12 Beers of Christmas 2019 Edition

[fourfarthing]

Hey all, I am afraid I have some sad news. Brother Pete had his last call June 3, 2019. No joke. (Pete's obituary.) Trying to help out my sister in law to tie up all the loose ends and, well, there was this.

I intend to help my nephew, Ryan, brew the Honey Ginger IPA. Ryan has followed in his father's footsteps to become an attorney and may yet assume the mantle of homebrewer, as well. I just retired so I intend to brew the summer away...

No pity party. Just thought it appropriate to tell those involved in this arrangement of the change in circumstances.

My condolences.

 

[wstbrewing]

Hey all, I am afraid I have some sad news. Brother Pete had his last call June 3, 2019. No joke. (Pete's obituary.) Trying to help out my sister in law to tie up all the loose ends and, well, there was this.

I intend to help my nephew, Ryan, brew the Honey Ginger IPA. Ryan has followed in his father's footsteps to become an attorney and may yet assume the mantle of homebrewer, as well. I just retired so I intend to brew the summer away...

No pity party. Just thought it appropriate to tell those involved in this arrangement of the change in circumstances.

Condolences...

 

[HopHeavy]

Thanks guys. Like I said, no pity party!

Looks like a few of the brews are coming along pretty well. Nice!

 

[TwistedGray]

Into the bottles it goes!! Plenty of aging time

 

[TwistedGray]

Changing the oil on my beer...

 

[TwistedGray]

Hope to pull samples from the uKeg by Saturday or Sunday. I might try a splash later today

 

[satph]

I brewed the east coast Saffron Tripel. I added grains of paradise to the whirlpool. When I tried the beer before bottling, I couldn't detect any GoP. I bottled with jaggery sugar, saffron and more GoP. I don't think any saffron threads made it into the bottles, but I did have to clean out the spring loaded bottling wand a couple of times. I couldn't help myself and cracked one open, Big hit of saffron on the nose and a bright yellow orange tinge to the color, I couldn't detect GoP. I have them carbonating at 75° to make sure the 3787 doesn't go to sleep.

 

[stansoid]

Hey West Coast group!

Token Canadian here.

I finally managed to source all the weird ingredients for the Christmas Gruit! I am going to brew it next week after a visit to get the malts and hops for the base recipe from a homebrew shop when I am visiting Milwaukee over the weekend.

I setup a business shipping address at a drop shipper in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan to send and receive from. Looking forward to this. Already setting up a tasting party with friends.

 

[tochsner]

West Coast Group -
After 5 months in the primary, I transferred the Lambicky onto cranberries today. Couldn't find any good crab apples.
Let the brett work on those for 3 months or so, then I will keg it up. Sample tastes pretty good. Maybe a touch more bitter than I wanted but I suspect that will go away.

BTW, is this group full? The front page hasn't been updated and shows a few empty spots.

 

[TwistedGray]

View attachment 638347 View attachment 638348 View attachment 638349
BTW, is this group full? The front page hasn't been updated and shows a few empty spots.

Pretty sure we are full. You can only edit posts for x number of days (not many), so they cannot update the first post.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Seeing all the shared pictures is giving me motivation. I have a couple events coming up, and surely will get my Christmas brew going, before August is done. Cheers!

 

[fourfarthing]

Dubbel trouble. Coming along and cherries acquired

Haven’t needed a blowoff for a long time!

 

[Jmarsh544]

Looking good everyone! Can’t wait for December to get here!

 

[Yeroc]

@MapleGroveAleworks are all the slots still filled, or has anyone dropped out and not been replaced?

Is there anyone out there who hasn't started their beer and is now having second thoughts about getting it done? I'm thinking there is still a little time for someone to step up and brew a beer if life has just gotten too busy for anyone. I'm really hoping that all 12 beers get made in both groups this time around.

My Cherry Dubbel (West Coast) is bottled and aging. I still need to make some labels.

 

[Jtk78]

@MapleGroveAleworks are all the slots still filled, or has anyone dropped out and not been replaced?

Is there anyone out there who hasn't started their beer and is now having second thoughts about getting it done? I'm thinking there is still a little time for someone to step up and brew a beer if life has just gotten too busy for anyone. I'm really hoping that all 12 beers get made in both groups this time around.

My Cherry Dubbel (West Coast) is bottled and aging. I still need to make some labels.

I haven't started the gingerbread ale in the east yet, but will get it done next month. It's just a brown ale with the spices added, and I have my recipe formulated. I didn't want to brew it too early & have the spices fall off. Thought I'd post since I haven't been very active here lately.

 

[fourfarthing]

@MapleGroveAleworks are all the slots still filled, or has anyone dropped out and not been replaced?

Is there anyone out there who hasn't started their beer and is now having second thoughts about getting it done? I'm thinking there is still a little time for someone to step up and brew a beer if life has just gotten too busy for anyone. I'm really hoping that all 12 beers get made in both groups this time around.

My Cherry Dubbel (West Coast) is bottled and aging. I still need to make some labels.

Mine goes on cherries this weekend.

 

[grampamark]

I’m brewing the Abbey Weizen in the west. I made a batch earlier this year to see if I was on the right track. That turned out to be a tasty enough brew, but not very holiday-ish. I’m going to brew another batch in a couple of weeks and split it between two fermenters so I can try 2 different yeasts and two different combinations of spices and adjuncts. I’ll settle on the final recipe and brew the “keeper” in early October.

This is a style that shouldn’t really need to age, so I don’t anticipate going down to the wire.

 

[chrisgood1]

I am in the same boat on the west gingerbread ale. I have my brew day and time line all mapped out but did not want to pull the trigger too early and have the spice fade.

 

[jack13]

I am in the same boat on the west gingerbread ale. I have my brew day and time line all mapped out but did not want to pull the trigger too early and have the spice fade.

Same here with Honey Ginger IPA. Hops will fade.

 

[HopHeavy]

Happy to say the East Coast Quad is on schedule. Just over 10% ABV. Ryan's Honey Ginger IPA is on deck, due to the plate in October.

 

[TwistedGray]

The resurrection of the thread made me put one of mine in the fridge yesterday, and I still have one left of last year's stout to compare to. I think they are quite comparable, but tomorrow will tell. Mine has been aging for just two months now.

 

[NGD]

Pulled a sample; it's coming along.
View attachment 625023

The architecture of your home looks similar to my chicken coop. If I lived in your location, I would have an open space plan as well. [emoji106]

How’d that stout turn out?

 

[TwistedGray]

The architecture of your home looks similar to my chicken coop. If I lived in your location, I would have an open space plan as well. [emoji106]

How’d that stout turn out?

A little cat enclosure for the cats to go outside but not escape. Now we have tall fencing, so it's not so much of an issue...we actually give them free reign to go in and out of the backyard during the day (I also work from home so I make sure they don't do anything stupid).

I had it two months ago, and it was quite nice. I have one chilling now, but I'm hoping to get someone to split with me, so I can pop mine and 2018's offering (not mine) for a blind taste comparison. I can't drink them both, lol, or my stomach will get all bleh (continued stomach woes - lol, it's not the beer; it's me).

 

[stansoid]

The spices for the west coast group Christmas Gruit. This is the weirdest beer I have ever made... and I did a fruit cake barley wine a few years ago...

God help us all.

 

[jack13]

The spices for the west coast group Christmas Gruit. This is the weirdest beer I have ever made... and I did a fruit cake barley wine a few years ago...

God help us all.View attachment 643075

Can't wait!

 

[TwistedGray]

The spices for the west coast group Christmas Gruit. This is the weirdest beer I have ever made... and I did a fruit cake barley wine a few years ago...

God help us all.View attachment 643075

I should've done a picture like that, doh!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I’ll be making candied ginger this weekend for the spiced Weizenbock.

 

[anotherbeerplease]

Just checking in since I haven't posted much this year. All is still on track for the Old Ale (group 2). I last tasted it a few months ago immediately after taking it off the fruit. The fruit definitely changed the beer, mostly for the better but it also added some sharper and unexpected qualities that I hope will age out. I am hoping for a fully mellow and balanced old ale experience.

I brewed it in January so I'm thinking it will have ample age on it to be truly an "old" ale. Probably some oxidized character which is fine for the style. I brewed with Bell's cultured yeast and I think that was a good way to go, lots of fruity esters with a very smooth mouthfeel.

Thinking of beer labels now... maybe something along these lines:

 

[fourfarthing]

Hey look. Group 1 Cherry Dubbel in bottles.

If anyone does not want a 750 in lieu of 2 375s please let me know. I intend to ship 1 bada$$ Belgian 750 and one 375 instead of 3 375s this year.

 

[jack13]

Brewed the Honey Ginger IPA today (West Coast group)!