X-Mas Ale 2019
Brewed: 10/20/2019 Kegged: 11/5/2019
Every year since I started home-brewing (way back in 2009), I've brewed an X-Mas Ale to have around the holidays.
Over the years, they have been very similar base beers. They range in color from a darker amber ale to a dark brown ale. They range in ABV from around 5.5% to over 8.3%.
Most have had non-traditional beer flavoring. A couple have simply been base beers.
I've added Cherries, Honey, Almond Extract, Vanilla Extract, and Ground Cloves.
I've added Cinnamon, and Apple Pie Spice.
I've added Hazelnut Extract, Peppermint Extract, Blueberry Extract.
One beer was Peanut Butter flavored.
I even made a smoked X-Mas Ale.
2019, I wasn't sure what to make, but at the same time that I bought the Peanut Butter Flavoring the year before, I had picked up some White Chocolate Flavoring. I figured I had it. I'd use it.
I designed the beer a bit higher in alcohol than the past couple of X-Mas Ales. A little darker than 2018, but certainly not as dark as some of the X-Mas Ales over the years.
Should be ready by Thanksgiving and will be drinking through the rest of the year.
For a list of all the X-Mas Ales on this website, see X-Mas Ales 2009 - 2019
| X-Mas Ale 2019 --- Batch 1 (242) |
| Style | Winter Seasonal Beer | Batch Size | 6.50 gal | |||
| Type | All Grain | Boil Size | 8.75 gal | |||
| Brewhouse Efficiency | 70.00 | Boil Time | 60 minutes |
Recipe Characteristics
| Recipe Gravity | 1.072 SG | Estimated FG | 1.017 SG | ||||
| Recipe Bitterness | 21.9 IBUs (Rager) | Alcohol by Volume | 7.2 % | ||||
| BU : GU | 0.303 | ||||||
| Recipe Color | 19.4 SRM |
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| Measured OG: | 1.064 | Measured FG: | 1.015 | ||||
| ADF: | .765 | Measured ABV: | 6.5% |
Ingredients
| Amt | Name | Type | # | %/IBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.00 g | Chalk (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | 1 | - |
| 15 lbs | Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 2 | 80.5 % |
| 2 lbs | Munich Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) | Grain | 3 | 10.7 % |
| 8.0 oz | Crystal, Dark (Simpsons) (80.0 SRM) | Grain | 4 | 2.7 % |
| 8.0 oz | Crystal, Extra Dark (Simpsons) (160.0 SRM) | Grain | 5 | 2.7 % |
| 8.0 oz | Crystal, Medium (Simpsons) (55.0 SRM) | Grain | 6 | 2.7 % |
| 2.0 oz | Midnight Wheat Malt (550.0 SRM) | Grain | 7 | 0.7 % |
| 0.500 oz | Magnum [12.40 %] - First Wort 60.0 min | Hop | 8 | 21.9 IBUs |
| 1.00 Items | Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) | Fining | 9 | - |
| 1.0 pkg | American Ale II (Harvested) (Wyeast Labs #1272) [125.00 ml] | Yeast | 10 | - |
| 1.00 tsp | Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) | Other | 11 | - |
| 2.00 oz | White Chocolate Flavoring (Secondary 3.0 days) | Flavor | 12 | - |
Mash Profile
| Name | Description | Step Temperature | Step Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mash In | Add 23.28 qt of water at 163.7 F | 152.0 F | 60 min |
Batch sparge with 2 steps
(0.79gal, 4.38gal) of 168.0 F water
Make starter a couple days in advance of brew day.
3g chalk in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=67,Mg=8,Na=21,SO4=50,Cl=23,HCO3=157
Mash as instructed.
60 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.
After the initial fermentation is done, rack to secondary fermentor along with flavoring extract.
Brewing Record
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| Pre-boil OG | (1.060 SG) | Pre-boil Vol | (8.75 gal) | |||
| Actual Mash Efficiency | Pitch Temp | |||||
| Fermentation | ||||||
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