Winter Seasonal Beer Holly (Christmas Ale)

[tre9er]

I have never tried this but I would think it would be better if you could dilute with a different lower alcohol beer.

This is what I would do. In the past I've also had luck with steeping some non-fermentable grains in water, to add some flavor, and adding it.

 

[mike_in_ak]

I would leave as is and pour in smaller glasses.

 

[twofieros]

I just got done handing out 6 packs of this beer to my neighbors and friends. I let it age for 10 weeks which I found to be just right. I sampled the beer every week to see how the spices mellowed. Mine finished at 9.8% ABV but you cannot tell! The honey really helps to dry it out just enough. I will brew this again next year for sure.

 

[cbmikey]

Looks great! Good job!

 

[Fordzilla]

Going to try a few of these at a holiday party this weekend. I can't wait!

 

[Bradthoc]

Brewed this a week ago. OG 1.075. Really looking forward to making the spice tea and bottling this one. Hoping it will be enjoyable for New Year's Eve!

Getting ready to make the tea and bottle this early afternoon. FG 1.012. Won't taste one until Christmas Day, but will likely end up saving the rest for well into January, early February. Will definitely plan on making this one earlier next year, around September.

 

[daniel_conklin]

Could someone please verify where the vanilla bean is used? Do you boil it in the tea or add it to the secondary?

 

[cpesko]

I believe the original recipe does not secondary. You take 1 quart of beer and boil those ingredients and then bottle or keg.

 

[DagoBrewer]

Could someone please verify where the vanilla bean is used? Do you boil it in the tea or add it to the secondary?

Its used in the spice tea that you make on bottling day.

 

[deuce40]

I'm super late for the holidays but I'm mashing this as we speak

 

[Fordzilla]

I cracked the first one last night after about 2 1/2 weeks in bottles. It was delicious. Lots of vanilla flavor, more than I was expecting. Very tasty though.

 

[morticus]

Could someone please verify where the vanilla bean is used? Do you boil it in the tea or add it to the secondary?

I put mine in the secondary. Then I took it out of the secondary and put it in the tea after I took it off the boil. I ended up with the perfect amount of vanilla flavor.

 

[tre9er]

Mine has been about 3 weeks since brewing, cold crashing for the last week due to time constraints. Today I'll boil the tea and rack this to kegs. Once it's carbed I'll start sampling it and plan to bottle off the keg about a 12-pack or so to take with us on Christmas Vacation trip to Georgia (driving) for relatives. Hoping it's mellowed by then, about 2 weeks from now.

 

[twofieros]

I cracked the first one last night after about 2 1/2 weeks in bottles. It was delicious. Lots of vanilla flavor, more than I was expecting. Very tasty though.

The vanilla will subside if you age it longer. It really comes to after four weeks.

 

[tre9er]

I made the tea for 9g of this on Saturday. I used two whole vanilla beans, sliced and scraped and I still hardly tasted the vanilla. I didn't get a cinnamon stick, so I used about 1/2tbsp of ground cinnamon, 1tbsp ground ginger. I used a syringe to put 1ML in 2oz of beer, then 2ML was where I started tasting it. That meant that all of the tea went in. Still didn't taste much vanilla, but it's not carbed and I know that changes things a lot, from experience.

I also used WLP500 which has a big clove note to it, so it may be overpowering at this point. Anyways, kegged to two-5g cornies and it's on gas right now. Wanting to bottle off a 12-pack in 10 days and take with me on Christmas drive to Georgia for relatives. Probably won't be great quite yet by Christmas (15 days since spicing) but I can recommend they save most of the bottles until January.

 

[shoshin]

I recently used wlp530, which didn't give much clove or spice, but did impart lots of fruity esters.

 

[petercarrjones]

My 2012 version was a split batch of sorts. We mashed with some roasted acorn squash, we then fermented half inside a pumpkin(!) and half in glass- both used Belgian Leuven Yeast (WY3538). The pumpkin half became our fall pumpkin beer, which we bottled half with spices, half without. The clean side became our christmas beer which we bottled with the traditional spice tea. In all the version, I'd say the pumpkin fermented/unspiced was my favorite. Pumpkin with spices was pretty decent. The Christmas version was not improved by the squash, though I can't tell if the Belgian yeast helped or hindered. The mix of spice and sweet notes from the squash was just a bit too cloying. The lesson is don't fit all the flavor profiles of your fall seasonals into one batch.

 

[zeprock2]

Is one pack of Safale-05 enough for a 5 gal batch or are you guys using two? mr malty says 1.3 packs but i dont want to waste a second pack if its not needed.

 

[DagoBrewer]

Just cracked one of these last night! It has changed so much since i last tried one a little over a week ago!! The ginger is finally at the back end and the vanilla and cinnamon are up front followed by nice hops flavor with sweet almost chewy malt flavors!! My good friend who is a beer and wine critic was over and we compared this with a couple other holiday ales and he says mine was "by far the best Christmas brew he has ever tasted" Awesome recipe, thanks!!

 

[tre9er]

Is one pack of Safale-05 enough for a 5 gal batch or are you guys using two? mr malty says 1.3 packs but i dont want to waste a second pack if its not needed.

Make a small starter. Sanitize a jar, boil some water and DME, cool, add to jar with yeast, cover in sanitized foil, shake from time to time. Counts will multiply enough to only need one pack.

 

[zeprock2]

Make a small starter. Sanitize a jar, boil some water and DME, cool, add to jar with yeast, cover in sanitized foil, shake from time to time. Counts will multiply enough to only need one pack.

Ok thanks. I wasn't sure if you could do staters with dry yeast.

 

[FlyDoctor]

Usually adding H2O is performed post boil pre fermentation. But theorhetically speaking I suppose it might work. Dunno Never tried, but I am curious as to how it turns.

I've heard of some major brewers that do that - brew at high gravity and dilute. Perhaps do some and not all?

 

[BPhad]

Turned out great, a big hit

Thanks for the recipe jmo88

 

[MedicMang]

Merry Christmas everyone! Will be enjoying this beer tonight with friends and family. Be safe tonight. If you drive drunk, I will find you and kick you in the nuts (if you have nuts).

 

[Rocky128]

Awesome beer! Wish I made ten gallons. Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[cpesko]

Sipping one of these now. Merry Christmas and thanks for the recipe jmo88

 

[m_stodd]

Mine didn't make it by Christmas, but it's good stuff. I bottled it a week ago, and it surprising how quickly the vanilla flavor attenuates and citrus aroma comes out as it conditions. It's been getting better ever day, hopefully it won't peak before too soon.

 

[BPhad]

Here's a pic of my 2012 version. Brewed November 3rd.

 

[cpesko]

Is one pack of Safale-05 enough for a 5 gal batch or are you guys using two? mr malty says 1.3 packs but i dont want to waste a second pack if its not needed.

I only used one pack without a starter mine turned out fine.

 

[pfowl01]

I might make this one in the fall for xmas. I keg all my beers, so would I add the tea to the keg and carb/age? What kind of wyeast would you suggest.....1056?