Another first go at a Christmas Beer

[Proffs]

I'm attempting my first christmas ale tomorrow and just thought I'd put it out there for critique. It's pretty much just the bconnery's christmoose ale on the DB but I've changed a couple of things. I'm mainly looking to see what people think of the grain bill.

Targeting 70% efficiency BIAB (No chill)
Target Vol: 23L
OG: 1.077
FG: 1.012
ABV: ~8.4%
IBU: 20.1
EBC: 32.5

Mash 25L @ 66*C for 60 minutes - 5g Calcium Chloride & 5g Calcium Sulfate
4kg Maris Otter
1.5kg Munich 2
0.5kg Wheat
0.5kg Caraaroma
0.50kg Biscuit
120g Acidulated

Mashout @ 78*C for 10 minutes
Sparge ~ 10L to boil volume

45 minute boil
Add 30g Hallertauer @ 45 min (10.9 IBU)
25g Hallertauer @ 20 min (6 IBU)
20g Hallertauer @ 10 min (3.1IBU)
Brewbrite @ 10 min

Then @ 5 min add:
2 cinnamon quills
2.5 tsp nutmeg
6 cardamon pods
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp mixed spice
6 oranges (juice & zest)
1kg honey

No chill and pitch 2 packs rehydrated T-58

Ferment @ 20*C and bottle condition til Christmas

Any hints or tips welcomed.

 

[sponge]

Any reason for the 45min boil?

 

[Proffs]

Any reason for the 45min boil?

Not really. I use a 38L pot and the little bit of extra space when coming to the boil is nice as well as just saving that little bit of gas and water. I've been doing it for a while now figuring 45 minutes would be plenty of time to sanitise the wort etc.

 

[davedoran]

Not sure how you have been going efficiency numbers wise but if I was brewing that with that qty if grain I would be dropping back the efficiency a bit. That is if we are looking at the efficiency into the fermenter that is.
Biabacus estimates 62.4%. Saying that maybe you get better no's with a sparge. I full volume mash in the bag.

 

[Proffs]

Yea, I've been pretty consistently hitting low 1.060s at around 75% efficiency. I might back the eff off a bit and add some more MO. Cheers

 

[Proffs]

Put this down today. Changed the MO to 3kg and added 2kg Vienna. Also added a teaspoon of ground ginger, 400g glacé cherries and 350g raisins to the spice addition @ 5 mins.

Had a bit of a drama with raisins blocking my valve when draining to the cube but everything else went really well. Smelled awesome. Got 24L of 1.084 so that's around 68% efficiency I think. Will pitch it tomorrow.

 

[bradmccoy]

Looking forward to hearing how this turns out.

 

[Proffs]

Checked on the beer this morning.


I had put a blowoff on it but its fermenting so vigorously that the water in the airlock keeps getting pushed out. So I took the tube off to refill the airlock and forgot to put it back in. Bummer.