Holiday Beer Ideas

[Matty]

Any good ideas for something to brew as we head into the holiday timeframe? Not necessarily looking for a cider (though that is always an option).

 

[Matty]

I'll add....the better question is, any good guidelines or rules of thumb for adding spices to the wort to make a Holiday style beer?

 

[JAMC]

I can't speak from experience as I've never made one before, but I am planning to brew a spiced holiday ale this weekend.

Only using two spices, ground cinnamon and crushed "grains of paradise" (melegueta pepper). For a five gallon batch with a projected OG of 1.094, I'm thinking 2 tsp of cinnamon and a half tsp of the melegueta. Both will be added for the last 10 minutes of the boil.

 

[Altbier bitte]

I can't speak from experience as I've never made one before, but I am planning to brew a spiced holiday ale this weekend.

Only using two spices, ground cinnamon and crushed "grains of paradise" (melegueta pepper). For a five gallon batch with a projected OG of 1.094, I'm thinking 2 tsp of cinnamon and a half tsp of the melegueta. Both will be added for the last 10 minutes of the boil.

I'd be curious how this comes out. I have an idea for a beer I was thinking of putting cinnamon in. I thought I'd add it in the carboy, or secondary, so I can do half with and half without for comparison. I think I read somewhere that cinnamon sticks work well.

 

[Nosybear]

I have nine whole bottles (one gallon) of a spiced doppelbock. I siphoned off the gallon and added a spice tea made from the spices that go into my wife's German molasses cookies (Pfeffernuesse). Here's the blend:

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp Nutmeg
1/8 Tsp Cloves
Dash of black pepper

Steep in boiling water 20 mins, then add to the beer.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I'll add....the better question is, any good guidelines or rules of thumb for adding spices to the wort to make a Holiday style beer?

Matty,
You're going to be pressed to get something (beer) finished by the Holiday's. Not saying it can't be done, just that time is your friend when working with spices.
To get it done quickly, brew a malt forward beer with a lower OG. Maybe 1.050 or so. Ferment it out properly with temperature control and the correct amount of healthy yeast. Adding Servomyces will help. Warm your fermentor towards the end of fermentation. You can add Gelatin a few days before racking to your bottling bucket to speed clearing.
I suggest using a very small amount of spices in the boil and if you feel it need more on bottling day, you can easily make some spice tea, let it settle out and then add the tea to taste to your bottling bucket.
This way, you won't over spice your beer and have to age it for the spices to mellow.
Hope this helps.
Brian

Or try this...
3 parts Vodka, 1 part frozen concentrate Apple Juice.
Mix together and re-bottle in small (375 ml) wine bottles. Add 1 cinnamon stick to each bottle. Keep and serve cold.
Ready in 2 days!

 

[Matty]

Thanks for all the inputs...I'm shooting for Xmas timeframe as I've got a batch carbonating now to get me through until then. I guess the choice really is either add to the boil, or add to the secondary. Thinking I'm going to try cinammon or allspice only in a small amount in the boil. The Vodka idea sounds interesting as well!

 

[ErockRPh]

If you keep the gravity down, there's no reason you can't get a holiday beer done before Christmas. I'd start with a malty ale style as your base (Scottish 80/-, Porter, Brown Ale, etc.). Since you're tight on time, I would recommend adding your spices during the boil instead of the secondary. Any spice you'd use in cookies, eggnog, or mulled wine/cider is fair game. Cinnamon and nutmeg are the most common, but ginger, allspice, vanilla and/or orange peel would all be nice choices as well

 

[Matty]

Ended up making a Stout (steeped in Chocolate Rye and Oat Flakes)....with one teaspoon of Allspice added at flameout for a 2.5 gallon batch. First tasting was last night....ended up being great. The spice was just noticeable, but certainly not overpowering. Next time would probably add 1.5 teaspoon just to get a more pronounced flavor, but otherwise was very happy with the result.

 

[Hammer1]

You still have the option of adding more flavors when you bottle. You can add a drop or two of an extract, vanilla, hazelnut, orange or whatever is in the house. Lable your bottles, take notes. You may stumble on to something that you really like.