Unleashing the Christmas Beast

[Tony Dyer]

Brewed this a couple of weeks ago actually (3-Sep) and bottled last week.
Well it needed to be ready for 1-Dec (that's when Christmas starts isn't it? certainly not before, perhaps it should be the Advent Beast).

Pale Malt (2.2kg), Biscuit Malt (250g), CaraMunich1 (175g), Crystal Malt (150g), Torrefied Wheat (50g), Carafa Special 1 (50g), Challenger hops, Styrian Goldings Start Anise, Cinnamon, Nutmeg An Light Candi Crystals (250g). Fermentis S33 Strong Ale Yeast.

10.5 Litres OG 1060 ABV 5.4%

Nice to try a load of new ingredients. I've promised myself not to sample it until 1-Dec, but...

 

[Clint]

Title sounds like what I think I'm like after 10 pints on boxing Day...

 

[Barley Rubble]

I've promised myself not to sample it until 1-Dec, but...

But will you be able to resist? The first of December is a long way off my friend..... You may be doing this before too long!

 

[Tony Dyer]

But will you be able to resist? The first of December is a long way off my friend..... You may be doing this before too long!

Indeed, and alternative stocks are running low. Oh dear!

 

[Barley Rubble]

Better get another brew or two on then....

 

[Brewnaldo]

This looks a lot like GHs Christmas ale? I intend to brew mine this week as it goes. Hoping it get ling enough conditioning

 

[Tony Dyer]

This looks a lot like GHs Christmas ale? I intend to brew mine this week as it goes. Hoping it get ling enough conditioning

It's from a Dorling Kindersley Home Brewing book. Other recipes from there have been fine so I have reasonably high hopes. When bottled it didn't taste particuarly Christmassey, but with luck it will develop with time.

 

[Brewnaldo]

It's from a Dorling Kindersley Home Brewing book. Other recipes from there have been fine so I have reasonably high hopes. When bottled it didn't taste particuarly Christmassey, but with luck it will develop with time.

GH one specifically says it needs 3 or 4 months of conditioning. I attempted to brew it last week but Wyeast sold me a dead batch so I brewed a pilsner instead. Have just boiled up a starter so fingers crossed I can get this brewed this week and it gets long enough to taste good in December. Bit wary of brewing 20 litres of it tbh, I might gift a good portion of it away.

Only difference I can see is no nutmeg in the recipe I am using. Just anise and cinnamon

 

[Tony Dyer]

GH one specifically says it needs 3 or 4 months of conditioning. I attempted to brew it last week but Wyeast sold me a dead batch so I brewed a pilsner instead. Have just boiled up a starter so fingers crossed I can get this brewed this week and it gets long enough to taste good in December. Bit wary of brewing 20 litres of it tbh, I might gift a good portion of it away.

Only difference I can see is no nutmeg in the recipe I am using. Just anise and cinnamon

DK says 2 months conditioning. It also said OG of 1068 but mine was only 1060 and I bottled it after it seemed to stop at 1013 - I wonder if I should have left it longer. I'm doing 1/2 quantities (i.e approx 12 litres) so sometimes things are a little less precise than hey might otherwise be!