Winter Seasonal Beer Great Lakes Christmas Ale Clone

[Sippin37]

I added the honey at flameout and I could definitely taste the honey in this brew. It was subtle but I could tell it was there. I loved it for that exact reason, subtle but noticeable.

 

[MMJfan]

I added the honey at flameout and I could definitely taste the honey in this brew. It was subtle but I could tell it was there. I loved it for that exact reason, subtle but noticeable.

My first attempt at this recipe (AG) is still in my fermentor and should be ready to bottle this weekend. However, I have made two batches doing extract with a recipe similar to this one and I too have added honey at flameout both times and I too could tell it was there. Not overpowering but noticeable and very good.

EDIT: I decided to go ahead and take a gravity reading today as this thread piqued my interest on how my first attempt at this AG recipe turned out. Gravity reading was about 1.016 after an OG of 1.068 so I'm happy about that. But what I am most happy about is how this thing tastes! This was a close as you could come to being the real thing! I thought my extract version of this brew turned out pretty good and this bacth absolutely kick's the ass of my last two extract versions of this recipe! I can't wait to bottle this brew and start drinking it!

Btw, I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I cut back on the amount of ginger I used. I was told by someone at Great Lakes that they use equal parts of ginger and cinnamon. So in my first attempts at brewing this I used 1.25 oz of ginger and 1.25 oz of cinnamon sticks. For this AG batch, I cut the ginger back to just .75 oz and kept the cinnamon sticks at 1.25 oz and I really think that is a good ratio. Oh, and I steeped the ginger and cinnamon in a muslin hop sack for the entire 60 minute boil and into the cooling stage and removed them when I racked to my fermenting bucket which was also recommended by Great Lakes...

 

[Sippin37]

Btw, I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I cut back on the amount of ginger I used. I was told by someone at Great Lakes that they use equal parts of ginger and cinnamon. So in my first attempts at brewing this I used 1.25 oz of ginger and 1.25 oz of cinnamon sticks. For this AG batch, I cut the ginger back to just .75 oz and kept the cinnamon sticks at 1.25 oz and I really think that is a good ratio. Oh, and I steeped the ginger and cinnamon in a muslin hop sack for the entire 60 minute boil and into the cooling stage and removed them when I racked to my fermenting bucket which was also recommended by Great Lakes...

Thanks for sharing that info MMJfan. I think I will do this same exact method when I brew it for next winter. I really like the idea of boiling the ginger and cinnamon for the entire time, just sounds like the flavors could meld together even more.

 

[swackattack]

Three months later...this is really coming around. Thanks for recipe

 

[Trophy_Brew21]

I brewed this about 14 months ago, as my first batch by myself. I was a little nervous when it was first completed, as it didn't taste like the first time I had the actual beer. But now, I love it! It tastes amazing, but I only have 4 bottles left, and wished I had more. So I am going to age these, until next christmas!

 

[Squad1Guy]

I just finished off my last bottle This was a great beer and I can't wait to do it again next year! Thanks!!!

 

[MMJfan]

My supply is dwindling as well... Mine too was a great beer, but I'm not ready to look forward to the cold months of winter just yet. I'm going to enjoy the spring and summer as long as I can (if it ever gets here...)?!

 

[AK616]

Long time reader, first time poster and I hope it is ok that I have resurrected this thread. I have probably read and re-read this thread 3 times to make sure that I didn't skip over information that might have rendered this post useless (it probably is anyways). I want to convert this recipe to a Partial Mash recipe and brew it once before the Holiday Season so that I can fine tune it. Being from Cleveland and living in Miami, where we don't get Great Lakes's beers, I need something, other than LeBron, to bring me home for the holidays. However, I am wondering if the recipe that I have put together is converted properly. I have looked at this recipe, read this article, and looked over Ken Schwartz's paper but am still wondering if what I have put together is correct.

Here it is:
Recipe Type: Partial Mash
Yeast: WLP013
Yeast Starter: Basic
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.074
Final Gravity: 1.018
IBU: 32.82
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 11.6


5.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US 44.1 %
4.00 lb Dry Malt Extract 35.3%
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 8.8 %
1.00 lb Wheat Malt 8.8 %
0.25 lb Special Roast 2.2 %
0.08 lb Roasted Barley 0.7%

Cascade (60 min) 27 IBU
Mt. Hood (10 min) 3 IBU

2 Cinnamon Stick (boil 60.0 min) Misc
1. oz Ginger Root (boil 60.0 min) Misc
1.25 lb Honey (Flame out) Sugar 9.20 %
1 Pkgs London Ale (Wyeast Labs #028/ WLP013) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Original Gravity: 1.074
Final Gravity: 1.018
Alcohol by Vol: 7.26 %
32.82 IBU
11.91 SRM C

Now I know that the IBUs are a bit high but am more concerned with the way in which the percentages of the grains changed as I add malt extract. Is this normal? Does the recipe look correct.

