Anyone interested in a winter warmer

[super_simian]

Looks good Super Simian. I can't get hold of mild malt. I always use Vienna. I still haven't found out if the two are really similar but I've made 2 different styles of mild using both Vienna from Weyermann and Best Malz with good results.

I like the idea of flakes maize and invert no 3 - like a true historic strong ale. Did you make the invert no 3 yourself?

Cheers

Jason

Vienna would do fine, as would a pale/munich blend. The crystal and invert will be more dominant anyway. I did make the invert as per unholymess.

[jinjahbiscuit]

I'm liking the look of this recipe. How do we decide?

[Hogarth]

I'm up for this, on my one-gallon rig.

[Hanglow]

For the invert, I put mine in the oven @ 120c, once it's heated up to temp. It's a pretty new oven so its nice and accurate. I did try over the gas hob the first time I made it but couldn't control the temperature well enough - had to stand over the stove for an hour and a half which was rather tedious

Also I tried the dilution method once before with the Meridian brand molasses you can buy, but it did not taste good at all - rather ashy. I have read elsewhere that molasses can have varying flavours depending on how it is produced, I wouldn't recommend that brand, but it is certainly the easiest method

as for using muscovado, the problem when i used it before a couple of times is that it tasted of muscovado in the finished beer - a bit like rum, which might well be what one might want but I think it's rather different in flavour to making no3 with demerara+acid+heat

I am certainly a fan of using sugars in beers thought

[jinjahbiscuit]

Has interest fizzled out?
I'm going to have a go anyway, I might choose one of the recipes suggested here, but am also thinking along the lines of an Old Peculier type. I've found a couple of recipes that look good and will choose something to make next weekend.

[Fuggled Mind]

Has interest fizzled out?
I'm going to have a go anyway, I might choose one of the recipes suggested here, but am also thinking along the lines of an Old Peculier type. I've found a couple of recipes that look good and will choose something to make next weekend.

Hi Jinjabiscuit

Sorry, I've been quite busy with work but thought a week or two might be enough time to see if others are interested in joining in. I'm still up for brewing a winter warmer, though more likely a bit later than next week. I should look back through the thread to see how much interest there actually is and check everyone is still keen on doing something. I'll do that at some point this week.

Cheers

Jason

[chefgage]

I am up for this. Just got myself a grainfather so I am keen to try it out. Ordering some grain tonight for a couple of other brews as well.

I have missed the last few brew alongs so I would like to try this one

[RobP]

A "Winter Warmer/Christmas ale recipe that people seem to really like:
SG: 1.080
50% Pale Malt
33% Mild Malt
2% Treacle
4% Medium crystal
4% Dark Crystal
5% Wheat Malt/Torrified Wheat
1% Chocolate Malt
1% Black Malt
32 (ish) IBU, Bittering hops for 60 min (Target, Admiral etc) Willamette 15 mins 3:4 split
cloves, ginger, cinnamon: 15g each
Belgian yeast: go for banana flavour.

[jinjahbiscuit]

I am up for this. Just got myself a grainfather so I am keen to try it out. Ordering some grain tonight for a couple of other brews as well.

I have missed the last few brew alongs so I would like to try this one

You'll enjoy the grainfather, I have one, although I havn't noticed any significant reduction in brewing time (or cleaning up for that matter!).

I'll be doing my winter warmer this weekend, I've got a few different malts to choose from so once a recipe has been chosen I'm off!

[Hairybiker]

I am the only one to HATE xmas beers. I find them boring (and or too strong I don't wan't a beer @15%) and hard to drink, rarely do I wish to imbibe a load of cloves.
I also have NO mild malt so if that comes in the brew then I am out.

[cerbera84]

I'm up for this - should we try and set a date?

[chefgage]

Although i must agree on the cloves. I have used them in the past and i must say in beer they are not good, taste too much like medicine for me.

Ginger and cinimon on the other hand, very nice

[Fuggled Mind]

I am the only one to HATE xmas beers. I find them boring (and or too strong I don't wan't a beer @15%) and hard to drink, rarely do I wish to imbibe a load of cloves.
I also have NO mild malt so if that comes in the brew then I am out.

I like Christmas beers (or winter beers at least) but if we brew something together, I think it's best that it doesn't have star anise, cloves or nutmeg and mace and that the gravity is no more than 5.5% otherwise, we'll be waiting ages for it to mature and won't be able to talk about how great it is

How about something along the lines of Old Peculiar or Gales festival mild? I've never brewed the former but the latter is a great pint.

[Fuggled Mind]

I'm up for this - should we try and set a date?

How about the 30th September? Is that too early for everyone? that's shown an interest so far?

[cerbera84]

I'm up for this - should we try and set a date?

How about the 30th September? Is that too early for everyone? that's shown an interest so far?

the date is fine, as long as we can finalise a recipe soon so people have time to gather the ingredients