12 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition

Williams 728
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Just pulled a sample from my Group 1 Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock. It's all carbed up and resting in my keezer now.

Medium high spice - I'd say cardamom is the dominating spice right now. Medium body - light belgian funk from the yeast. Easy to drink for being about 7%. Looking forward to seeing how the matures over the next couple months.
 
I've brewed the Group #1 Spiced Bourbon Stout back in March, but want to try a re-brew. The final beer may be one or the other, or a blend of both. But the first brew turned out well.
 
Nice label, @anotherbeerplease ! You've thrown down the gauntlet.

I'm about the same pace as @fourfarthing with group 2's Abbey Weizen. Just need to find time to bottle. I've got 2 batches so I'll have a tasting party at some point to determine which gets shipped. Thankfully I found someone to do the graphics for the label so that's good to go.

I've been saving boxes and packing material like a hoarder, too. I'm not sure what I'll use yet so I'm just grabbing everything I can from people.
 
Well, I was worried I might be traveling for work when it came time to get the beer ready and since I had the week off, I decided to package the group 2 gruit early.

My beergun would not cooperate at all, so I ended up cobbling up some Frankenstein bottle filler. Took some tweaking but I got it all bottled up.

Now I just need to wrangle a bunch of boxes.
 
Group two Tripel w/ Saffron labeled and ready to ship.

IMG_4637.jpg
 
Guys/Gals, I am really sorry to do this, but life is pretty crazy for me right now and I can't get the Juniper Rye Bock (list 2) done and shipped out. Sorry for the late notice, but I have to bow out. :(
 
I took the day off yesterday to bottle both batches of Abbey Weizen. One batch tasted sour. No idea what happened there - it smelled and looked fine when I added some vodka (soaked orange zest in it for 5 days) after most of the fermentation was done. Both batches got the same treatment but I used two different Wyeast abbey yeast strains. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that batch doesn't produce bottle bombs. Anyway, it's looking like the second batch will be the one shipped out. Unless I missed something and it's supposed to be sour??
 
So it’s getting close to the shipping date. At some point, do we do a role call of who will be able to ship on time? Just wondering.

I’m on track, fwiw
 
Scturo said:
So it’s getting close to the shipping date. At some point, do we do a role call of who will be able to ship on time? Just wondering.

I’m on track, fwiw
Click to expand...
I have 35 bottles of the group 2 quad sitting in my basement. Been there since February.

Bonus: It won runner up in the Belgian category at a local brewery's home brew competition!
 
Mine still need a week or so to carb but that should still keep me on time to ship. I'll do a taste test at the family Thanksgiving gathering to see which batch is better. Mine just won't be aged much.
 
Also, the group 1 gingerbread ale, I chose to go the gingerbread porter route, is hanging out and will be bottled this weekend. I just want to taste the spice level once more to make sure I didn't go too light - it is a spice beer after all.
 
I agree, and I've been thinking, that now is the time to take a Go/NoGo roll call...

I should be on track for one of the Honey Ginger IPA's.

Could we create a up to date list of each group of brewers? Also, do we have (theoretically) two full lists, or is one only partial?
 
Looks like for group 1, we have 7 of 12 confirmed on track. Here’s a list. Correct me if I’m wrong on something.


12BOC Group 1 known status

1. Caramel Quad - Scturo (On Track)
2. Spiced Cherry Dubbel - @HawleyFarms (??)
3. Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock - @MapleGroveAleworks (On Track)
4. Juniper Rye Bock - HopHeavy’s brother (??)
5. Fruitcake Old Ale - @JDXX1971 (??)
6. Saffron Tripel - @TBC (On Track)
7. Christmas Gruit - @BradleyBrew (On Track)
8. Honey Ginger IPA - @biochemedic (On Track)
9. Crabapple Lambicky Ale - @dryboroughbrewing (??)
10. Gingerbread Ale - @jerbrew (On Track)
11. Spiced Bourbon Stout - @gromitdj (On Track)
12. Abbey Weizen - @HopHeavy (??)
 
My group 2 fruitcake beer is kegged and carbonated, Just need to make some time to bottle it. Planning on having it done soon.
 
1. Caramel Quad - @Scturo
2. Spiced Cherry Dubbel - @HawleyFarms
3. Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock - @MapleGroveAleworks
4. Juniper Rye Bock - HopHeavy’s brother
5. Fruitcake Old Ale - @JDXX1971
6. Saffron Tripel - @TBC
7. Christmas Gruit - @BradleyBrew
8. Honey Ginger IPA - @biochemedic
9. Crabapple Lambicky Ale - @dryboroughbrewing
10. Gingerbread Ale - @jerbrew
11. Spiced Bourbon Stout - @gromitdj
12. Abbey Weizen - @HopHeavy

Okay, haven't heard from @dryboroughbrewing in a while so I'll step in and offer my services in collecting and disseminating the group 1 addresses if you are all comfortable with that arrangement. Please also let us know if you are not able to make the loose shipping deadline of "getting people their beer by Christmas" but still might have a beer ready shortly after. We are a flexible group here and would rather have beer late than never I'm sure.

