12 Beers of Christmas 2022 Edition

CornyKegs 728
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If we get a full list to ship, that will be a first I think at HBT. And if that happens, I will be sending out something special and commemorative. I know I know, I shipped super late last year, and I shipped a different beer the year before. But I shipped a Christmas beer and I’m brewing this one as a first draft next weekend. I’m pretty excited about it. My master’s is over as of this week and I have my life back until August to brew some beer.
 
jerbrew said:
If we get a full list to ship, that will be a first I think at HBT. And if that happens, I will be sending out something special and commemorative. I know I know, I shipped super late last year, and I shipped a different beer the year before. But I shipped a Christmas beer and I’m brewing this one as a first draft next weekend. I’m pretty excited about it. My master’s is over as of this week and I have my life back until August to brew some beer.
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Congrats on the MA!
 
I sort of have a 2 parter here.

First: for anyone watching the thread that has done the Juniper Rye Bock are the juniper berries part of the IBU calculation or do IBUs come solely from the hops?

Second: Since we are all home brewers here and experimenting should can be expected to a degree, would anyone mind if I took this beer the braggot route? I’m really thinking the juniper and rye would play well with an earthy variety of honey like avocado blossom or buckwheat. Feel free to let me know your thoughts.
 
CaddyWampus said:
I sort of have a 2 parter here.

First: for anyone watching the thread that has done the Juniper Rye Bock are the juniper berries part of the IBU calculation or do IBUs come solely from the hops?

Second: Since we are all home brewers here and experimenting should can be expected to a degree, would anyone mind if I took this beer the braggot route? I’m really thinking the juniper and rye would play well with an earthy variety of honey like avocado blossom or buckwheat. Feel free to let me know your thoughts.
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When I did the Juniper Rye Bock, I didn't get any additional bitterness from the Juniper berries. A whole lot of flavor, unique flavor, but no bitterness to speak of

On your second question. I don't think anyone would mind some experimentation. Mosher's whole premise of the 12 beers of Christmas is to think outside of what is a Christmas beer and explore the possibilities. SO my vote is go for it and I can't wait to try it.
 
jerbrew said:
When I did the Juniper Rye Bock, I didn't get any additional bitterness from the Juniper berries. A whole lot of flavor, unique flavor, but no bitterness to speak of

On your second question. I don't think anyone would mind some experimentation. Mosher's whole premise of the 12 beers of Christmas is to think outside of what is a Christmas beer and explore the possibilities. SO my vote is go for it and I can't wait to try it.
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Thanks!

I am going to the LHBS Monday to get ingredients for a trial run. I’m going to split a 2 gallon batch with different honeys to see how they work.
 
Ordered the final ingredients for the Gruit today. Hoping to brew it at the end of the month. Probably going with Forbidden Fruit yeast, but LHBS guy says he brews Gruit every year (one of his favorites) and recommended a traditional English yeast.

Waiting to compare different spice blends before making a final decision on that.
 
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Working on my test batches for the braggot. I have avocado blossom honey and what’s called Bakers Select. I’m very interested to see how this turns out!

600D9DD1-2866-4027-BD82-3084AFA9A5E3.jpeg
 
How is everyone making out? I’ve been slacking on here life’s been busy. I plan on going on an ingredients run within the next week.

for those of you that use beerlabelizer.com for labels I received an email that they are 50% off for the month. I have to get the boss to come up with a theme for this year.

If for some reason you can’t keep your commitment let me know so we can try to find a replacement.
 
TBC said:
How is everyone making out? I’ve been slacking on here life’s been busy. I plan on going on an ingredients run within the next week.

for those of you that use beerlabelizer.com for labels I received an email that they are 50% off for the month. I have to get the boss to come up with a theme for this year.

If for some reason you can’t keep your commitment let me know so we can try to find a replacement.
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So far so good. Thanks for the heads up on the labels! I always need help in that department for sure.
 
TBC said:
...for those of you that use beerlabelizer.com for labels I received an email that they are 50% off for the month. I have to get the boss to come up with a theme for this.
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I'm already stressed since I haven't bottled a beer in over 20 years. I refuse to worry about labels. Don't be surprised if my selection shows up with painter's tape and a sharpie. :)
 
wetmk said:
I'm already stressed since I haven't bottled a beer in over 20 years. I refuse to worry about labels. Don't be surprised if my selection shows up with painter's tape and a sharpie. :)
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At least with a tripel, bottle conditioning is ordinary… I always feel a little sad when I open a bottle or can of homebrew and it’s flat. Some of my own swing tops aren’t lined up jut right and have been flat. ☹️ It embarrassing when it happens with company or HBC meeting.
 
Gruit supplies arrived. I may brew it Friday.

Still weighing spice options. I couldn't find laurel leaves, but I have everything else. And I am weighing any additional spices.

