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Christmas Ale

267 calories 22.9 g 12 oz
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Beer Stats
Method: All Grain
Style: American Pale Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Pre Boil Size: 6.56 gallons
Pre Boil Gravity: 1.062 (recipe based estimate)
Post Boil Gravity: 1.081 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)
Calories: 267 calories (Per 12oz)
Carbs: 22.9 g (Per 12oz)
Created: Thursday September 18th 2025
1.081
1.014
8.8%
27.1
15.4
n/a
n/a
 
Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
11 lb 1886 Malt House - NY 2-Row Pale Malt11 lb NY 2-Row Pale Malt 35.64 1.8 71%
1.50 lb 1886 Malt House - NY Munich Malt1.5 lb NY Munich Malt 34.8 5 9.7%
1 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 80L1 lb Caramel / Crystal 80L 33 80 6.5%
0.50 lb New Zealand - Biscuit Malt0.5 lb Biscuit Malt 35 30.46 3.2%
0.50 lb Honey Malt0.5 lb Honey Malt 37 25 3.2%
1 lb Brown Sugar1 lb Brown Sugar 45 15 6.5%
15.50 lbs / $ 0.00
 
Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
1 oz Hopsteiner - Challenger1 oz Challenger Hops Pellet 7 Boil 60 min 23.97 66.7%
0.50 oz East Kent Goldings0.5 oz East Kent Goldings Hops Pellet 5 Boil 10 min 3.1 33.3%
1.50 oz / $ 0.00
 
Other Ingredients
Amount Name Cost Type Use Time
3 each cinnamon sticks Spice Whirlpool 0 min.
1 tbsp Freshly Grated Ginger Spice Whirlpool 0 min.
0.50 tsp Ground Allspice Spice Whirlpool 0 min.
0.50 tsp Ground Nutmeg Spice Whirlpool 0 min.
1 each Whole Star Anise Spice Whirlpool 0 min.
1 each Orange Zest Spice Whirlpool 0 min.
 
Yeast
Fermentis - Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Amount:
2 Each
Cost:
Attenuation (avg):
81%
Flocculation:
Medium
Optimum Temp:
54 - 77 °F
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
-
Pitch Rate:
0.35 (M cells / ml / ° P) 130 B cells required
$ 0.00 Yeast Pitch Rate and Starter Calculator
Priming
Method: co2       Amount: 11.19 psi       Temp: 40 °F       CO2 Level: 2.4 Volumes
 
Target Water Profile
Balanced Profile
Ca+2 Mg+2 Na+ Cl- SO4-2 HCO3-
0 0 0 0 0 0
Mash Chemistry and Brewing Water Calculator
Quick Water Requirements
Water Gallons  Quarts
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 1.75 qt/lb 6.34 25.4  
Mash volume with grains 7.5 30  
Grain absorption losses -1.81 -7.3  
Remaining sparge water volume 2.2 8.8  
Mash Lauter Tun losses -0.25 -1  
Volume increase from sugar/extract (early additions) 0.07 0.3  
Pre boil volume 6.56 26.2  
Boil off losses -1.5 -6  
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma) -0.06 -0.2  
Post boil Volume 5 20  
Going into fermentor 5 20  
Total: 8.55 34.2
Equipment Profile Used: System Default
 
Notes

Mash: Heat your strike water to achieve a mash temperature of 154°F (68°C). Add the crushed grains and hold for 60 minutes.

Sparge: Mash out by raising the temperature to 170°F (77°C) and then sparge with 170°F water to collect 6.5 gallons of wort.

Boil: Bring the wort to a rolling boil.

60 minutes: Add 1.0 oz. of Northern Brewer hops.

15 minutes: Add the 1 lb. of Dark Candi Syrup (or Brown Sugar).

10 minutes: Add 0.5 oz. of East Kent Goldings hops.

5 minutes: Add a yeast nutrient and a whirlpool tablet (Irish Moss).

Flameout (0 minutes): Turn off the heat and add all the spices and orange zest. Stir well and let them steep for about 15 minutes before chilling.

Chill: Rapidly cool the wort to 68°F (20°C).

Ferment: Transfer the cooled wort to your sanitized fermenter. Given the high gravity, it is highly recommended to pitch two packets of dry yeast or a proper liquid yeast starter to ensure a healthy and complete fermentation.

Fermentation Schedule:

Ferment at 68°F (20°C) for 10-14 days, or until fermentation activity subsides and the gravity is stable.

Optional: Cold crash the beer for a day or two at 35-40°F (2-4°C) to help clear it up.

Packaging: Bottle or keg as usual. Carbonate to 2.4 volumes of CO2.

Instructions (Extract):

Steep: Place the crushed Caramel 80L and Honey Malt in a grain bag and steep it in 1-2 gallons of water at 160°F (71°C) for 20-30 minutes. Remove the bag and discard.

Boil: Bring the steeped wort to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the Liquid Malt Extract (LME) until fully dissolved. Return to a boil.

Follow the same boil, chill, fermentation, and packaging steps as the All-Grain recipe.

Tips for Success:

Yeast Health: The high OG of this beer means the yeast will have a lot of work to do. Do not skimp on the yeast. A liquid yeast starter is the best way to ensure a vigorous fermentation and a clean flavor profile.

Spice Control: The spices in this recipe are a suggestion. Feel free to adjust based on your personal preference. A good tip is to make a small tea with the spices and test the flavor before adding them to the full batch.

Conditioning: This beer benefits greatly from conditioning. The flavors will meld and mellow over time. It will taste even better a few weeks after packaging, making it perfect to brew a month or two before Christmas.

Orange Zest: Be careful to only get the orange part of the peel and not the white pith. The pith can add a bitter, undesirable flavor to your beer. A vegetable peeler or microplane works well for this.

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  • Last Updated: 2025-09-18 03:46 UTC