12 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition

[biochemedic]

So I busted out my Mini Randall today... Had purchased a big bag of diced candied ginger on Amazon to play around with, and got a new seasonal DIPA from Sierra Nevada while grocery shopping today...

I infused a tablespoon of the diced ginger, and it was quite good!
This beer is a bit more on the piney/resiny side, and I like that hop quality with the earthy ginger. I do plan on trying this later with more of a citrusy/grapefruit bomb to check out that flavor profile.
I did find that the candied ginger makes the beer a bit too sweet, and you can get as much as if not more of a flavor meld by chewing a piece or two of the ginger and taking a swig...The infused version is much more subtle, but that's with only 20 min of infusion; I would imagine that if I "dry gingered" a beer with it for a week, it would be more prominent.
Once I pick a hop profile, I'll make a test batch...

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Looks good! I have candied ginger in my recipe too, I may grab the same off Amazon.

 

[passedpawn]

Don't let that candied ginger fool you. It'll infuse a lot of ginger flavor. Perhaps too much. The first time I used it on saison, I measured and it came out well. The second time, I just dumped, and that wasn't wise

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

I'll definitely keep my spice/ginger additions moderate. I do not want them overpowering the beer. I can always add a tincture later if I feel it needs it.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I just stumbled across this thread, and if there's a slot available, I would love to participate. I may lay down a couple on the list regardless.

 

[cmac62]

I just stumbled across this thread, and if there's a slot available, I would love to participate. I may lay down a couple on the list regardless.

There are a couple of spots on list 2

 

[biochemedic]

Don't let that candied ginger fool you. It'll infuse a lot of ginger flavor. Perhaps too much. The first time I used it on saison, I measured and it came out well. The second time, I just dumped, and that wasn't wise

Yeah, I definitely felt like I would get much more from prolonged contact than the 20 min infusion I did in the Randall... I will judge much better from the full scale test batch, but for now, just trying to get an idea of flavor combinations with various hop profiles

 

[biochemedic]

Looks good! I have candied ginger in my recipe too, I may grab the same off Amazon.

Here's the link to the specific product I got...I thought the price was right for the amount, which gives me plenty to fool around with. I also like that it is diced, which should provide more surface contact for the beer to interact with. I have to admit, I've never had candied ginger before this, and it is delicious!!! I'll have to be careful that I actually have enough left over for the beer after my snacking!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

Hey Guys, been out of town for a bit so I'm just catching up on the thread. @badgerfan79 I've removed you from the list, thanks for letting us know, we now stand at this for our current list:

1) Caramel Quadrupel (@Scturo ) (@BigCrazyAl )
2) Spiced Cherry Dubbel (@HawleyFarms ) (@btbnl)
3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock (@MapleGroveAleworks ) (@Blackdirt_cowboy )
4) Juniper Rye Bock (@HopHeavy's brother) (@cmac62)
5) Fruitcake Old Ale (@cegan09) (@Auger)
6) Saffron Tripel (@TBC ) (@Yeroc )
7) Christmas Gruit (@BradleyBrew ) (@November)
8) Honey Ginger IPA (@biochemedic )(@Brewfessor)
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale (@dryboroughbrewing )(@mirthfuldragon)
10) Gingerbread Ale (@jerbrew ) (@fourfarthing )
11) Spiced Bourbon Stout (@gromitdj ) (@anotherbeerplease )
12) Abbey Weizen (@HopHeavy ) (@Zimm9)

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I just stumbled across this thread, and if there's a slot available, I would love to participate. I may lay down a couple on the list regardless.

Right now the gingerbread ale and the Crabapple Lambicky Ale are up for grabs

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Right now the gingerbread ale and the Crabapple Lambicky Ale are up for grabs

Put me down for the Crabapple Lambic. Thanks!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

Put me down for the Crabapple Lambic. Thanks!

Done and done!

 

[JDXX1971]

I think I will do the Fruitcake Old Ale again, so sign me up!

I was just looking at my recipe and I have just about all the grains for it. So happens I found two 8 month old packs of 1098 in the back of the fridge and made a starter and revitalized them, so I have the yeast too. Probably brew it after the first of the year sometime. I want to hear feedback on this years version and consider what I may change. I thought about doing something else but I want to nail the lid on my FOA recipe first.

