Festive Beer

[big d]

hi all
did anyone brew a festive beer for xmas consumption.i left it a bit late so did a xmas porter on the first of dec so that is my festive beer.didnt have any ubeaut additions on hand to make it really festive so just by name only this year.

cheers
big d

 

[Jovial_Monk]

No, but am planning to brew another giant beer over Xmass-NewYear week

Usually brew a lager at that time, this year a big sweetly-malty scotch ale with hints of spice (vanilla & ginger), molasses and smoke, lots of TF Maris otter plus Belg aromatic & Biscuit, mebbe tad oats and rye flakes.

Not sure of hop bill, something subtle, perfumy to go along with malty Scots beer, mebbe EKG bittering and Vanguard, Crystal and/or Sterling as last addition.

Age that sucker well, bottle and drink first glass of it XMass 2005

Jovial Monk

 

[johnno]

Hi big d,
I made a ersion of jayse's Skunk Fart Pale Ale from the recipe section. Bottled about 2 weeks ago and tasted it yesterday. I am very happy with it. I only used all ahtnum hops but its come out pretty cool. I reckon another 2 weeks and it will be awesome for xmas.

cheers

 

[Guest Lurker]

I have all the relatives at my place for Christmas. About 15 Swan lager drinkers. So my extra special Christmas brew was a Kirin malt lager, mashed at 64 degrees, N Brewer bittering hops only. I dont like it much, but so far its been a hit with the megaswill crowd, who think its a bit like Crown lager. So it looks like everyone will be happy at Christmas.

Even me because my oatmeal stout will be in secondary by Christmas. and I will be knocking back a few warm flat pints straight from the fermenter once I have got everybody fed.

 

[roach]

nice one GL. tried your big shit porter coutesy of TDA yesterday - very nice drop and very funny label

have brewed and about to keg a couple of pseudo lagers for the megaswill 'west end draught' drinkers. they should be a hit, but i'll be sticking to my APA and 80/-(brown porter should also be ready - yum!)

 

[Kai]

I put a brew on yesterday that'll hopefully just be ready by Christmas, things will be complicated by the fact I'm going to Brissie for Christmas, so not sure if I'll be taken much or any with me.

 

[big d]

with a festive beer in mind exactly how much of an imprint does/will vanilla beans have on a beer.doc has used vanilla in an imperial ? beer cant remember which one so any thoughts/help guys?

cheers
big d

 

[wee stu]

Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA clone got bottled yesterday - hopefully will have come good to celebrate by XMAS
other than that i have my Saaz All Folks, Bohemian Pilsener
and some kit and kilo swill for the family members I really don't like remember, it's the thought that counts.

 

[jgriffin]

I did a porter based on one of Jayse' recipes (everyone loves this one) and a Steam Beer with a recipe from Snow. These should almost last until midday Christmas day.

 

[Guest Lurker]

BigD

See this post in HBD today re how much vanilla.

Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 13:57:30 -0700
From: Bob Devine <bob.devine at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: link of the week - vanilla

Earlier this week, I wrote a quick survey of the commonly
available vanillas for cooking. Rob Moline prompted me
to dig deeper on the subject for us homebrewers.

Vanilla Porters are increasingly popular from craft brewers.
Several craft brewers make one. Vanilla appears in other
styles too -- stouts, cream ales,

Okay, so how much vanilla to add?

In HBD #4458, Matthew Riggs reported that a full vanilla
bean in a 1-gallon test batch was overwhelmingly vanilla-y.

These recipes used from 1, 4 and 6 beans per 5 gallons.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/beerandweather/van.html
http://www.weaselbreweries.com/recipes/surprise.html

Two tablespoons:
http://www.thebrewpub.com/homebrew/vanilla.html
Three tablespoons:
http://www.skotrat.com/skotrat/recipes/ale...recipes/46.html

Would a vanilla stout use more? This one has one bean:
http://www.beermakerforum.com/showthread.php?t=104
And this one has only 1-1/2 teaspoon
http://www.skotrat.com/skotrat/recipes/ale.../recipes/9.html
But a blueberry stout has two beans?
http://www.glidemagazine.com/5/columns90.html

On the lighter side, this cream ale uses 3 tablespoons
http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/html/vanilla18.htm

Or maybe 1-1/2 pounds ... for somewhat more than 5 gallons
http://www.flatbranch.com/beers.asp?68

So, after all that the "right amount" is still unclear.
I'd suggest start with a low amount, one bean or one
tablespoon. Too much vanilla can be cloying.

If you do experiment, let us all know!

BTW, a vanilla taste in beers that don't have an added
is likely due to the breakdown of barley cell wall
material and other phenolic compounds.

Getting ready for the "Twelve Beers of Christmas"...
Bob Devine
Riverton, UT

 

[big d]

cheers gl excellant post.now ive lots of reading ahead of me.
xmas 05 hear i come


cheers
big d

 

[Gough]

I've got a Xmas Pilsner in the brew fridge finishing its ccing as we speak. I asked my old man what of the beers I'd given him lately he liked the most and promised to AG brew something similar. The Czech Pilsners were his faves which is odd 'cause they are also mine so I put together an AG recipe and here we are. Will bottle on the weekend and open the first one on Xmas day. Hope they aren't problematic....

Shawn.

 

[Weizguy]

Coopers Vintage, an APA (into fridge next week), a couple of wheats (ein German, and one American style), a Helles, a Bavarian Pils, and a few matured Vanilla Cinnamon Festive Strong Ales (5.5%alc, and very warming), and maybe the Coke Ale (featured elswhere on this forum).

Also spreading the Jesus' Birthday cheer by providing ingredients, supervision of the brewing process and premises for him to brew a weizen, with his equipment, while he is in the process of moving house and negotiating with spouse for a dedicated brew room.

 

[RobW]

I put this spiced ale up a few weeks ago: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...wtopic=3590&hl= and it is still in cc. It had a full vanilla bean in the boil & another added when I racked to secondary. I had a taste at the time & the vanilla was not noticeable, the predominant impression was the cloves. I'll bottle it on the weekend & see what it's like then

 

[mikem108]

Hope that a Whitbread Porter bottled last week will be ready but the fridge is loaded with a nice refreshing Weizen ready for a hot Xmas.
I'm tempted to brew something traditionally BIG and Xmassy like the BYO mag suggestions but can't realistically see myself drinking that type of beer until the winter!

 

[GSRman]

heheh my christmas crippler wasn't as good as i'd hoped.. i was aiming for a 'christmas cake' style flavour.. unfortunately i boiled the ass out of the fruit and lost most of the flavour.. still ahve 2 tallies left i might crack open this year..

 

[Doc]

I added two vanilla beans (split and scraped) to secondary in the Imperial Vanilla Bourbon Porter.
There was no distingusihable taste of vanilla, but there was a hint in the aroma of vanilla.
I didn't soak the vanilla beens in vodka first (24-48 hours) which is a common method of getting more flavour out of them. Might do that next time.

Beers,
Doc

 

[SJW]

I did a LCPA with 5kg of Otter and a bit of Coloured grain with a big big load of Chinook & Cascade. Cant wait to get into it.