Brewer's Best Holiday Ale

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Lunarpancake

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Just got my Brewer's Best Holiday Ale in and was wondering if anyone has ever brewed this and if they had any suggestions. This is my first beer-brew (I have brewed Cider and Branden O's Graff already)

Also a question: The ingredient list lists 1lb of Golden DME the package lists the DME as Light DME....says nothing about being "golden". Is this normal?

*EDIT* Another question: After word cools as per directions it says to avoid transferring heavy sediment to the fermenter. Should I use something to strain the wort? Should I just add the flavoring and bittering hops and spice pack in nylon bags so I do not have to strain later on?




Ingredients:

FERMENTABLES
6.6lb Light LME
1lb Golden DME
1lb Corn Sugar

SPECIALTY GRAINS
12oz crystal 80L
4oz Chocolate
4oz Black Patent

SPICE PACK

HOPS
1.5 oz Bittering
1 oz Flavoring

Yeast
 
I have this in secondary currently, and will bottle on Friday. This way it has some time to bottle condition. As far as avoiding the heavy sediment in transfer it's more of a preference. I decided to rack into a secondary so I wasn't real concerned with what little sediment got into the primary. So I just added everything directly into the wort. I would advise the use of a blow off rather than just using an airlock though. For two reasons one it has a higher gravity and two the various spices(orange peels) may clog an airlock. Good luck and I'm sure it will turn out great!
 
I bottled this last Thursday from secondary and every step of the way it has been great (except the spigot on my bottling bucket leaking and in an attempt to stop it, I plunged my arm into the bucket and when that did not work I poured the brew into my primary bucket). I used a strainer when transferring the wort from the pot to the primary. Some stuff got through, but it did not seem to be a big deal. My DME said light as well, but tasted good at the various stages.
 
thanks for the replies..... I plan on using a secondary and have ordered a 1/2" ID blow off tube/ bung for my better bottles already that I will use for the first 3 days or so of fermentation.


Just to clarify I can go ahead and dump the entire wort into primary fermenter once its cooled, I do not need to worry about the sediment since I plan on racking into secondary?

If this is correct, when should I look to rack into secondary?
 
You can and everything will settle out. I left mine in primary for 3 weeks before moving to secondary.
 
Yes absolutely, I left mine in the primary for two weeks and then it went into the secondary for two as well. I've heard that this one requires a little extra time to condition in the bottles. I'll give mine a try at Christmas.
 
I am planning on waiting until Christmas too, but I don't think I will make it until then.
 
I know the addition of the spice pack was amazing! Just out of curiosity what did you end up with for your O.G. Mine was 1.070 but the FG ended up being 1.018 which puts me at 6.8% not bad by any means. Much better than my Imperial Nut Brown that is stuck at 1.030 after 3 weeks!
 
Also a question: The ingredient list lists 1lb of Golden DME the package lists the DME as Light DME....says nothing about being "golden". Is this normal?

Yes its normal. With extract, at least with Breiss:

Pilsen is also referred to as Extra Light
Golden as Light
Amber is Amber
Dark is Dark.
 
My wife and I brewed this last year and I just drank the last one, last night. It's really good and definitely get's better with age, so if you can definitely save a couple for next year. Enjoy.
 
I know the addition of the spice pack was amazing! Just out of curiosity what did you end up with for your O.G. Mine was 1.070 but the FG ended up being 1.018 which puts me at 6.8% not bad by any means. Much better than my Imperial Nut Brown that is stuck at 1.030 after 3 weeks!

Just checked the OG in my log and it was 1.075 not 1.065....oops.


Also just checked the ale and its currently at 1.020 after 7 days. I decided to rack it off the primary since I never strained the hops/spice pack before putting it into the primary. :D

Took a sip of the sample i used for hydrometer and it is very strong and needs some time to mellow a bit and age. But I can tell I will like this a LOT. So far it makes me think of a spiced Guinness, and Guinness happens to be my favorite production beer. :rockin:
 
My wife and I brewed this last year and I just drank the last one, last night. It's really good and definitely get's better with age, so if you can definitely save a couple for next year. Enjoy.

I keg ....and have 6 kegs now (wow 6 really? jeez) so im sure ill be able to leave this in the keg for a while and be patient.
 
I let it spend a week in the secondary, and checked the gravity again and it was still 1.020 so I racked it into the keg......purged the air with some c02 and now the waiting begins.

I think im going to wait 2-3 weeks and then throw the keg in the fridge for 3-4 days with 20psi on it to carb it. Any sugestions?
 
welcome to the 1020 club.



I have a feeling it had to do with my aeration. I only shook the carboy for 15 seconds or so. Ill shake it for more like a full min next batch. Still....... 1.075 to 1.020 is going to leave me with a little bit over 7% abv. I am perfectly happy with that.

Now if this was started at 1.05 or so......id be upset.
 
Tasted this one the other night and I was really impressed! Hope everyone else is happy with theirs. Merry Christmas Everyone!
 
Brewed this one Oct. 23 2009. It's been in the bottles a few weeks now and is very good.
 
I have to agree. Despite plunging my arm into the bottling bucket because the spigot was leaking and then having to dump the brew into another ale pail while I tried to fix the leak, it tastes great!
 
Did anyone get past 1020 on theirs, mines been in primary for 3 weeks now and is at 1020. I'm in no big hurry for the beer just the carboy. I'm going to bottle and save the beer for next christmas.
 
Did anyone get past 1020 on theirs, mines been in primary for 3 weeks now and is at 1020. I'm in no big hurry for the beer just the carboy. I'm going to bottle and save the beer for next christmas.


I just bought the same kit too and was thinking the same thing about letting it condition for next Christmas. I haven't started it yet but would the beer be fine for that long? Will it spoil?

That's my main concern, I am new to brewing and this would be my 3rd batch.
 
I still have 2 BB Christmas Ales from Xmas 2008, they definitely get better with age. In fact right around Xmas we still had about 12 left and the people that tried them thought they we great.
 
I still have 2 BB Christmas Ales from Xmas 2008, they definitely get better with age. In fact right around Xmas we still had about 12 left and the people that tried them thought they we great.

Thanks!... I am going to try and save my batch till Christmas 2010.
 
Did anyone get past 1020 on theirs, mines been in primary for 3 weeks now and is at 1020. I'm in no big hurry for the beer just the carboy. I'm going to bottle and save the beer for next christmas.

nope, had it going for 2 months, and it never got any lower. But, it is getting tastier with time. Had one last night. The spices really come through.
 
My batch ended at 1020 as well, but every time I have one it tastes even better.

The only problem I have with this batch is there is very little head. Any suggestions on how I could remedy this next time around?
 
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