Christmas Beer

[erf]

So I think it's time to get ready for a Christmas beer. The best Christmas beer I have ever come across is the 2004/5 Gods Wallop at Westerham Brewery which took their General Wolfe ale (13% crystal malt, 4% maple syrup in the copper) and spiced it with nutmeg, cloves, orange zest, cinnamon and fresh ginger. I want to try something similar, but more simply, by modifying a kit beer.

Which kit beers would lend themselves to this kind of spicing? are there any maple ale kits out there? How much spice would I need for a 23 litre brew? The plan is to make a tea from the spices and add it to the beer as it goes into the pressure barrel/bottling bucket. Is this the way to do it? This will only be my second brew, and first modification, so some advice would be much appreciated.

[Manx Guy]

Hi,

Within reason you can certainly add spices to a kit to make a seasonal beer

Last year I simply added cinnamon to a Coopers dark ale kit and made it to 20l ( this incresed the stregth a little also)

This year I'm thinking of doing several seasonal brews...

I've also thought about doing a Mild with MAple syrup and a strong Porter. But will make another dark strong ale and be abit more adventurous withthe spices this year...

Try a search of the site, I recall that Kev made a AG beer called 'Festive fistfight' which you could use as an guide for spicing it...

Hope that helps!

Guy

[Wolfy]

are there any maple ale kits out there? How much spice would I need for a 23 litre brew? The plan is to make a tea from the spices and add it to the beer as it goes into the pressure barrel/bottling bucket. Is this the way to do it?

I can't help you with the mable side of things, but I did make a Spiced ale for winter.
But rather than a tea, I'd suggest a tincture:
Measure your spices into a jar (or similar) and add some (50ml or so of) vodka (rum or other suitable Christmas spirit might work too), leave the jar for 2-3 weeks shaking occasionally.
You can then add measured amounts to your beer as you bottle/keg/barrel it. Add a suitable amount, give it a taste test and then add more if required.

I made the following spiced vodka infusion and added it to 1/2 a batch (12L) of a 7.5%ABV Scotch Ale : 1g Allspice, 0.4g Cloves, 1g Nutmeg, 1.2g Ginger, 3g Cinnamon

[At. Ailbhe's Brewery]

Last year I simply added cinnamon to a Coopers dark ale kit and made it to 20l ( this incresed the stregth a little also)

How would ya go about doing that now?

[Manx Guy]

Hi,

I got the idea from the Coopers website:
http://www.coopers.com.au/the-brewers-g ... old-spiced

This year I'll possibly get a bit more experimental...

I plan to make a brown ale/mild flavoured with Maple syrup...

You could use a mild kit make with DME to 20 l and after Primary fermentation prime with 300g Maple syrup - the darker the syrup the more flavour you will get (There are differnet grades)...
Aparently from what I've read only 100% maple syrup will impart any flavour the 'cheaper' pancake syrups just add simple sugars...

If you wish to add the maple syrup to the FV or boil you'll need approx 3.8 litres for a 20 litre brew !!

Yes thats about £38 worth of maple syrup!!!!
Hence why I'm planning to prime with it



Guy

[At. Ailbhe's Brewery]

Great stuff Manx, thanks. I might well have a cut off that.

[erf]

I went for a Norfolk Nog, mainly on the strength of the name. Got the kit fermenting today. Will add the spice tea at bottling/kegging in a fortnight. Slightly disappointed with the Initial Gravity - 1040.

[Stomach]

I have just seen this thread and coupled with a note in my diary to get a Chrsitmas beer going, I thought I would ask the Forum Collective of a good beer for Christmas.

As I am new and just want to do a kit without the spicing etc (next year though...) I was wondering what to go for?

I have a couple of thoughts myself:-

Muntons Christmas Ale
Muntons Smugglers - The guy in the hombrew shop gave me a taster last time I was in and I was very impressed!!
Do Ditchs Stout.

Its my birthday soon so another keg is on me list and I may have enough bottles too soon, so may do two brews! One kegged and one bottled.

I currently have a Wherry Conditioning and the slowness and yeasty taste means that might be ready by Christmas and I may have some bottles left of my Coopers IPA (but I doubt it!! )
So I may have a quite a choice by Chrimbo!

So over to you!

Cheers!!

[worts n ale]

my xmas beer is almost ready to bottle its a modified coopers stout kit with a little bit extra kick
1) can of coopers stout
2) 1.5 kilo medium dsm ( dark dsm i think may have been to bitter )
3) 500gm molasses brown sugar
made to 18ltrs
initial readings were 1062
could be interesting i think that if it drops to 1010 it will be 7.9% deffo put down for 2 months before tasting should keep me warm over xmas

[potatoes]

Hi,

I plan to make a brown ale/mild flavoured with Maple syrup...

You could use a mild kit make with DME to 20 l and after Primary fermentation prime with 300g Maple syrup - the darker the syrup the more flavour you will get (There are differnet grades)...
Aparently from what I've read only 100% maple syrup will impart any flavour the 'cheaper' pancake syrups just add simple sugars...



Guy

Just searched and found this thread. Did you try priming with Maple Syrup? Did it work? I have a dark ale which I would like to try and get some maple flavours in for crimbo. I read here that the best way is to prime with Maple syrup.

http://www.beersmith.com/Grains/Grains/grain_46.htm

Whats your experience or thoughts?

Dan