Christmas Brew ???

[OldGazza]

Am looking to brew a dark ale for xmas next,(3rd all grain) giving a nice 3 month cask conditioning time.
looking along lines of an Old ale or Porter around 5%abv, but am not a great fan of too much in the way of coffee overtones.
Any suggestions , or better still one of your favourite brews that fits the bill would be most welcome.
Thanks oldgazza

 

[jamesb]

Moved this into the beer recipes section instead of the wine/cider :thumb:

 

[OldGazza]

perhaps i m on the wrong site!!!

 

[tubby_shaw]

Nah you're not on the wrong site :nono:

A dark ale without coffee notes is going to be difficult as both chocolate and black malt give coffee notes :wha:

How about,
A dark strong ale ?

23L
5.5 kg Pale malt
500g crystal malt
50g roast barley

75g of goldings 4.6% for 90 minute boil
25g of Goldings 4.6% aa last 15 minutes of boil

At 75% efficiency that should give an OG of 1.058 so 5.6% abv
There should be 38 IBU and it should be fairly dark :thumb:
Oh and with all that crystal malt in 23 L it will end up fairly chewy :grin:

 

[OldGazza]

cheers that sounds good.

 

[Oblivious]

OldGazza another great beer that a number of people have brewed is the 1850 Whitbread 's London Porter, great beer and it will just have matured nicely for Christmas too

Whitbread 's London Porter (1850) 21L

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (L): 21.50
Anticipated SRM: 35.0
Anticipated IBU: 64.2
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name
------------------
77.7 4.50 kg. Pale Malt(2-row)
16.5 0.95 kg. Brown Malt
5.8 0.33 kg. Black Patent Malt


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
110.00 g. Goldings - E.K. Whole 4.35 64.2 60 min.

 

[OldGazza]

Decided to go with Vossy's Oatmeal Stout recipe now, slightly modified to some ingredients i already have. Brewday Tuesday, but next up after the stout will definately be that Whitbread London Porter. keep those recommends coming though it's helpful to know what recipes you rate highly.regards Gazza

 

[jamesb]

I can vouch for Vossey's Oatmeal Stout. I made it for last christmas and it went down a treat, and I'm not a big stout drinker. I wonder if ni9e has made it - he's a big stout fan.

 

[Aleman]

I really liked Vossys Outmeal stout to . . . That blue cheese twang . . . . can't beat it :rofl:

Seriously it is a damn fine beer . . . I'm just never going to forget that special bottle you saved for me :lol: