Tis the season to be jolly...

[greenxpaddy]

and to drink darker ales.

Lets see some cracking recipes that give time to brew for Christmas..i.e by the end of October!

[Lime Corridor]

greenxpaddy, with only 74 days left I am on it!

went for a variation on kevthebootboy's 'Festive Fistfight', but I may have over cooked it a little with the Chocolate Malt, it is very dark. Missed my target gravity by 10 points...it is in the back of my mind and after reading other bits on this site I am pointing at the Baird's as my base - but hey ho, should be around a 5.1% abv once I am supping it and singing carols.

It does smell amazing, I hope that it lasts.

LC

[Lime Corridor]

by the way, thanks kevthebootboy.

If you haven't already read it, this post is worth a stare

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=26412&hilit=festive+fistfight

[greenxpaddy]

Certainly festive spice additions there!

I am wondering if you could actually throw a liquidised christmas pudding in...or say my christmas cake from last year - now well matured!

[dave-o]

There has been at least one thread where someone's chucked in a Xmas pud. I'd be worried about the fat/suet ruining the ale though, personally. Not much point in the flour and fat that's in it (just danger IMO), so why not just add the good stuff - dried fruit and spice?

My tips for Xmas ales (other than spice) would be:
-Dark or Xtra Dark crystal - rich and caramelly
-20% flaked barley, as in a stout - for that whipped cream head and hearty body.
-First Gold - i dunno why, it just seems to work. Perhaps the hint of oranges and the "5 Gold Riiiiiiings!" you can sing while adding it.

[micmacmoc]

Festive Fist Fight, heh heh heh. Good name! I quite tempted to do a xmas brew just to give it a silly name. I'm not too keen on dark sweet ales though, perhaps a go at Hobgoblin, which is about as dark as I care for. Then again its too late for halloween.

[kevthebootboy]

greenxpaddy, with only 74 days left I am on it!

went for a variation on kevthebootboy's 'Festive Fistfight', but I may have over cooked it a little with the Chocolate Malt, it is very dark. Missed my target gravity by 10 points...it is in the back of my mind and after reading other bits on this site I am pointing at the Baird's as my base - but hey ho, should be around a 5.1% abv once I am supping it and singing carols.

It does smell amazing, I hope that it lasts.

LC

Hey, cheers buddy, hope it turns out nice for you! I've brewed it
again this year, just dropped it into a secondry, probly bottle up
in a week,
slight changes was using different hops, used flaked barley instead of torri wheat, and
used Nottingham yeast, hope it won't change it
too much , let us know what you think when ready,


Laters taters

[Lime Corridor]

Thank you Kev.

I'll let you know how it goes. I am looking forward to it.

LC

[Zapp Brannigan]

I've got Wheeler's SHDRM bottle conditioning, and his Old Peculier clearing ready to be bottled.

I'm going to do an all Amarillo APA, and a Hop and Grain London Pride in time for xmas, plus whatever takes my fancy in kegs - something dark (Fullers London Porter maybe), something golden and something in between.

Oh, and at least one lager.

[Lime Corridor]

mmmmm Amarillo APA. Just polished off my last bottle last night. I am now in the quandry of do I continue to expand my brewing knowledge by trying different styles and flavours, or do I go for an Amarillo APA again...

mmmm Amarillo APA.

But, to be fair to this thread, an APA doesn't feel that festive - suggest chucking some, fruit, nutmeg and cinnamon in too, ho ho, ho! [Please note, I have no idea what this would be like - could be amazing...but I doubt it].

LC

[greenxpaddy]

I've tweaked my mild recipe to get festive thanks to your guidance!

'Digbeth Run' Xmas Mild

Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Bohemian Pils Malt 4 EBC 6 lbs. 9.8 oz 3000 grams 47.9%
Pale Malt 5 EBC 4 lbs. 6.5 oz 2000 grams 31.9%
Carafa III 1200 EBC 0 lbs. 8.4 oz 240 grams 3.8%
Dark Wheat Malt 15 EBC 0 lbs. 7.0 oz 200 grams 3.2%
Tate and Lyle Golden Syru 30 EBC 0 lbs. 14.0 oz 400 grams 6.4%
Crystal Malt 130 EBC 0 lbs. 7.7 oz 220 grams 3.5%
Flaked Oats 0 EBC 0 lbs. 7.0 oz 200 grams 3.2%


Hop Variety Type Alpha Time lb: oz grams Ratio
Golding Whole 5.7 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 35.7%
Northern Brewer Whole 8.2 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 0.7 oz 20 grams 28.6%
Protafloc Pellet 0 % 10 mins 0 lbs. 0.0 oz 0 grams 0%
Golding Whole 5.7 % 5 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 35.7%
6 oz blended raisins at 5mins
1/2 tsp cloves at 5 mins
2 tsp cinnamon at 5 mins
1 tsp nutmeg at 5 mins
grated rind of 4 oranges at 2 mins


Water treatment of 46.5L plus 2/3rds Campden tablet.

Salt 5g
Gypsum 8g
CaCl 15g
Epsom 4g
Chalk 1g


Final Volume: 36 Litres
Original Gravity: 1.042
Final Gravity: 1.009
Alcohol Content: 4.2% ABV
Total Liquor: 46.5 Litres
Mash Liquor: 14.7 Litres
Mash Efficiency: 85 %
Bitterness: 24.6130286123795 EBU
Colour: 84 EBC

Yeast Fullers ( Bengal Lancer )

Happy Christmas!

[kevthebootboy]

That looks lovely!

I like the idea of the raisins, I'd love to do a raisin beer, like that Cains one.

Hope it turns out good!

[greenxpaddy]

Well, the first test was tonight after two weeks priming. It certainly has a lot of cinnamon on the nose. Really sickly sweet cinnamon. Hoping that will fade with age. There is a distinct lack of uk dark malt. None of the choc malt you normally get in a mild. The orange zest comes through. It's certainly Christmassy like mulled wine but based on two weeks in bottle I don't like it. Maybe if all the heavy flavours balance out we could change our mind. Need some dark malt to balance the sweet spice


Leave alone for 4weeks is my final decision

[Lime Corridor]

greenxpaddy, what if it is still terrible in four week? only kidding, hope it all calms down a bit. My Christmas brew is in the bottle, 1st taste will be Friday. The issue i face is that my cupboard is bare - so I can't see this lot making it until Christmas. Need to be strong!

Good luck everyone

LC

[dave-o]

greenxpaddy, what if it is still terrible in four week?

I'd probably make a more neutral beer and blend the two.