12 Beers of Christmas 2020 Edition

[TBC]

As long as you're sending out messages, might as well start compiling the home address list.

That’s a pretty good idea, wasn’t even thinking about that. I will work on that also

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Thanks, @TBC - hopefully my brewing skills are better than my reading abilities!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

eh, I think I get it. I'm a bit of a controller, always telling people what they should do. Maybe that's the result of raising a bunch of kids and running a biz.

Yeah, you even liked TBC’s post yesterday where he said he would PM everyone in 2weeks. Raising kids and running a biz makes you a leader.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

in the recipe for #11, are you supposed to add the full 8+ ounces of Vodka/Bourbon/spice tincture into the fermentor? Seems like quite a bit to me. Also, what's the purpose of the Vodka? I've never made a tincture so I'm a little confused by it. Sorry for asking what is probably a dumb question, I just want to make sure I'm even capable of this before I commit to the exchange and ask my wife if I can spend $200 on it...fortunately she likes Stouts lol

edit: wife says no..I'll be ready to roll for next years exchange though. Cheers!

 

[yoop89]

Should be bottling this weekend or next. Label is getting some final touches and sent to the printers soon too! Looking forward to this exchange.

 

[fourfarthing]

I can probably do the Abbey Weizen for the expanded group, assuming it comes out as planned.

 

[RPh_Guy]

For what it's worth, I'm fine having the smaller west coast group.

 

[satph]

@fourfarthing and I are going to ship and receive together. I had a gingerbread brown over the weekend and I am happy the spices are mellowing. Now I need to get the labels printed.

I brewed the Saffron Tripel last year for the East Coast last year and still have a case of it I can share with the expanded group.

 

[grampamark]

For what it's worth, I'm fine having the smaller west coast group.

As am I.

 

[JAReeves]

I'm good with whatever the rest of the West Coasters decide. This is my first share, so I'll just sit in the corner and let the adults talk.

 

[j1laskey]

I just kegged the East Coast Gruit yesterday. I am going to let it naturally carb over the next 3-4 weeks.

At tasting yesterday, the spices had mellowed and blended well since last tasting. The addition of wild flower honey about 6 weeks ago into the secondary is a nice addition.

I will probably bottle and ship just before Thanksgiving. We will be taking our last trip to RVA for a while for the holiday. We are expecting tin boys anytime after Christmas.

 

[TBC]

Okay everyone who is listed as participating should have received a message from me. If you didn’t please let me know.

 

[jack13]

I just kegged the East Coast Gruit yesterday. I am going to let it naturally carb over the next 3-4 weeks.

At tasting yesterday, the spices had mellowed and blended well since last tasting. The addition of wild flower honey about 6 weeks ago into the secondary is a nice addition.

I will probably bottle and ship just before Thanksgiving. We will be taking our last trip to RVA for a while for the holiday. We are expecting tin boys anytime after Christmas.

This will be my first gruit. Looking forward.

Yours is guaranteed to be the best I've ever had. I won't think it through any further than that.

 

[TBC]

Okay here are the updated lists for active participants. It looks like 8 participants in the east group and 7 in the west group. I haven’t heard from a few in the east are who are MIA. If I hear from any of them I will add them back.

There are a few openings in both groups if anyone last minute stragglers are interested.

GROUP 1 (East Coast)

1) Caramel Quadruple @passedpawn
2) Spiced Cherry Dubbel @CaddyWampus
3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock
4) Juniper Rye Bock @jack13
5) Fruitcake Old Ale. @Hoppy2bmerry
6) Saffron Tripel
7) Christmas Gruit @j1laskey
8) Honey Ginger IPA
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale @TBC
10) Gingerbread Ale @satph
11) Spiced Bourbon Stout
12) Abbey Weizen @fourfarthing


GROUP 2 (West Coast)

1) Caramel Quadruple @jerbrew
2) Spiced Cherry Dubbel
3) Spiced Dunkel Weizenbock @grampamark
4) Juniper Rye Bock
5) Fruitcake Old Ale @Yeroc
6) Saffron Tripel
7) Christmas Gruit @yoop89
8) Honey Ginger IPA @JAReeves
9) Crabapple Lambicky Ale @RPh_Guy
10) Gingerbread Ale @Ultryx
11) Spiced Bourbon Stout
12) Abbey Weizen

 

[Yeroc]

Okay here are the updated lists for active participants. It looks like 8 participants in the east group and 7 in the west group. I haven’t heard from @Yeroc yet In the west and a few from the east are MIA. If I hear from any of them I will add them back.

There are a few openings in both groups if anyone last minute stragglers are interested.

West Coast
5) Fruitcake Old Ale

Sorry for the slow reply. I’m still in. Beer is bottled and awaiting labels.

 

[RPh_Guy]

When should we be shipping?

 

[TBC]

When should we be shipping?

That is up to you. All participants should receive their packages before Christmas. I try to ship the week after Thanksgiving. You can ship earlier if you‘d like to avoid the Black Friday rush.

 

[TBC]

All participants should have received their groups addresses. If you haven’t received it let me know. Please double check your address to make sure I entered it correctly.

 

[user 263363]

I just want to be up front that I will not be shipping by Thanksgiving. I’ve been monitoring my last brew and it has ended up with a medicinal taste that I can’t get by and I don’t expect anyone else to drink it.

