 lb. 2-row
1 lb. Munich
1 lb. crystal 20
1 lb. crystal 90
0.25 lb. roasted barley


1 oz. Centennial 60 min.
0.5 oz. cascade 15 mins
1 vanilla bean, chopped last 5 mins
1 tsp. crushed cardamom seed last 5 mins
0.5 lb. light-brown sugar last 5 mins

Wyeast 1056

 

[Edcculus]

I think a German or English hop would go better. They probably arent using Cascades in Denmark regularly. Maybe even an English yeast for a little frutiness and to bring out the malt.

 

[aeonderdonk]

so maybe hallertau or goldings then

 

[Pharkan1]

We do use american hops but mostly for mostly for IPA or late/dry as a spice for a twist. I'd go for something noble.

Sugar is good for a danish christmasbeer (called Juleøl).
Use some spices (orangepeel, cloves, cinnemon)
Ferment it at high temperatures (around 22 C)

/Klaus

 

[Pharkan]

Danish and Scandinavian brewers tend to use cascade a lot these days. 'Traditional' danish christmas beer is not spiced, though, but merely strong eurolager / industrial bock. Think Tuborg Gold or almost any european lager, just a bit stronger and equally bland.

Some of the newer (micro)breweries brew christmas beers that are really interesting, but most are either Belgian, British or American inspired. Last week I had the Christmas IPA from Beer Here (new brewery founded by Christian Skovdahl Andersen, the guy that founded Ølfabrikken before that brewery got sold & their beer got boring) on draft, and it was one of the best IPAs I've had this year. It is, however hopped with columbus and hallertauer hersbrucker, and has a little orange peel in it. Good? Yes. Typical Danish? Not a bit.

 

[Pharkan1]

Well, you are right about danish microbreweries christmas beers nowadays tend not to have anything to do with traditional danish brewtradition.
You are also right about Beer Here's Cristmas IPA (they have it on tap at Ølbaren - we should go grap a few!)
You are also right about the bock tradition for danish christmas beer - everything has been lager for the past century.
But 'traditional danish christmas beer' date further back than that. When all was ale and/or wild-strains. Christmasbeer was 'more of everything' and then some spices.

 

[Pharkan]

That is also true. I do, however, doubt that the OP's friend is missing the preindustrial christmas beer a la gruit, as he is refering to something brewed by every brewery.

I'm up for a few Christmas IPAs at Ølbaren soon (that's where I got it last week as well). This weekend (probably saturday) I'm going to another prized local bar, namely Cafe Viking, with a journalist friend to see what they have to offer. Feel free to join, if you're in the neighbourhood!