Cousin Eddie's Christmas Ale

THIS BEER TAKES NEARLY 2 MONTHS TO GET HAPPY. BREW IN LATE OCTOBER TO ENJOY FOR CHRISTMAST

STARTER TAKES ONE WEEK TO COMPLETE WITH MY EQUIPMENT

ORIGINAL RECIPE FOUND HERE:
http://www.thebrewerandthebaker.com/archives/19333


STARTER
(calc'ed using brewers friend yeast pitch rate and starter calculator)
Make about 1week before hand.
4 liter starter;
STEP 1: 13.5 oz DME light
boil 4L of water
add DME and stir to dissolve
boil 15 min
cool to 70F
sanitize yeast starter vessel and lid, funnel, scissors, yeast pack etc
pour wort into starter vessel
cover tightly and shake vigorously
add yeast
shake
loosen top so it's not air tight
shake intermittently and leave on table for 24-36 hours
cold crash 24 hrs
decant

STEP 2: use 13.5 oz DME light
boil 3.5+L of water (I'm limited to a 1 gallon starter vessel)
add DME and stir to dissolve
boil 15 min
cool to 70F
add to starter
stir/shake
leave for 24-36 hours
cold crash
decant before pitching into beer

BIAB Method:

MASH
strike temp 162F with 4.5 gallons water
Mash all loose grains for 60-90 min at 150F
Sparge wtih 2.5 gallons at 170F.

Mash and sparge water should amount to about 6.5 gal for the boil

BREWING:

1. Add Northern Brewer hops at 60.
   
2. Add Golding hops at 45.
   
3. After fermentation starts, transfer primary to chiller for 7 days at 68F.
   
4. Meanwhile, add vanilla beans, oak chips, and bourbon to sanitized bowl with lid and let steep in the fridge for the duration of primary fermentation.
   
5. On day 8, transfer to secondary and add the contents of the bourbon bowl (liquid and all) to secondary fermenter for 21 days at 68F.
   
6. Bottle or keg, condition for 21 days.
   
   XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX CXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
   
   Actual pre boil gravity: 1.068
   
   Had 5 gal post boil so a little lower than expected. Moving kettle I accidentally hit the valve open and lost about 0.25 gallons. I added 0.5 gallons to top off, which would have taken the original to the 5.5 gal mark, actual was 5.25 gal.
   
   Post boil gravity before adding water: 1.076
   Post boil gravity post adding water: 1.084
   Yeah I don’t get it either. Prob picking up sediment
   
   FG 1.015. That gives this beer about 9% abv.