One more thing, @Scturo, @gromitdj, and myself are meeting up the Saturday after Thanksgiving to ship out our beers together. If anyone is ready to ship out with time to get their beer to one of use before then, you can ship all our beers together and we'll split them up accordingly. Just let one of us know if you're interested in making that arrangement.
 
Group 2 Roll Call:

1) Caramel Quadrupel (@BigCrazyAl )
2) Spiced Cherry Dubbel (@btbnl) - posted here 2/28/18, then 5/11/18 generally
3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock (@Blackdirt_cowboy )
4) Juniper Rye Bock (@cmac62) - dropped out 10/23/2018
5) Fruitcake Old Ale (@Auger)
6) Saffron Tripel (@Yeroc )
7) Christmas Gruit (@November)
8) Honey Ginger IPA (@Brewfessor) - last posts 12/22/17 and 9/29/18
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale (@mirthfuldragon)
10) Gingerbread Ale (@fourfarthing )
11) Spiced Bourbon Stout (@anotherbeerplease )
12) Abbey Weizen (@Zimm9)

Everyone else seems to be active skimming over the thread.
I am happy to coordinate distributing mailing addresses.
 
Well I've made my label choice. I think it'll be a lot of fun. Gonna bottle all 33 from the keg this weekend and prepare shipment to @jerbrew and his crew for early delivery. Once I get addresses for the rest of the confirmed group 1 members we'll ship those out too.
 
Just a heads up, I'm going to reach out to all of group one and hopefully have the addresses and status of everyone by next week. Any thoughts on a cutoff date if a member doesn't respond? I was thinking the latest "safe" ship date would be December 8.
 
jerbrew said:
Just a heads up, I'm going to reach out to all of group one and hopefully have the addresses and status of everyone by next week. Any thoughts on a cutoff date if a member doesn't respond? I was thinking the latest "safe" ship date would be December 8.
Click to expand...

Last year we started shipping the week after thanksgiving. You should send a group conversation so everyone gets an email notification to make them aware.

Someone from group 2 should also start a group conversation to notify all of them by email.

Right now it looks like group 1 has 7? and group 2 has 5?. If that’s all should we combine both even though some styles might be duplicated.

Also @jerbrew my address is the same
 
Right now I have addresses for 7 people, I have individually reached out to everyone in group one. I am confident that @HopHeavy and his brother are still on board, I saw something in the past saying they were on track, that would take us to 9. @TBC I will take your suggestion and setup a group conversation soon, hopefully I can hear from the remaining members of group 1 in the next day or two.
 
Group 2 Roll Call:

1) Caramel Quadrupel (@BigCrazyAl )
2) Spiced Cherry Dubbel (@btbnl) - posted here 2/28/18, then 5/11/18 generally
3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock (@Blackdirt_cowboy )
4) Juniper Rye Bock (@cmac62) - dropped out 10/23/18
5) Fruitcake Old Ale (@Auger)
6) Saffron Tripel (@Yeroc )
7) Christmas Gruit (@November)
8) Honey Ginger IPA (@Brewfessor) - last posts 12/22/17 and 9/29/18
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale (@mirthfuldragon)
10) Gingerbread Ale (@fourfarthing )
11) Spiced Bourbon Stout (@anotherbeerplease )
12) Abbey Weizen (@Zimm9)

BOLD names have sent me an address. Please PM me your address, and I will distribute the list.

Group conversations seem limited to 5 people, so I will use that later if necessary to confirm status.

Updated for @BigCrazyAl, @Auger, @Zimm9, @November, @fourfarthing, @Blackdirt_cowboy, @btbnl, @Yeroc, and myself.

Confirmed no: @cmac62
 
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I just pulled a small draw of my group 1 spiced dunkel weizenbock. Really excited to share this with the group, very proud of it. Maturing well and the spices are smooth and not overbearing. Going to bottle on Saturday and we'll get started on shipping out!
 
I assume I'm actually the group 1 fruitcake participant? Since Auger is listed as group 2?

Ready to go, just need to know what the shipping details are for when we get there.
 
Sorry for the long silence - I unwittingly backed into leading a billion-dollar telescope project and that has been taking 36 hours a day.

Fortunately I brewed the group #2 spiced cherry dubbel well before this and it has been aging ever since. Despite using 6lb of cherry puree, I'm a bit disappointed with how muted the cherry flavor is - if I'd had the time I would have re-brewed it. However, it is what it is and that's what you'll get!
 
This sounds like so much fun. I've been too busy this past year to feel reliable enough to participate. But now that we are settled into our first house, I finally have a steady work/home ratio and I have a dedicated brew space I'm eagerly awaiting putting my name on the list for the next holiday season! I even have full support from SWMBO :D
 
dawn_kiebawls said:
This sounds like so much fun. I've been too busy this past year to feel reliable enough to participate. But now that we are settled into our first house, I finally have a steady work/home ratio and I have a dedicated brew space I'm eagerly awaiting putting my name on the list for the next holiday season! I even have full support from SWMBO :D
Click to expand...

Welcom in advance. This is one of my favorite reasons to brew.
 

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