Do you want to brew one of the 12 beers of Christmas?

[Scruffy1207]

Just read the entire thread! Amazing idea. I'm sad I couldn't get involved (but I actually only started homebrewing in June of this year). I'd love to participate next year, though. Funny how good beer brings people together.

I'm down to do this again. Maybe a summer or fall version.

 

[usfmikeb]

Also, my holiday travel plans are set, I'll be in Florida from Dec 17 until Jan 3. So, when we setup all the shipping details, I'll ask that we work out arrangements to either ensure that shipping reaches me before Dec 17, or that you hold it so I don't receive until after I return. I live in a freeze zone, so any beer package left at my door will get destroyed.

Murphy's law is kicking in here! Turns out that we aren't going to Florida, and it's a long story. So, instead I'll be spending time at home for two weeks, and you can ship em whenever.

I don't know how I'm going to handle two weeks off at home. Might need to buy some more 6.5 gallon carboys, so I can brew several batches of beer!

 

[KFH]

So, yeah... there's been a complication.

Turns out my girlfriend's youngest daughter has been using "the pretty bottles" (my fermenters with holiday brews) as a toy of sorts, depositing change, crayons, and God knows what else for about a week and a half now. One of the unfortunate causalities was my contribution to the 12 beers of Christmas. Looking at the calendar, I don't think I can get another batch made in time to meet the deadline.

What I can do is substitute my entry with some spiced apfelwien, however. This is really all I have available at the moment, and with my current schedule I don't think I'd be able to get anything else finished in time.

I hate having something like this happen at the last minute, but there it is. 3(!!!) batches of beer contaminated by whatever interesting objects a 4 year old can find, disappointed friends, family, and HBTers, and one homebrewer seriously looking at better locks for the closet door.

 

[Xcorpia]

Wow, I would've had a heart attack!

 

[KFH]

I came damn close.

 

[rhoadsrage]

That sucks but you have to roll with the punches. I would say go with the spiced apfelwien. It sounds very delicious. You will have to teach her how to sanitize before adding things to the fermentor.

I will get all the mailing address put together this week and send those out. I wanted to do it today but sick kids and Halloween but a dent in that.

Sorry I edited the sicks to suck.

 

[Scruffy1207]

That sicks but you have to roll with the punches. I would say go with the spiced apfelwien. It sounds very delicious. You will have to teach her how to sanitize before adding things to the fermentor.

I will get all the mailing address put together this week and send those out. I wanted to do it today but sick kids and halloween but a dent in that.

Give the kids a 50-50 shot of tabasco-tequila, they'll feel better in no time.

 

[sfrisby]

Have any of you done this before? What is the best shipping method. I sent 5 12oz bottles to LA from the east coast and it cost $15. Is there a better way?

 

[usfmikeb]

Alright, I'm bottled now, it's been years since I bottled up a full batch of beer. Wasn't that bad though, I rigged up some things to make it easier.

Every once in a while, I'll make a beer that tastes so good that I automatically say it is the best I've ever made. Today was one of those times. I think you guys are really going to enjoy this, tasted fairly close to Quelque Chose, which is one of my favorites. Still green, but had a great flavor. I could taste the cherries, the background tartness from the tart cherries, the cinnamon, the malt, and the background spiciness from the yeast. Can't wait to see how it tastes after carbing.

 

[sfrisby]

Can't wait. Quelque chose is one of me favorites.

 

[usfmikeb]

Murphy's law is kicking in here! Turns out that we aren't going to Florida, and it's a long story. So, instead I'll be spending time at home for two weeks, and you can ship em whenever.

Okay, changing again, we are headed to Florida. Too much drama on my wife's side of the family. We're leaving the evening of Dec 17, returning on Jan 2 or 3. So, please keep this in mind when shipping to me.

I'm hoping some of you will have them to me before I leave, I'd like to drink some of them over the holidays. My wife's little brother and I go thru a decent amount of holiday beers each year, and would like to share some of this with him.

 

[usfmikeb]

I will get all the mailing address put together this week and send those out. I wanted to do it today but sick kids and Halloween but a dent in that.

Can we get this worked out, and check everyone's travel dates? I figure that since I bottled today, I'll ship in 3 weeks, which would be the weekend before Thanksgiving. That should give plenty of time for bottle conditioning.

 

[biochemedic]

I agree we should be shipping soon...I think as long as everyone's bottled, we should be a go...bottle conditioning can happen at the destination.
I'm already starting to package up...just to clarify, we will be sending 2 packages with 6 bottles (Xcorpa and rhodesrage), and 8 packages of 3 each?

 

[spyder2723]

I will likely have time to get everything shipped out by the middle of next week. Time to buy some stock in UPS!