Also, I went to Great Lakes's website and noticed that they specify Mt. Hood hops. As they are a "descendant" of the Hallertau family it probably doesn't matter, but thought it might be worth noting.

Thank you for all of the help.

 

[WiseEyes]

I have brewed this recipe 4 times and preparing to brew this again in a few weeks for x-mas season. This beer is very drinkable in 8-12 weeks but is much better with about 20 weeks or so of aging.

As for your recipe, the difference in percentages is because the percentages you are working with are by weight and not gravity points. DME has more diastic potential than the same weight of malted barley. I think your recipe looks good although I have found that I back off the cinnamon as I just don't like the taste of cinnamon all that much.

I used hallertau in mine the last time believe, but any bittering hop would work. I like it with a little higher IBU because it balances it all out a little bit i think.

 

[AK616]

I have brewed this recipe 4 times and preparing to brew this again in a few weeks for x-mas season. This beer is very drinkable in 8-12 weeks but is much better with about 20 weeks or so of aging.

As for your recipe, the difference in percentages is because the percentages you are working with are by weight and not gravity points. DME has more diastic potential than the same weight of malted barley. I think your recipe looks good although I have found that I back off the cinnamon as I just don't like the taste of cinnamon all that much.

I used hallertau in mine the last time believe, but any bittering hop would work. I like it with a little higher IBU because it balances it all out a little bit i think.

Thanks for the help and the explanation! It now makes sense. Also, thanks for letting me know about the timeframe; I was thinking it needed some time to age but knowing that 20 weeks is optimal is quite helpful.

 

[WiseEyes]

Thanks for the help and the explanation! It now makes sense. Also, thanks for letting me know about the timeframe; I was thinking it needed some time to age but knowing that 20 weeks is optimal is quite helpful.

Like I said, you don't really need 20 weeks, Hell I have drank it grain to glass in 8 weeks, but in my experience 4 weeks primary and and keg and let it naturally carb up for 4 months and it is really really good. Dare I say better than the original.

 

[daggers_nz]

couple of vanilla beans in secondary or not? can't decide. I like the taste of mine currently but I like to experiment

 

[swackattack]

I dont know if vanilla bean fits the existing spice flavor profile

 

[daggers_nz]

Alright. Didn't end up racking onto vanilla. This tastes pretty good so far, I decided to ditch the honey due to bad experiences, but I think the honey would definitely be a big part of this beer and would probably taste a lot better.

 

[Sippin37]

Alright. Didn't end up racking onto vanilla. This tastes pretty good so far, I decided to ditch the honey due to bad experiences, but I think the honey would definitely be a big part of this beer and would probably taste a lot better.

Yeah I believe the honey really makes this beer IMO. I tend to dump it in right at the end of the boil to make sure it gets mixed in well but still preserves that honey taste. Others put it in at the beginning of the boil and some even wait to dump it into the primary or secondary, all just personal preference. But I do believe this beer needs that honey included in the recipe.

 

[daggers_nz]

if anything, I would put it in at 10min as honey contains a lot of bacteria.

 

[MMJfan]

Yeah I believe the honey really makes this beer IMO. I tend to dump it in right at the end of the boil to make sure it gets mixed in well but still preserves that honey taste. Others put it in at the beginning of the boil and some even wait to dump it into the primary or secondary, all just personal preference. But I do believe this beer needs that honey included in the recipe.

Agreed in both parts of your post. The honey definitely makes this beer IMO and I too dump my honey in at the end of the boil.

 

[RMP]

I starting thinking about this today. Building on the mistakes I made last time, I'd like to brew it again this year to be ready around early November when the real stuff hits the market. I just looked at the beer profile and the hops listed are Mt. Hood and Cascade. Maybe they've changed for this year's batch?

Mt. Hood: U.S. Provides subtle spicy and earthy aromas
Cascade: Used as an aroma hop; citrusy aroma complements beer’s heavy spices

The way it's written makes me think Mt. Hood is the 60 minute addition and Cascade goes in <10 minutes. Anyone have a take on this?

 

[MMJfan]

Thanks for sharing that info MMJfan. I think I will do this same exact method when I brew it for next winter. I really like the idea of boiling the ginger and cinnamon for the entire time, just sounds like the flavors could meld together even more.

Sippin, you will also be very pleased at the smell of the wort as it is boiling. I've made Thunderstruck's Pumpkin Ale recipe and I thought that brew smelled good in the boil, but this is absolutely the best smelling brew in the boil that I've made to date. I literally stand over the kettle and just keep taking big whiffs because it smells so damn good!

