Ginger Nut Christmas Ale (2012 edition)

[RobWalker]

Bottled and stored, not to be opened until the holidays! It's got 6 months to mature so should blend together nicely. But for now, I've gotta forget about it, aside from labelling and moving to the garage in 2 weeks :p

Ginger Snap Christmas Ale 2012
Brew Type: All Grain Date: 10/09/2011
Style: Christmas/Winter Specialty Spice Beer
Batch Size: 9.09 L
Boil Volume: 8.96 L
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.0 %
Equipment: Brew Pot (4 Gallon)
Actual Efficiency: 67.2 %

Taste Rating (50 possible points): 35.0
Dark, cakey, spicy and complex. Guarunteed to bring festive cheer. 2012 version uses Bramling Cross hops, Maple Syrup and US-05 instead of S-04.

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
0.20 kg Lyle's Golden Syrup (0.0 SRM) Extract 8.8 %
1.50 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 66.4 %
0.30 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 13.3 %
0.06 kg Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 2.7 %
15.00 gm Fuggles [4.50%] (60 min) Hops 16.2 IBU
10.00 gm Bramling Cross [6.00%] (10 min) Hops 5.2 IBU
5.00 gm Fuggles [4.50%] (30 min) Hops 4.2 IBU
0.50 tsp Allspice, Ground (Primary 5.0 min) Misc
0.50 oz Ginger Root (Boil 20.0 min) Misc
0.50 tsp Nutmeg, Ground (Primary 5.0 min) Misc
0.20 kg Maple Syrup (35.0 SRM) Sugar 8.8 %

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.055 SG (1.030-1.110 SG) Measured Original Gravity: 1.053 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.014 SG (1.005-1.025 SG) Measured Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Color: 16.3 SRM (5.0-50.0 SRM) Color [Color]
Bitterness: 25.6 IBU (0.0-70.0 IBU) Alpha Acid Units: 1.3 AAU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.3 % (2.5-12.0 %) Actual Alcohol by Volume: 5.3 %
Actual Calories: 497 cal/l

 

[liampenn]

Any chance in linking me to the actual recipe for this?
Thanks,
Liam

 

[rich27500]

Looks lovely may have a crack at that!

 

[RobWalker]

That's my recipe - I can upscale or convert to extract for you if you want :)

 

[RobWalker]

Well, first taste test to check its okay. All good, its very deep and has that dry but cakey taste again! Bramling cross hops don't do it any favours, its very blunt and piney at the moment, so needs maturation. There's also not much head retention, looks like a pint of coke now. Now we wait I guess!

 

[liampenn]

Sounds great, I might gather up the ingredients for this. Does it have a distinctive ginger nut taste to it?
And how would you mature it/what in? (im not used to brewing beers)
Thanks,
Liam :P

 

[RobWalker]

It's more like a fruit shortcake weirdly. It certainly has its own flavour though, which is quite cool. You can age in the bottle, I just bottle mine up straight after fermentation, its in the garage until Xmas now.

Replace the bramling cross with goldings though, they are much much better. If you're serious about brewing this, ill do you a quick step by step :)

 

[liampenn]

It will defiantly be on my list to do in august. If you aged it in the bottles would you then add the priming sugar a 3 weeks pre-opening? Or would you have to have a flat beer? If you could write me up a quick couple steps sometime that would be great!
Thanks again!

 

[RobWalker]

You prime on bottling day like any other beer. It's just a matter of knowing they are ready and waiting and not drinking them early :p they will age when fully fermented and carbonated. I'll write you some stuff tonight :)

 

[BrotherMalice]

This looks like an awesome recipie, may have to give it a try ready for xmas :)

The AG que keeps getting longer and my boiler isnt even finished yet!

 

[peelman]

I like the look of this. How did it turn out for you?

Cheers :

 

[RobWalker]

i brew it every year, it's crackin! fuggles and goldings hops with an english ale yeast are the best way to go for it :thumb:

 

[peelman]

Will give it a go over the summer more than likely!
Thanks
:thumb:

 

[RobWalker]

great. i'll need to put this year's variation on in the next month or so :

 

[peelman]

Variation? What are you doing different for this year if you don't mind me asking?
:

 

[RobWalker]

No plans yet. Probably not a lot different to be honest, it's a pretty good beer with s-04, fuggles and goldings. maybe just stronger... :lol: