12 Beers of Christmas 2019 Edition

[jerbrew]

Yeah no worries; I don't care ... I liked the first Gingerbread Ale that I tried from whoever else made that one, so I am sure I'll like Jerbrew's. I just didn't know what it was, lol (no label, no hand written love notes, etc).

I’ll send you a love note in the mail twisted.

 

[jerbrew]

I think this may be a bad sign...@jerbrew. If this is accurate i think it means I wont get the Carmel Quad or the Saffron Tripel.

Crap, not good. I’ll call them on Thursday when they’re open. If it’s all bad, I’ll send you three more bottles of mine from a different batch, I split mine in two, that used a different yeast. It finished sweeter and I think better. The other was just done first and In time for shipment. I’ll also send some commercial beer for your troubles. I can’t speak for @gromitdj for any extra beer.

 

[wstbrewing]

@TBC can you PM me the recipe or link to the reprice you used for the Spiced Stout. I like the way it came out and want to base my 2020 version on yours.

[emoji482]

 

[TBC]

@TBC can you PM me the recipe or link to the reprice you used for the Spiced Stout. I like the way it came out and want to base my 2020 version on yours.

I’ll get to you in a day or two. Thanks

 

[wstbrewing]

I’ll get to you in a day or two. Thanks

No hurry and greatly appreciated. Great beer. [emoji482]

 

[anotherbeerplease]

Any updates to the Weizenbock from @bradccook? Did anyone get that beer?

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Any updates to the Weizenbock from @bradccook? Did anyone get that beer?

Perhaps someone can PM him? It’s not like he hasn’t been inactive on the forum.

 

[TwistedGray]

Any updates to the Weizenbock from @bradccook? Did anyone get that beer?

No one has; they have not shipped yet.

 

[grampamark]

Perhaps someone can PM him? It’s not like he hasn’t been inactive on the forum.

He was last logged in on Xmas Eve. His last post was in early October.

Edit. I sent him a PM. We’ll see what develops.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yes, he is still using the forum, unlike a few on the east coast that are just “gone” and didn’t respond to give their address. My thinking is instead of “public shaming” perhaps a personal contact would get some answers.

 

[grampamark]

Yes, he is still using the forum, unlike a few on the east coast that are just “gone”. My thinking is instead of public shaming perhaps a personal contact would get some answers.

I edited my post ^

 

[Jmarsh544]

Any updates to the Weizenbock from @bradccook? Did anyone get that beer?

I exchanged emails with him. He says he has been busy but he is going to get it shipped out in the next few days. Hopefully they will start arriving shortly.

 

[chrisgood1]

Crap, not good. I’ll call them on Thursday when they’re open. If it’s all bad, I’ll send you three more bottles of mine from a different batch, I split mine in two, that used a different yeast. It finished sweeter and I think better. The other was just done first and In time for shipment. I’ll also send some commercial beer for your troubles. I can’t speak for @gromitdj for any extra beer.

Any update on this? Did you get a chance to talk to FedEx?

 

[jerbrew]

Any update on this? Did you get a chance to talk to FedEx?

Bad news. It looks like FedEx Pooped the bed on this one. It was a "total loss". Somehow in the hubbub of Christmas shipping they destroyed the entire package. I am submitting a claim now and will send you some replacement beer. Apologies for the delay.

@gromitdj

 

[TwistedGray]

Bad news. It looks like FedEx Pooped the bed on this one. It was a "total loss". Somehow in the hubbub of Christmas shipping they destroyed the entire package. I am submitting a claim now and will send you some replacement beer. Apologies for the delay.

@gromitdj

My understanding/experience is that their handling of alcohol shipments is inconsistent. In one case they returned a package to the sender, and in all other cases the packages were destroyed.

 

[jerbrew]

My understanding/experience is that their handling of alcohol shipments is inconsistent. In one case they returned a package to the sender, and in all other cases the packages were destroyed.

Right. In fact, I was the recipient on one such package from you that they released to me, I had to go in and get lectured in person. In this case they said nothing about alcohol or contraband. Just that it was a "total loss". Not sure if that had anything to do with booze.

 

[gromitdj]

Bad news. It looks like FedEx Pooped the bed on this one. It was a "total loss". Somehow in the hubbub of Christmas shipping they destroyed the entire package. I am submitting a claim now and will send you some replacement beer. Apologies for the delay.

@gromitdj

@chrisgood1 : I'll see what I've got left that isn't promised to someone. I should be able to send a couple...

 

[TwistedGray]

Right. In fact, I was the recipient on one such package from you that they released to me, I had to go in and get lectured in person. In this case they said nothing about alcohol or contraband. Just that it was a "total loss". Not sure if that had anything to do with booze.

Oh they knew!! I think I received a letter about it and thus began the departure from using Fedex.

 

[Yeroc]

I was out of town last week. Arrived back at work today to find beers from @gromitdj, @jerbrew, and @fourfarthing (Dubbel swap). No broken bottles. The only thing missing is the Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock, which I guess nobody received.

Letting those new arrivals sit in the fridge for a few days, but I'm enjoying an Abbey Weizen from @grampamark tonight.

Thanks All!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Last night I started posting positive feedback for everyone I’ve gotten beer from, and I will get the rest today. If I have missed you, please pm me after today, and thanks for the beer!

 

[jerbrew]

Oh they knew!! I think I received a letter about it and thus began the departure from using Fedex.

hence the lecture they gave me about it.

 

[jerbrew]

@chrisgood1 : I'll see what I've got left that isn't promised to someone. I should be able to send a couple...

I am going to send him one or two of mine so he can at least try your beer. Everyone deserves a taste.

 

[anotherbeerplease]

Well I hate to call a guy out, but it IS/(was) the 12 beers of "christmas" and we are now well into Jan 2020 and it seems that none of us have received anything from @bradccook. @bradccook, it appears that you log in regularly to this site, and have received all of our beers from the west coast group, would you care to share your status please?

 

[Yeroc]

Well I hate to call a guy out, but it IS/(was) the 12 beers of "christmas" and we are now well into Jan 2020 and it seems that none of us have received anything from @bradccook. @bradccook, it appears that you log in regularly to this site, and have received all of our beers from the west coast group, would you care to share your status please?

I just sent @bradccook an email asking what happened. Has anyone else from the West Coast group done that or messaged @bradccook within HomeBrewTalk?

 

[grampamark]

I just sent @bradccook an email asking what happened. Has anyone else from the West Coast group done that or messaged @bradccook within HomeBrewTalk?

I sent him a message about a week ago. Crickets.

 

[TwistedGray]

Wow! I'm not a fan of IPAs, at all! This is seriously good, yum yum yum. The honey shines!! The ginger, mia. Or so very subtle. Well done

 

[Yeroc]

I sent him a message about a week ago. Crickets.

I heard back from @bradccook. Pasting the email below and there was a FedEx shipping slip attached.

FROM @bradccook: "Sorry for the extreme tardiness. I had updated Jeff with the same info. Again my sincerest apologies on how late it is. Everyone is getting there beer though. It's all on the way. Keep me updated on when you get it. And sorry if you guys tried to get ahold of me through the app, I've done a poor job at looking on lately. Crazy end of the year. But beer is on the way. Sorry again."

 

[jack13]

Wow! I'm not a fan of IPAs, at all! This is seriously good, yum yum yum. The honey shines!! The ginger, mia. Or so very subtle. Well done
View attachment 661410

Thanks! So glad you like it.

Your comment is surprising because I feel the opposite: that the ginger is too strong! In both the test batch and the final brew my issue was not getting enough hop flavor/aroma to overcome the ginger. (even though I upped the hops significantly for the final).

I like yours a lot, too. It actually inspired me to try to brew with anise. But that was based on the fact that I taste something unique in your beer, and since the only spice listed in the recipe that I'm not familiar with is anise, I figured that must be it. But after a chat with someone about it, I'm not so sure. Maybe it's the combination of spices that creates a unique flavor?

Let me ask you this: When you taste your BoC beer, what is the primary spice that comes out to you?

 

[TwistedGray]

Thanks! So glad you like it.

Your comment is surprising because I feel the opposite: that the ginger is too strong! In both the test batch and the final brew my issue was not getting enough hop flavor/aroma to overcome the ginger. (even though I upped the hops significantly for the final).

I like yours a lot, too. It actually inspired me to try to brew with anise. But that was based on the fact that I taste something unique in your beer, and since the only spice listed in the recipe that I'm not familiar with is anise, I figured that must be it. But after a chat with someone about it, I'm not so sure. Maybe it's the combination of spices that creates a unique flavor?

Let me ask you this: When you taste your BoC beer, what is the primary spice that comes out to you?

It's funny because for me, honey dominates all. No hop or ginger on my pallete.

And yeah, combination of spices, in my opinion. I used very little anise, and there are about a dozen other spices/adjuncts in there. If I don't forget, I will post up the list and ratios I used on Monday.

For me, the roastiness dominated my beer, and I can't pinpoint any specific spice. The previous years' offer tasted relatively close to what I came up with, so there's that, too. That makes me believe as long as you're not heavy handed on the anise you'd be fine a similar muddled flavor.. If my memory serves me right they, too, went light on the anise. ...it reminds me of winter by the fireplace.

 

[Yeroc]

@anotherbeerplease,
I‘m enjoying a second bottle of your fruitcake old ale and thinking about what I’ll do when brewing it for West Coast 2020. I make my own “gourmet fruitcake” every few years, and the aroma of your ale was spot on IMHO. You veered way from the Randy Mosher recipe and did something a little different, right? Curious what you would do the same or different if you were brewing this again. Anything different with the grain bill or the dried fruit ratios?

Cheers!