Another Christmas Ale recipe?

[adm]

Inspired by Kev's Christmas brew thread, I'd thought I'd brew a spiced Christmas Ale this weekend.

I'm thinking:

Maris Otter 75%
Medium Crystal 5%
CaraRed 5%
Wheat (or Crystal Wheat) 5%
Muscovado sugar 5%

Enough grain for 23L at 1080 OG

Hops - Goldings/Fuggles to 20-25 IBU

Yeast will be a fresh cake of Wyeast 1214 Belgian Abbey from the Belgian Pale Ale I've got fermenting at the moment.

For spicing, I'm thinking:

Cardamon Pods
Cinnamon Sticks
Root Ginger
Oragne Zest
Nutmeg
The obvious one would be cloves, but I think I'll miss those out and try to get a clove like flavour from the yeast itself by fermenting it at about 24C.

I'm not sure about the amounts of each spice yet, or whether to put them for the last 10 mins or so of the boil or into the FV (or secondary FV).

Alternatively, I might just brew the beer without the spice, and make a vodka based spice infusion while it's fermenting, then add that to the beer later.

The benefit of the infusion would be that I could take a sample bottle of beer, and add the spiced spirit a drop at a time until I figured out how much infusion I liked, then add the correct amount for the whole batch. That way it wouldn't be overspiced.

What do you think?

[booldawg]

Sounds a tasty one. These Christmas ales are definitely heading towards the realms of Mulled Wine. I bet a mince pie would down well with it!

[CJBrew]

I would go with making a spiced vodka and adding it to taste on bottling

Should help avoid the possibility of contamination as well as making the flavour adjustment much more controllable.

[adm]

I would go with making a spiced vodka and adding it to taste on bottling

Should help avoid the possibility of contamination as well as making the flavour adjustment much more controllable.

I'm definitely leaning that way.....although now I'm thinking I might do it with spiced rum instead as it would taste a bit more Christmassy....