 

[jaydog2314]

Still reading thru all the posts but I'm starting to plan/think holiday brews. Just curious what the time frame is grain to glass? I assume this needs quite a few weeks in the bottle? Thx and sorry that was addressed already haven't gotten thru the whole thread.

 

[bradford0113]

I starting thinking about this today. Building on the mistakes I made last time, I'd like to brew it again this year to be ready around early November when the real stuff hits the market. I just looked at the beer profile and the hops listed are Mt. Hood and Cascade. Maybe they've changed for this year's batch?

Mt. Hood: U.S. Provides subtle spicy and earthy aromas
Cascade: Used as an aroma hop; citrusy aroma complements beer’s heavy spices

The way it's written makes me think Mt. Hood is the 60 minute addition and Cascade goes in <10 minutes. Anyone have a take on this?

I've been thinking lately about this years batch of this recipe and have this same question. Has anyone looked into this? The profile on the Great Lakes site lists Mt Hood and Cascade and leads one to believe that the Mt Hood is the main hop addition and the Cascade is the late hop addition. I'd like to give it a try but I'm not sure what the total IBUs of each should be. Any thoughts?

 

[MMJfan]

I starting thinking about this today. Building on the mistakes I made last time, I'd like to brew it again this year to be ready around early November when the real stuff hits the market. I just looked at the beer profile and the hops listed are Mt. Hood and Cascade. Maybe they've changed for this year's batch?

Mt. Hood: U.S. Provides subtle spicy and earthy aromas
Cascade: Used as an aroma hop; citrusy aroma complements beer’s heavy spices

The way it's written makes me think Mt. Hood is the 60 minute addition and Cascade goes in <10 minutes. Anyone have a take on this?

It looks like they must have replaced the Hallertau with Mt. Hood? IMHO, the AG batch I made of this last winter was so damn good I'm just going to stick with the Hallertau. If it ain't broke, why fix it?

 

[jaydog2314]

In the boil as we speak. Smells amazing! I was a little high pre boil gravity but the ginger and cinnamon smell amazing. I'm also moving the hallertau to 15 to get closer to 30 IBUs otherwise following the original recipe pretty closely.

 

[adamg8504]

I brewed this yesterday and hit 1.079 with just under 6 gallons in my carboy. I pitched two packs of wyeasy 1028 since I didn't have time to make an appropriate starter. Fermentation started about 3 hours later and now...about 11 hours later there is a little krausen (about an 1" or 2") and it is steadily bubbling. I kind of figured it would have been going crazy by now but it isn't. I suppose it is fine.

I pitched the yeast when the wort was about 72F and ambient is 66F. The temp strip on my carboy now reads about 70F. Hopefully it's alright. This is my most expensive batch yet! Honey plus 2 packs of yeast isn't cheap!

 

[RMP]

My biggest problem with this has been that it's way too heavy on the ginger. I've actually brewed another beer with a much lower amount if ginger and same problem...

Last time I boiled it for 60 minutes and left it in the primary. I'm wondering if this is the source if my trouble. Are you guys putting this in a boiling bag of else fishing out the ginger after the boil?

 

[Sippin37]

My biggest problem with this has been that it's way too heavy on the ginger. I've actually brewed another beer with a much lower amount if ginger and same problem...

Last time I boiled it for 60 minutes and left it in the primary. I'm wondering if this is the source if my trouble. Are you guys putting this in a boiling bag of else fishing out the ginger after the boil?

I thought it was too strong on the ginger as well until I let it sit for 2 months and then it was fantastic! You can back down on the ginger for your tastes, and then if you need more later just make a "tea" in the microwave and add to keg or bottling bucket.

 

[RUNningonbrew]

I actually cut down the ginger a bit and put it in a bag, didn't transfer it to the primary- turned out to be just enough for me

 

[theck]

Is this closer to the orig recipe (ie thirsty dog's)? Looking to brew that one not the GL one, not a huge fan of their beers really. Last year I heard that Heinens was doing taste tests between GL xmas and 12 dogs. I think it was almost 8-9/10 each time for 12 dogs. We did our own test last year and we too had 8/10 to 12 dogs. I think it's a way better beer. Anyone try the Troggs Mad Elf, wow that was good as well, be careful how many you drink though it can really catch up to you.

 

[Bramstoker17]

So how long are people putting the spices in for? It says for the full 60 on page one, have people been getting good results with that?

 

[MMJfan]

So how long are people putting the spices in for? It says for the full 60 on page one, have people been getting good results with that?

I emailed the brewery last year and they told me that they put the spices in for the entire 60 minute boil. This is the only way I've brewed this and I have been VERY pleased with the results...