Holiday ale recipe critique please

[Patirck]

I have never brewed a holiday ale before and I'm having problems finding a recipe that looks interesting. I found several and this is a hybrid of them. Please let me know if you have any suggestions:

Recipe: Holiday ale 2013
Brewer: Patrick
Asst Brewer:
Style: Christmas/Winter Specialty Spice Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 12.46 gal
Post Boil Volume: 11.96 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 11.82 gal
Estimated OG: 1.071 SG
Estimated Color: 31.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 33.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 73.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
23 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 1 77.0 %
3 lbs Caramel Malt - 90L 6-Row (Briess) (90.0 Grain 2 9.8 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.9 %
12.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.5 %
12.0 oz Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.5 %
1.75 oz Nugget [12.75 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 32.9 IBUs
1.00 tsp Ginger Root (Boil 12.0 mins) Herb 7 -
1.00 tsp Cinnamon Stick (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 8 -
1.00 tsp Cardamom (Boil 3.0 mins) Spice 9 -
2.00 oz Willamette [6.00 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 10 0.8 IBUs
2.00 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 0.0 mins) Spice 11 -
1.0 pkg Whitbread Ale (Wyeast Labs #1099) [124.2 Yeast 12 -
1 lbs Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 13 3.3 %


Mash Schedule: Temperature Mash, 1 Step, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 30 lbs 8.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 38.08 qt of water at 163.3 F 152.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 10 min

 

[RM-MN]

Some of the numbers don't add up to me. A preboil volume of 12.46 and a post boil of 11.96 means you would only boil off half a gallon? Then you are going to put 11 gallons into the fermenter and bottle 11.82. Where does the extra beer come from?

You plan to add carapils. Why? Your crystal malt should give you body and heading.

Can you really do that big of a beer and still manage 70% brewhouse efficiency?

I don't know the answers to those questions but it should give you something to chew on.

 

[bethebrew]

I'm just trying to even begin to process that spice mix, and at those levels.

2 oz orange peel? 1 tsp cardamom? Then all the other spicing.

To give you some idea, I made a heather saison recently, added 1/2 tsp of black peppercorns, 1/8 tsp. of green cardamom, and some fresh heather tips. Subtle spicing is key. Don't throw in too much or you'll be sorry as they say.

 

[Patirck]

Some of the numbers don't add up to me. A preboil volume of 12.46 and a post boil of 11.96 means you would only boil off half a gallon? Then you are going to put 11 gallons into the fermenter and bottle 11.82. Where does the extra beer come from?

You plan to add carapils. Why? Your crystal malt should give you body and heading.

Can you really do that big of a beer and still manage 70% brewhouse efficiency?

I don't know the answers to those questions but it should give you something to chew on.

I have not adjusted the volumes yet, I was mainly focused on the ingredients, mash temps etc.. However, the extra bottling volume comes from the starter volume.

I also don't think crystal adds head, foam or head retention - that is usually done with carapils/dextrine/wheat/oats.

I'm really looking for some guidance on the spices to use, when to add them and amounts to add.