Winter Seasonal Beer Great Lakes Christmas Ale Clone

[cbehr]

Hi guys - we tried this a couple weeks ago and I'm ready to bottle it. Original recipe does not include priming sugar - I'm assuming there's enough left from the honey to get CO2? Can anyone help this new-to-brewing guy?

Thanks.

EDIT: Looks like I should use 4 oz. or so of priming sugar regardless, correct me if I'm wrong.

The sugar in the honey will be used during your fermentation. For 2.5 units I would probably use 4oz assuming you have about 4.5 gallons left after the trub

 

[RUNningonbrew]

The honey should have all been consumed during primary fermentation, you still need priming sugar, corn sugar, table sugar or even more honey if you'd like

 

[Jcoz]

Tasted decent out of hydrometer but after 4 days in the keg is full of hot alcohol. Ideas?

Crazy I was JUST coming to this thread to say that 4 days into ferment I leaned in to smell the airlock and got SLAMMED by a hot alcohol bomb!

Guess that is typical...I think this is the highest gravity beer I've brewed as well so that's something completely new to me...

 

[Beardo21]

Hi guys - we tried this a couple weeks ago and I'm ready to bottle it. Original recipe does not include priming sugar - I'm assuming there's enough left from the honey to get CO2? Can anyone help this new-to-brewing guy?

Thanks.

EDIT: Looks like I should use 4 oz. or so of priming sugar regardless, correct me if I'm wrong.

I did a 5-gal batch of this and and used 3/4 cup of priming sugar for mine. Worked last year and so far so good this year. Just remember, it might take longer than the standard 2 weeks to carbonate in bottles because of the alcohol content. Took mine about 3 weeks to be ready last year. The longer this one sits, the more the spices will mellow. Happy brewing. Cheers.

 

[Jcoz]

So I just pulled a sample.... It's sitting at 1.012.... From 1.075...not sure exactly why, mashed it pretty much on the numbers except for an adjustment period in the beginning... So I did mash it longer than expected.

 

[moomack]

So does anyone have results for putting the cinnamon and ginger in the boil for the full 60 minutes like GL recommended? Trying to decide between that and the last 5 minutes as the recipe states.

 

[Beardo21]

I did last 5 mins and then transferred them to my primary.

 

[MMJfan]

I've done 2 extract versions of this recipe and I boiled them for 60 in both batches so I don't have anything to compare to adding the spices late in the boil. But I will say, I really like the way my extract versions came out and I'm also planning on doing a BIAB of this recipe and I'm looking forward to seeing how the AG version compares!

 

[RMP]

Hi Folks. I brewed the full-boil extract version of this recipe. It's been in the bottles for about 5 weeks now. I tasted it alongside a Great Lake's Christmas Ale, and while good, it's quite a bit different. The main difference is that the Great Lakes is pretty well balanced, while mine was heavy on the ginger but light on the cinnamon.

One issue is that the recipe didn't specify what to do with the ginger (throw in one big chunk, chop it, dice it, etc.). I threw in an ounce of grated ginger, which seems to have been a bit too much. I also threw in two cinnamon sticks whole.

The next time I make this I'll probably do a rough chop on the ginger and break the cinnamon into smaller pieces. Overall it's still a great result.

 

[Squad1Guy]

So does anyone have results for putting the cinnamon and ginger in the boil for the full 60 minutes like GL recommended? Trying to decide between that and the last 5 minutes as the recipe states.

I did mine with the 60 minute boil. I just cracked one open last night even thought it has only been about a week and a half since bottling (I wanted to see if it was even palatable so I could have the family try it out). Unless my memory is seriously off, my version tastes at least as good (and probably better!) than the commercial version. The spices were not too overpowering, but they were noticeable. The hops is just right at 30 IBUs in my opinion. I am going to do a side-by-side with the commercial version on Thanksgiving. All I can say that if this beer gets better with age as all the comments suggest, I am going to be ecstatic around Christmas time

 

[Beardo21]

Hi Folks. I brewed the full-boil extract version of this recipe. It's been in the bottles for about 5 weeks now. I tasted it alongside a Great Lake's Christmas Ale, and while good, it's quite a bit different. The main difference is that the Great Lakes is pretty well balanced, while mine was heavy on the ginger but light on the cinnamon.

