A Continental Christmas Ale

[Awfers]

Hi all,

Am going to be brewing this up in the next few days, it's a grain kit I purchased of a German HBS (HomeBrew Store). I'm modifying the recipe to add the 1kg of CaraRed to give it some colour and bump it to 7% alcohol. This is my first ever attempt at a Christmas Ale, so I'm a bit new to the genre. Any pointers are welcome :

Recipe is to make 45 liters of finished beer.

GRIST BILL
Wyermann Pilsner Malt 10.000 g / 74.07%
Weyermann Pale Wheat Malt 2.500 g / 18.52%
Weyermann CaraRed 1.000 g / 7.41%


MASHING PROFILE
Litres of water per kg of grain 2.6
Strike Water (Litres): 35.1
Sparge Water (Litres): 40

Temp Time
Mash In 61°C 10 Mins
Maltose Rest 63°C 45 Mins
Dextr. Rest 72°C 30 Mins / until Iodine test
Mash Out 78°C 10 Mins

Sparge at 75°C, run out for 54 litres in kettle


HOPPING / SPICING PROFILE

IBU Target: n/a

40 mins from EOB: 50g Magnum @ 15% AA = 34 IBUs
20 mins from EOB: 50g Ginger in a Hop Sack
10 mins from EOB: 50g Ginger, 10 Cinnamon Sticks, 2.5 TBSP Whole Cloves and peel of 10 oranges in a Hop Sack

Total Boil Time: 70 Minutes

YEAST : Wyeast 1007 German Ale

FERMENTATION : 18°C / 65°F



Cheers!
Awfers

 

[RobWalker]

looks great, but go easy on the clove. so many reports of beer being ruined on here and 2.5tbsp sounds like loads - a few members have used them, they will give more advice.

 

[graysalchemy]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW

STEP AWAY FROM THE SPICE CUPBOARD

Easy on the ginger, cloves and cinnamon tiger, that much will do more than cure tooth ache.

When I have done it I have used no more than 1 or 2 crushed cloves per gallon and an inch or so of cinnamon. Also I added it in a muslin bag after fermentation and took it out after a couple of days. That way you can sample it regularly and get the correct amount. It is better to have not enough than too much

Over Zealous use of spices especially clove and cinnamon, will ruin a beer.

Its a beer not a curry.

Be warned

 

[Awfers]

Thanks guys, I was wondering about the quantity of spices and ginger they recommended, will cut it down to 10 cloves and 20cm of cinnamon as per your suggestions greysalchemy.

I'm not personally convinced about adding the ginger at all. Is it worth adding some?


Also, I forgot to mention in my original post, they are calling for the peel of 10 oranges in the boil with the 2nd spice addition (have modified above now)... I can imagine this too is way too much.

So, would 3 do ?

 

[fizz head1982]

Ive made a tooth ache medicine mead, using 4 cloves per gallon and 1 cinnamon stick per gallon. One swig and you cant taste anything but cloves for at least two hours... Powerful stuff. :thumb:

 

[pittsy]

i would drop the wheat malt to half , also lower the carared to around 800g and peel the oranges and bake em for about 15 mins then add around 150g of peel (200/250g before oven) at 5 mins of boil . nothing else except a good quality funky yeast like some belgian strain .

 

[RobWalker]

I like ginger, and it's hard to add too much in my experience. it rounds off well too.

peel of 10 oranges sounds about right, you are meant to remove the pithe though as it's bitter, and I found it nearly impossible!

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Rob, .if your having trouble, slicing the skin from your oranges, leaving the pith behind, do you best you can and put the peelings in a cool oven (50oC) for a couple of hours. If your oven doesnt go as low as 50oC, put then in air airing cupboard. This will drive off all the bitter taste of the pith.
Also try using a veg peeler

 

[RobWalker]

cheers mate! will remember for next time. proper bitter orange peel is so expensive

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Bitter orange peel has a lot of pith, that's what makes it bitter. For cooking purposes, to get the orange taste and not the bitterness, Ive just had a thought, you are slicing just the orange out skin, as opposed to peeling?

 

[Awfers]

Brewed this yesterday, wort looks great, came un at 1070, so dead on estimate. It already started fermenting overnight. Will let you know how it turns out.


Here's the final recipe:

GRIST BILL
Wyermann Pilsner Malt 10.000 g / 74.07%
Weyermann Pale Wheat Malt 2.500 g / 18.52%
Weyermann CaraRed 1.000 g / 7.41%


MASHING PROFILE
Litres of water per kg of grain 2.6
Strike Water (Litres): 35.1
Sparge Water (Litres): 40

Temp Time
Mash In 61°C for 10 Mins
Maltose Rest 63°C for 45 Mins
Dextr. Rest 72°C for 30 Mins / until Iodine test
Mash Out 78°C for 10 Mins

Sparge at 75°C, run out for 54 litres in kettle


HOPPING / SPICING PROFILE

IBU Target: n/a

40 mins from EOB: 40g Magnum @ 15% AA
20 mins from EOB: 25g Ginger in a Hop Sack
10 mins from EOB: 25g Ginger, 20cm Cinnamon Sticks, 8 Whole Cloves, peel of 6 oranges* in a Hop Sack

Total Boil Time: 60 Minutes

YEAST : Wyeast 1007 German Ale

FERMENTATION : 18°C / 65°F

OG: 1.071

Estimated ABV: 7%

*Organic oranges, peeled with the carrot peeler, leaving behind all the pith, then dried in the oven / air.



Cheers,
Awfers

 

[Awfers]

Well, the Wyeast 1007 German Ale is fermenting away already, kicked off early this morning!

The odour accompanying the escape of CO2 from the airlock is a bit unique.. rotten eggs and exotic fruit...

 

[Awfers]

Well, one week later and this beer is still fermenting, the airlock producing noise every 20 to 30 secs now. Temp is around 14 to 15C currently, still within range of the yeast.

Don't think I have ever seen a fermentation this long for an ale..

With any luck, I can bottle on 01.12....

 

[pittsy]

my wit biers take a while , 3 weeks or 2 weeks if i stir the brew every few days . You could give it a gentle stir to get the yeast working better .