This morning I brewed up another batch of dubbel. They might be a bit young, but I should be able to ship out no later than mid-December and hopefully sooner.

 

[passedpawn]

Where possible, ship early. Shipping delays this year will be the norm between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Everyone is shopping online instead of canvassing the mall shops.

 

[j1laskey]

East coast gruit sample.
I used priming sugar to carb this keg about 6 weeks ago. I wasn’t quite satisfied with the CO2 levels so I rocked some gas into the keg today. My plan is to let this sit for a week in the fridge and then bottle via my beer gun late next week and ship out the following week

cheers!

 

[Ultryx]

Hoping to ship out in the next week or two. Life has been crazy! Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!

 

[yoop89]

West coast Gruit is chilling and labels are ready. Should be on its way this week sometime!

 

[jack13]

Got my labels in and beer's been done for awhile. I'll be following passedpawn's advice and shipping asap.

 

[j1laskey]

East Coast Gruit has been dropped off at UPS.

Please check the updated tracking # for arrival.

I believe 2 people are getting boxes tomorrow!

One on Saturday, two on Monday and one on Tuesday!

Keep an eye out as these boxes will have my wife's name on them as the sender and not mine. She gets a better rate through her work account shipping via UPS.

Cheers everyone!

 

[passedpawn]

I'll be shipping mine next week (haha, they've been boxed since July). Hope they make it through the shipping juggernaut in these fancy boxes. Some did break last time.

 

[jack13]

I'll be shipping mine next week (haha, they've been boxed since July). Hope they make it through the shipping juggernaut in these fancy boxes. Some did break last time.

I think we are using the same boxes. I'm going to try to wrap them in bubble wrap. I've got some that's thin enough that should still allow the bottles to fit. And if I run out I'll improvise. Well that's the plan at least.

 

[jack13]

Just dropped boxes off at UPS! I'll pass along the tracking numbers.

 

[TBC]

First box has landed from @j1laskey

Mine are scheduled to ship tomorrow.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I have discovered that my fruitcake ale is very under carbed so after thanksgiving I will correct that. Shipping will happen around 12/7 and should still be good for arrival before Christmas.

 

[TBC]

East coast Juniper Bock arrived safely today from @jack13

 

[jack13]

First box has landed from @j1laskey

Mine are scheduled to ship tomorrow.

View attachment 707588

Hey @j1laskey, what's the bonus beer?

 

[passedpawn]

I think we are using the same boxes. I'm going to try to wrap them in bubble wrap. I've got some that's thin enough that should still allow the bottles to fit. And if I run out I'll improvise. Well that's the plan at least.

I received yours. I'm going to open my boxes and use the same bubble wrap you did. That's a great idea. (so, I haven't shipped mine yet).

 

[jack13]

I received yours. I'm going to open my boxes and use the same bubble wrap you did. That's a great idea. (so, I haven't shipped mine yet).

Oh, cool. Yeah, small price to pay for peace of mind!

 

[user 263363]

To all the east coasters, I shipped out today. If interested I can pass on tracking numbers, but all packages are due by Friday via USPS. I’ve shipped quite a bit of beer but I still get nervous every time lol.

You will find that there are different bottles. In a last second decision I split my last batch of Dubbel as I have struggled over multiple batches of the cherry flavor. I have included 2 bottles of cherry Dubbel and a standard Dubbel. Upon sampling yesterday, the cherry is pretty well carbed but the standard version may need a few more days before it’s thrown in the fridge.

 

[Yeroc]

The West Coast Old Ale was dropped at FedEx today.

Here is some background on this beer. This old ale is a blend. I originally made the Radical Brewing old ale with fruit and spices, but I found the spice too strong and the dried fruit flavor not what I expected. So, I brewed a second batch using the Brewing Classic Styles recipe with no spice or fruit added. After initial fermentation, I pulled one gallon of the Classic Styles batch into a jug with brett and let the brett do its thing for months. In October I did some blending of the 3 batches and bottled with a small amount of priming sugar.

I pasteurized the one gallon of the brett ale, which I’ve done successfully before, but a week after bottling I noticed a pellicle forming in the bottle necks. Odd since I was sure the pasteurization was long enough and hot enough. I turned the bottles over a few times and the pellicles were gone and didn’t return. I’ve been sampling the beer since then and it is not over carbed. Actually, the carbonation is very low, which is what I wanted. So, I don’t know what to tell you. Drink it this holiday season, or if you’re like me and you save a bottle of two to sample in the coming year, maybe keep it in the fridge just to be safe.

I’m actually very happy with the beer, and I think the one gallon of bretted beer helps give this a nice dry finish and maybe just a little bit of a leather quality… but you tell me.

Happy Holidays!

 

[j1laskey]

Hey @j1laskey, what's the bonus beer?

The extra is the winter warmer I make for Christmas. It’s a dubble with figs and star anise. .....I also got your beers too. I was away for thanksgiving. All safe and sound !

 

[j1laskey]

@TBC i got your beers too!!!!

 

[TBC]

Package arrived from @CaddyWampus

 

[user 263363]

Package arrived from @CaddyWampus
View attachment 708810

Glad everything made it