One issue is that the recipe didn't specify what to do with the ginger (throw in one big chunk, chop it, dice it, etc.). I threw in an ounce of grated ginger, which seems to have been a bit too much. I also threw in two cinnamon sticks whole.

The next time I make this I'll probably do a rough chop on the ginger and break the cinnamon into smaller pieces. Overall it's still a great result.

My batch last year turned out pretty much the same. Great taste but a just a little too much ginger. This year, I only did about 3/4 oz of ginger and did 3 cinnamon sticks. I tasted it when I was bottling and the spices were much better balanced this time around. Mine have been sitting about the same amount of time as yours. I will probably test one out today just to see where its at. Happy turkey day. Cheers.

 

[Shinglejohn]

I mentioned this before, but I emailed Great Lakes about this recipe and their response was that they put the cinnamon and ginger in for the entire 60 minute boil and then remove them. I peel and cube my ginger and put it along with the cinnamon sticks in a hop sack and just throw it in my kettle for the entire boil fwiw...

Great info! I have emailed them pretty much every year and have never gotten this. Ill adjust the recipe to reflect it. How dod yours turn out? how much spicing did you use?

 

[Shinglejohn]

Hi Folks. I brewed the full-boil extract version of this recipe. It's been in the bottles for about 5 weeks now. I tasted it alongside a Great Lake's Christmas Ale, and while good, it's quite a bit different. The main difference is that the Great Lakes is pretty well balanced, while mine was heavy on the ginger but light on the cinnamon.

One issue is that the recipe didn't specify what to do with the ginger (throw in one big chunk, chop it, dice it, etc.). I threw in an ounce of grated ginger, which seems to have been a bit too much. I also threw in two cinnamon sticks whole.

The next time I make this I'll probably do a rough chop on the ginger and break the cinnamon into smaller pieces. Overall it's still a great result.

If you read through the thread, there was a pretty big disscusion as to how to prepare the ginger. Though i see now that that has become a tedious task given the length of it. Ill adjust the recipe to specify. I just peel it and throw it in. I did the grated it nce too, and yowza! lots of ginger.

Also someone on the thread got word from the brewery that they boil the ginger and cinn for the full 60.

 

[Shinglejohn]

Crazy I was JUST coming to this thread to say that 4 days into ferment I leaned in to smell the airlock and got SLAMMED by a hot alcohol bomb!

Guess that is typical...I think this is the highest gravity beer I've brewed as well so that's something completely new to me...

At what temperature did your ferment? SHouldnt be an alcohol odor, though if your not accustomed to british style yeast, they can be pretty estery during fermentation. Good news is, they clean up after themselves pretty well.

 

[RMP]

If you read through the thread, there was a pretty big disscusion as to how to prepare the ginger. Though i see now that that has become a tedious task given the length of it. Ill adjust the recipe to specify. I just peel it and throw it in. I did the grated it nce too, and yowza! lots of ginger.

I actually did read through the thread. There were a lot of opinions but there didn't seem to be much consensus on this question. When I cook with ginger I typically mince or grate it, so I figured that would work in this application. I was more fearful of overdoing it on the cinnamon.

In the future, I might try boiling whole pieces of ginger for 60 minutes. On other hand, I've gotten some feedback from people who've said they actually prefer my version of the Christmas Ale to the Great Lakes. I've got plenty of time to think about it.

 

[MMJfan]

Great info! I have emailed them pretty much every year and have never gotten this. Ill adjust the recipe to reflect it. How dod yours turn out? how much spicing did you use?

The problem I have is that I've only brewed two batches of this and I've only added the spices for the full 60 minutes in the boil so I don't have anything to compare it to. I have been really happy with how my two batches of this have turned out though.

As for how much spicing I use, GL also told me they use equal amounts of cinnamon and ginger so I've been using 1.25 oz of both ginger and cinnamon for a 5 gallon batch. I use cinnamon sticks and I also skin and cube the ginger.