 

[rhoadsrage]

I set up a UPS account and got a 20% email. I hope to ship this afternoon if I can figure out how to use the UPS account. I will post more details after I figure it out?

 

[KFH]

I'll be shipping mine the week of Thanksgiving, after my next paycheck arrives.

 

[sfrisby]

Are you using your own boxes or UPS boxes? I checked out the flat rate USPS boxes and they were almost $11 each. The $5 boxes were too small. I look forward to seeing how much UPS is.

 

[rhoadsrage]

So I signed up for an UPS account. the 20% was only for air freight. It was about 15-18 dollars per box. Xcorpa's box was a bit bigger and double the weight but only cost 2 dollars more than the rest. It wasn't much savings but it was easy to sit at my computer and print labels. I bought boxes and used left over bubblewrap from work to ship but you can use the boxes you get for at least some of your shipments.

I will send tracking #'s soon

The Spiced bourbon stout will make great stir fry if you like anise, you are one your own if you want to drink it. Wish I had time to rebrew, sorry. It reminds me of those little pink candies my grandma had for church that tasted a bit like pepto bizmal. Enjoy.

The Juniper Bock is smooth and the soft juniper flavor is nice. I was hoping the double decoction would add more character but it didn't.

gclay has not logged in since 10/4/11 so I don't have his address or any confirmation that he has brewed or is willing to ship.

 

[Xcorpia]

I agree we should be shipping soon...I think as long as everyone's bottled, we should be a go...bottle conditioning can happen at the destination.
I'm already starting to package up...just to clarify, we will be sending 2 packages with 6 bottles (Xcorpa and rhodesrage), and 8 packages of 3 each?

Correct!

 

[Xcorpia]

The Spiced bourbon stout will make great stir fry if you like anise, you are one your own if you want to drink it. Wish I had time to rebrew, sorry. It reminds me of those little pink candies my grandma had for church that tasted a bit like pepto bizmal. Enjoy.

The Juniper Bock is smooth and the soft juniper flavor is nice. I was hoping the double decoction would add more character but it didn't.

The Gingersnap Ale has been bottled since Sep 11, but its still green, the ginger is still too overpowering and it hasn't fully carbed yet. The Lambicky Ale Version 2.0 was bottled last week, so I haven't tasted it since bottling and it was awesome then so hopefully it'll come out even better than the aged bottle of version 1.0 I'm sending all of you.

Hopefully I'll start shipping on my next days off next week (Tuesday or Wednesday).

 

[rhoadsrage]

"just to clarify, we will be sending 2 packages with 6 bottles (Xcorpa and rhodesrage), and 8 packages of 3 each?"

That is the theoretical amount. I have not heard from gclay so I don't have his address or know if he has a quad to ship, so you can't send his box out.

Also I forgot to mention, my kids helped me close up the boxes so if you find any small plastic toys, marbles or wooden spoons they are all yours.

 

[Willum]

I will be sending out mine in about two weeks. The keg is carbing now and I carb via the set it an forget it method.

 

[usfmikeb]

I think as long as everyone's bottled, we should be a go...bottle conditioning can happen at the destination.

I can ship this weekend instead of waiting...

 

[Scruffy1207]

I'm in the same boat as a couple others, my funds have been depleted from San Diego Beer Week. Next paycheck is almost all bills, I get paid 6 days after thanksgiving ast which point they will be all sent out on wed night. Btw what do we say is in the packages when we send them via UPS.

 

[sfrisby]

Isnt the standard "live yeast samples"? Lol

 

[rhoadsrage]

You don't have to declare anything for UPS or Fedex.

 

[Scruffy1207]

You don't have to declare anything for UPS or Fedex.

Usually at the ups store they ask me to write it down. Maybe its for insurance or something. If they do I'll say live yeast samples.

 

[rhoadsrage]

Or "marinade" is the other example I have heard people use successfully.

 

[rhoadsrage]

Randy Mosher is the author of radical brewing and he is now "creative brew master" or something at 5 Rabbits Ceveceria. 5 Vultures is his Christmas in Oaxaca beer. Here is a video of his basement
brewery
http://brewmerica.com/Brewmerica_A_Craft_Brew_Video_Magazine/04_5_Rabbit.html

 

[biochemedic]

Randy Mosher is the author of radical brewing and he is now "creative brew master" or something at 5 Rabbits Ceveceria. 5 Vultures is his Christmas in Oaxaca beer. Here is a video of his basement
brewery
http://brewmerica.com/Brewmerica_A_Craft_Brew_Video_Magazine/04_5_Rabbit.html

Very cool, thanks for posting that! Also, it explains the little "extra" in your package...thanks very much for that too!

I ran out of box tape, but I should be able to finish packing and ship by mid next week...