Every year since I started homebrewing (way back in 2009), I've brewed an X-Mas Ale to have around the holidays.
The base beer is always a pretty similar Winter Warmer. High(ish) in alcohol. Dark amber to brown. A caramel malt flavor.
On top of the base beer, I've added all kinds of flavoring to make the beer more "holiday". Over the years, I added wood spirals, vanilla, cherry pomegranate, chocolate, peppermint, peanut butter, hazelnut, cherry, and many other flavorings.
But this year, no X-Mas Ale. This year I decided to brew ...
Really, it is the same thing other than using a lager yeast rather than an ale yeast.
FWIW ... the flavoring / seasoning is Coriander Seed this year. I'm thinking about adding cinnamon sticks to the keg as well, but we'll see.
Last Sunday was brew day for this batch. Saturday was actually Learn to Homebrew Day, which is usually a day the Beer Model and I will brew something, often with my Homebrewing buddies Doc and/or Du.
I was ready to brew Saturday, but we didn't have plans with anyone, and the wife decided we would visit O is for Odell Brewing Sloan’s Lake Brewhouse. So, I brewed Sunday instead.
I did actually did get started on Saturday with an overnight mash. My plan was to get started earlier enough to get the brew day done before church.
But, I was forgetting that we had to go early to help set up things, so getting everything done didn't quite happen.
I actually decided to start the boil ... and then turn off the boil around half way to three quarters of the way through while we left for church.
My thought was even though the boil wasn't done, it would probably remain close enough to boiling that I'd still get evaporation and whatever else might happen if I was actually boiling.
As it turns out, after I got back home, the OG was a point low, but close enough that I considered it fine.
So, I chilled down to the 50's and pitched the yeast. The fermenter was in the basement by 10:30, and the yeast pitched shortly after that.
Then, I just had to clean up.
The one thing I forgot on brew day was the Coriander Seed, which I simply added the next day.
We'll see how the beer turns out, but I'm sure it will be great. Stay tuned on Sheppy's Blog: X-Mas Lager and I'm sure you'll see something in the future about this beer.
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