 

[BrunstuckyJoe]

I'm at 1.032 after 3 weeks in the primary....is that low enough to bottle?
Not bubbling anymore....I think I'll check again in a couple days....definitely get a estery taste.....like banana and clove right from the primary...Might rack to the carboy for a week to clear up the haze a bit before bottling.

 

[cbehr]

I'm at 1.032 after 3 weeks in the primary....is that low enough to bottle?
Not bubbling anymore....I think I'll check again in a couple days....definitely get a estery taste.....like banana and clove right from the primary...Might rack to the carboy for a week to clear up the haze a bit before bottling.

What temp did you ferment at?

 

[blairellis]

Just brewed this recipe earlier last week. Thanks Shinglejohn for all the research that went into this. Can't wait to get it in my keg!

Thoughts and brew notes from brew day found here:
http://www.blairellis.com/2012/11/21/great-lakes-brewery-christmas-ale-clone/

 

[brew2enjoy]

I've never had any Great Lakes beers because they don't distribute around here, but I'm looking for a good Christmas ale and this one looks tasty. Might have to put this one on deck so It's ready for the holidays.

 

[jsmcclure]

Looks like i gotta go to the LHBS again........

 

[swackattack]

Ginger is way too heavy and cinnamon not noticeable enough. Been on keg 2-3 weeks. Ideas?

 

[cbehr]

Ginger is way too heavy and cinnamon not noticeable enough. Been on keg 2-3 weeks. Ideas?

Probably not a whole lot you can do to reduce the Ginger, perhaps give it more time to mellow? How long did it ferment?

You can always add more cinnamon to the keg, I've read people adding spice to kegs on all sorts of beers.

 

[Sippin37]

Ginger is way too heavy and cinnamon not noticeable enough. Been on keg 2-3 weeks. Ideas?

Give it another 2-3 weeks and the ginger will fade noticeably. Also, I felt the same way after 2 weeks in the keg so I added 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the keg and let it sit another week. The first few pints had A LOT of cinnamon flavor but after that it was just where I wanted it in terms of ginger/cinnamon balance. It did also turn the beer a bit darker by adding the ground cinnamon.

 

[MMJfan]

Agreed with sippin. Give it more time and it should mellow a bit...

 

[brew2enjoy]

After reading through most of this thread, it seems that many felt the ginger was too strong. Any thoughts on reducing the amount used? I plan on brewing this on Saturday and would like to be able to drink it around Christmas.

 

[Sippin37]

I'd say lower the ginger to 0.75 oz and raise the cinnamon to 4 sticks, but that is just me. I did the original recipe and added more cinnamon after 2 weeks in the keg. But the ginger was quite strong for about 4-5 weeks after brewing so in order to be ready for Christmas you should probably lower the ginger. Maybe only boil 0.5 oz then taste the wort before bottling/kegging and add some to the fermenter if you feel it needs more.

 

[RMP]

The challenge, it seems, is that there's really no uniform thing as "1 oz of ginger". Weighing out ginger isn't like weighing out hop pellets and tossing them into the boil. The more surface area on your ginger, the more ginger flavor that's going to be extracted, and a little goes a long way.

This is a rough guess, but I'd try something like:

1oz of a whole, peeled chunk of ginger
.75oz of peeled and chopped ginger
.5oz of peeled and grated ginger

I think 2 cinnamon sticks is probably right. The more I ponder this, the more I don't think that my Xmas Ale is lacking cinnamon, per se; I think it's just getting overpowered by the ginger. The key to a good Xmas Ale is balance. I'm afraid that if you lower the ginger and boost up the cinnamon, you'll knock it out of balance in the other direction.

 

[BrunstuckyJoe]

What temp did you ferment at?

68-69 degrees.

 

[machado]

I definitly ll brew a AG of this recipe tomorow.

I think I ll put the spices in the beggining of the boil and I dont pretend to transfer to the primary bucket. I was thinking in using Irish Moss (for the first time) to help with the cleaning. I need this beer ready to christmas

What you guys think about this?