Below is what I have from the actual recipe and then additional spices I have onhand (and listed in other gruit recipes). Let me know if anyone has any input/suggestions

Recipe:

4 oz juniper, crushed;
1 tblsp ceylon cinnamon;
0.5 tsp bog myrtle/sweet gale;
0.25 tsp rosemary;
0.12 tsp mace;
(2 California Bay Laurel Leaves)

Onhand:

camomile,
coriander
ginger,
wormwood,
mugwort,
sage,
grains of paradise,
star anise,
caraway,
clove,
thyme,
rubarb,
orange peel

I'm probably just adding 1-2 spices to replace the laurel leaves, but otherwise sticking to the original spices.

Edit: wait, are "California Bay Laurel Leaves" just a type of bay leaf? If so, I already have "bay leaves".
 
GoodTruble said:
Gruit supplies arrived. I may brew it Friday.

Still weighing spice options. I couldn't find laurel leaves, but I have everything else. And I am weighing any additional spices.

Below is what I have from the actual recipe and then additional spices I have onhand (and listed in other gruit recipes). Let me know if anyone has any input/suggestions

Recipe:

4 oz juniper, crushed;
1 tblsp ceylon cinnamon;
0.5 tsp bog myrtle/sweet gale;
0.25 tsp rosemary;
0.12 tsp mace;
(2 California Bay Laurel Leaves)

Onhand:

camomile,
coriander
ginger,
wormwood,
mugwort,
sage,
grains of paradise,
star anise,
caraway,
clove,
thyme,
rubarb,
orange peel

I'm probably just adding 1-2 spices to replace the laurel leaves, but otherwise sticking to the original spices.

Edit: wait, are "California Bay Laurel Leaves" just a type of bay leaf? If so, I already have "bay leaves".
Click to expand...
California Bay on their way as of yesterday (how's that for alliteration?). So fragrant, I hope they make it there without complications.
 
Bottled my test batches of Juniper Rye Braggot today. Oddly enough, there’s a gravity difference between the two. The Bakers Special version finished at 1.004 and the Avocado blossom version finished at 1.010. The only differences were the honey and honey is definitely 100% fermentable. Oh well. Both samples showed promise though. I could pick out the honey, juniper, and rye. I can’t wait until they are carbed up and ready to try.

9DB75F7C-EC56-4CC0-A3FB-828EDDC1319C.jpeg
 
For the Gruit, do I/should I still include the tettnang hops from the dunkel weizenbock recipe? The instructions say "start with the dunkel weizenbock recipe (Number 4) but substitute the following spices....". So should I keep the hops or leave the hops out?
 
Thanks. I was thinking about using some small amount of neutral hops anyway, just as a safety net for preservation and against infection. I think true "gruit" doesn't use hops at all, but I think that degree of authenticity is not worth potentially shipping infected bottles all over the country. =c)
 
For the fruit cake ale, it’s not clear if I add the hydrated fruit with the liquid or just the fruit.

I’m thinking just the fruit, drained, otherwise I’m diluting the beer and a greater risk of infection/oxidation.

Has anyone made this beer before?
 
Mosher calls for boiling water. I used 3 parts boiling water and 1 part rum. I think about 32 oz total to cover the fruit.

Presumably, the fruit absorbed equally.

If I strain, I plan to measure the reserve liquid so I know how much was absorbed.
 
Ah. How much unabsorbed liquid do you estimate there is? I agree with probably discarding, but I am also curious about straining the liquid, simmering to reduce a bit, cooling and dumping it in. I just wonder how much fruit flavor is in the liquid (but I have never brewed this and am definitely just talking out my a__)
 
Potentially calling an audible ......

I just brewed/kegged/tasted a Saison that I brewed with Lallemand Farmhouse Saison Hybrid. It's good, but doesn't have the depth and esters I usually get from my usual Saison yeast (Wyeast 3724). BUT - my very first thought was that it would be great for Wit. Second thought: This may be a really good option for the Gruit (which I hope to brew this weekend). -It literally tastes like what I pictured for the Gruit, minus the crazy spices.

So a couple of crazy thoughts followed - (1) I could pitch the Gruit directly onto the yeast cake from the Saison (I kegged/bottled Sunday using a closed transfer from a Fermzilla all-rounder, leaving over an inch of beer on top of the yeast cake, and it has remained sealed under 7 psi because I didn't have time to clean the fermenters yet). Alternatively (2), I could pitch onto yeast cake and still add a Forbidden Fruit starter and just see what yeast wins ..... a bit whacky but a possibility.

Or (3) I can just go with original plan - make a yeast starter using a frozen Forbidden Fruit harvest. If the starter looks/smells good, go with it, and if any concerns with starter, I have a package of Mangrove Jack M21 Wit yeast I can just direct pitch.

Since you all have a dog in this fight, let me know if anyone has a strong preference or suggestion.

Also, if the first batch fails, I will just brew again. But timing will get a little close because I will be pushing into October at that point (and will have wasted some fine CA Bay Laurel Leaves =c) ).
 

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