(potentially mental) Christmas beer

[Francois]

Thinking of getting one going next week to allow plenty of conditioning time in bottle. Same base recipe as my dark Ruby mild (150g chocolate malt, 5 kg pale for 23l brewlength) but switching the 150g med crystal for a mix of caramalt and smoked malt, bashing in orange peel and cinnamon at 15 mins, then getting some Damsons in there somewhere (got 2kg in freezer )

At what stage would you introduce the Damsons, and how? Also, any other feedback is of course very welcome...

[Fido97]

Chuck em in either at the end of the boil, or after primary fermentation has died down - maybe even half and half.

[Francois]

Cheers fido. Gonna cool in copper though, then transfer straight to fv; soooo.... Im thinking... Damsons in at last 15 mins in hopsock along with aroma hops, then fish out at flameout, bung into primary, (thus still sterile) cool main wort in meantime via wort chiller, pour on top at 35 to aerate, process finishes at 25, bash some yeast in, 10 days, rack either to bottling bucket or straight to keg, cross everything that's crossable...

[AdyG]

I like the idea of the fruit. What hops are you using?

[Francois]

Not sure yet... Fuggles, first gold and EKG I was thinking, nowt too visceral bitterness-wise, just enough for balance...