I told my wife I was not going to do it again but............................I LIED

Sorry guys but I am going to have to regretfully withdraw from this years 12 BoC.

I typed a whole paragraph of excuses but really it sounded lame so I am going to just quietly fade to black.

 

[Scturo]

Sorry guys but I am going to have to regretfully withdraw from this years 12 BoC.

I typed a whole paragraph of excuses but really it sounded lame so I am going to just quietly fade to black.

Just saw this, sorry to hear it @JDXX1971. Hope to see you next round.

Mine is bottled and sitting in my aging cellar (wife’s shoe closet). I’ll check on them in a couple of months and see how they are coming along,

 

[November]

I haven't brewed yet, but I've been messing with tasting herbs and spices that I steep to prep for the gruit.

I like the gruit base recipe, but I want to tweak the the herbs and spices while still keeping with the gruit concept. Do I have to stay with moshers recipe or am I free to tweak the spices and such a bit if I stay true to the idea?

 

[BigCrazyAl]

I know I said I was going to brew already but life threw in some delays. I finally have everything I need to get it all brewed properly and I went to the LHBS today to get the grain and yeast. Can't wait for Saturday!

 

[HopHeavy]

I know I said I was going to brew already but life threw in some delays. I finally have everything I need to get it all brewed properly and I went to the LHBS today to get the grain and yeast. Can't wait for Saturday!

Ummm... Today is Saturday!

 

[BigCrazyAl]

Ummm... Today is Saturday!

Next Saturday, lol. I haven't had time for a yeast starter and I want to make the toffee ahead of time. Wednesday is the real start of all these festivities.

 

[HopHeavy]

Next Saturday, lol. I haven't had time for a yeast starter and I want to make the toffee ahead of time. Wednesday is the real start of all these festivities.

Yeah, I know. Poor joke on my part!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

Just updated the list, right now we have the gingerbread ale in group two available and the fruitcake old ale in group one.

 

[cmac62]

The Juniper Rye Bock (JRB) is in the lagering fridge at around 35 F. I'll give it a couple months and then test. It may need some additional Juniper at bottling. I have never used a beer gun before, but that sure sounds easier than bottle conditioning a lager/bock. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[fourfarthing]

I will jump in on the gingerbread ale. @JDXX1971 its your fault that I'm watching this thread, so think of this as your contribution in your absence.

@badgerfan79 hope everything works out for ya.

 

[Scturo]

My initial Caramel Quad trial is tasting really good. At 8.5%, I’ll call it a BDSA. I may also offer it as a 1 of 3 option in the 12BOC if anyone is interested.

 

[btbnl]

Spiced Cherry Dubbel in progress (with a Space Dust clone on the other burner).

It was one of those brew-days when everything goes right - I even cleaned the jockey box and half a dozen kegs at the same time.

At one point a humming bird flew in and got itself caught in the skylight dome, but that was resolved effortlessly with the mash paddle.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I will jump in on the gingerbread ale. @JDXX1971 its your fault that I'm watching this thread, so think of this as your contribution in your absence.

@badgerfan79 hope everything works out for ya.

You are all set!

 

[BigCrazyAl]

Well I burned the hell out of my first attempt at toffee. Any tips @Scturo?

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Well I burned the hell out of my first attempt at toffee. Any tips @Scturo?

Don’t burn it.

 

[Scturo]

Well I burned the hell out of my first attempt at toffee. Any tips @Scturo?

I tried to keep stirring as much as possible, and scrap the bottom. Mine didn’t go too smooth either. Did you taste the dark areas? I thought I burned mine too, but the dark areas didn’t taste bitter, so I used it.

 

[BigCrazyAl]

I tried to keep stirring as much as possible, and scrap the bottom. Mine didn’t go too smooth either. Did you taste the dark areas? I thought I burned mine too, but the dark areas didn’t taste bitter, so I used it.

Mine literally burned into carbon on the bottom and the top didn't even melt at all. I've never done this before so I had no idea what to expect. Might as well have lit money on fire lol. Anyway, I might go a slightly different route and see if a homeade candi sugar will work instead. I'm out of dme now...

 

[biochemedic]

Well I burned the hell out of my first attempt at toffee. Any tips @Scturo?

I did the Caramel Quad a few years back...low and slow, low and slow is the key...and a lot of stirring. I found it a lot like making bochet (caramelized honey mead), and found that just a short time separates just right from too much from burnt.