X-Mas Ale 2015
Brewed: 11/22/2015 Kegged: 12/12/2015
Ever since I started brewing (way back in 2009), I've always brewed a seasonal X-Mas Ale Winter warmer. It is always a pretty big beer with lots of caramel and usually has a little extra spice or other flavor to add to the festivity.
In 2015, I modified the base beer a little bit. I cut back some on the caramel and chocolate malts, and dropped the ABV just a touch. I am replaced the caramel with dark munich malt to provide some breadiness .
Since I was playing with the base recipe, I left any extra spices out .. just as I did for the 2014 version of the X-Mas Ale.
Because it has less dark malts it was a bit lighter in color, but not nearly as much as I figured it would be. It was still a darkish amber.
Despite being lower in alcohol, it will still be perfect for sipping by the fireplace on a cold winter evening with family and friends. In fact, perhaps less alcohol helps.
2015 was the first year I kegged most of my X-Mas Ale allowing us to pour from the tap as Jesus intended beer to be consumed. I only filled 6 bottles of the 2015 X-Mas Ale.
Merry X-Mas.
For more about SheppyBrew X-Mas Ales, check out X-Mas Ales on my Blog.
| Style |
|
Christmas/Winter Specialty Spice Beer |
|
Batch Size |
|
5.50 gal |
| Type |
|
All Grain |
|
Boil Size |
|
7.76 gal |
| Brewhouse Efficiency |
|
75.00 |
|
Boil Time |
|
90 minutes | Recipe Characteristics
| Recipe Gravity |
|
1.069 SG |
|
Estimated FG |
|
1.017 SG |
| Recipe Bitterness |
|
31.7 IBUs (Rager) |
|
Alcohol by Volume |
|
6.9 % |
| BU : GU |
|
0.460 |
|
|
|
|
| Recipe Color |
|
18.6 SRM |
|
|
|
|
| Measured OG: |
|
1.066 |
|
Measured FG: |
|
1.013 |
| ADF: |
|
80% |
|
Measured ABV: |
|
7 | Ingredients
Ingredients
| Amt |
Name |
Type |
# |
%/IBU |
| 12 lbs |
Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) |
Grain |
1 |
85.0 % |
| 1 lbs |
Munich Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) |
Grain |
2 |
7.1 % |
| 12.0 oz |
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) |
Grain |
3 |
5.3 % |
| 4.0 oz |
Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) |
Grain |
4 |
1.8 % |
| 2.0 oz |
Blackprinz (500.0 SRM) |
Grain |
5 |
0.9 % |
| 0.500 oz |
Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.20 %] - First Wort 90.0 min |
Hop |
6 |
31.7 IBUs |
| 1.00 tsp |
Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins) |
Other |
7 |
- |
| 0.50 tsp |
Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) |
Fining |
8 |
- |
| 1.0 pkg |
American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [125.00 ml] |
Yeast |
9 |
- |
Mash Profile
Mash Steps
| Name |
Description |
Step Temperature |
Step Time |
| Mash In |
Add 17.66 qt of water at 163.7 F |
152.0 F |
60 min |
Batch sparge with 2 steps
(1.16gal, 3.88gal) of 168.0 F water
Recipe Notes
Make starter a
couple days in advance of brew day.
Mash as instructed in 10 gallon
cooler.
90 minute boil making additions as instructed in recipe.
Cool wort
to as close to 60F as possible. Add to fermenter. Aerate wort and pitch
yeast.
Ferment at 60F for 24 hours or so. Try to keep fermentation between 60
and 65 for a couple days, then let the temperature go where it want to.
Brewing Record
| Brew Date: |
|
11/22/2015 |
|
Strike Temp: |
|
170 |
| Mash Temps: |
|
150 raised to 154ish |
| Pre-boil OG |
|
1.055 (1.056 SG) |
|
Pre-boil Vol |
|
(7.76 gal) |
| Actual Mash Efficiency |
|
|
|
Pitch Temp |
|
58 |
| Fermentation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Day 1: Kraussen started 60 |
| Day 2: Blew the airlock put in blow off tube 66 |
| Day ... |
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