Holiday Preparations

[HB_in_Subic]

As I am living overseas, I am curious what kind of holiday preparations my fellow US brewers are brewing in preparation for their holidays.

For me, I am already in full tilt brewing mode. My goal is to have 8 different beers available for my five guests arriving mid-December to last us until New Year’s. I also have a big event the last week of the year (wedding anniversary and wife’s birthday). Needless to say the whole week is almost one huge party.

This is my list of beers that I will have on hand;

Amber Bock Ale
Texas Red Ale
Irish Red Ale
6 Malt Amber Ale
Pacific Saison
Oatmeal Stout
Robust Porter

A total of 120L will be available. Plus, I will be brewing more once as enough bottles become available for a batch to be bottled. This way I keep my pipeline going and my 3 fermenters occupied just waiting for bottles to come available.

I also am making Apple Pie Moonshine (http://www.wideopenspaces.com/apple-pie-moonshine/) with Bacardi 151 and Captain Morgan. I will have four batches of this on hand. Some for gifts, some for partying.

Next year I plan on adding ciders to this list along with some more "holidayish" recipes.

 

[Weezy]

I plan to have two Xmas ales ready for the break...a Great Lakes Christmas clone and a homemade winter warmer recipe that I want to try. There's 4 brews id like to do, including a lager, but that's not going to happen.

 

[Melana]

I'm hoping to get ahead of the weekly intake and have four different brews on tap for the holidays and a keg of Apfelwine. So far it's looking like a stout, one of the IPA's, Oktoberfast, and perhaps blonde.
I've got a few big brew days coming up shortly and I want to be ready!

 

[icanbenchurcat]

Chocolate Milk Chai Stout - ready by thanksgiving
Bourbon Barrel Irish Red - ready early December
Jalapeño Pilsner - ready by Christmas


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[TheBeerGuy]

Well I too will have company over the holiday season. I have all in 5 gallon batches unless noted.

1. Winter Warmer - true to style double with spices steeped in vodka over 2 weeks added to the secondary. - Bottled
2. Angry Pumpkin Ale - Typical pumpkin seasonal ale stepped up with two stage fermentation using ale yeast in the first stage and then orange honey and champagne yeast in the second fermentation stage. Approx ABV 13% - clarifying now
3. Cranberry Maibock - Maibock style with fresh frozen cranberries added to secondary. - Keg Conditioning
4. MooMoo Chocolate Stout - Stout with lactose added, cocoa nibs and my special chocolate addition, fresh homegrown hops added. - Bottled
5. Batch #13 - A bourbon cask ale aged in small batch bourbon barrel, spices, and eventually homemade bourbon flavored with Madagascar vanilla beans. - Aging in the bourbon barrel (2.5 gallon batch)
6. Home made Saki - My first try at making my own Saki (2.5 gallon batch)

That's all for now but I am planning on making a new version of my CooCoo for Coconut by January to let the flavors blend better and mellow out in bottles.

 

[Cyclman]

I am happy, I have the best winter pipeline that I've ever had. I have a Bourbon Barrel RIS, a Bourbon Barrel Quad, a Surly Smoke clone, a Dubbel, a Helles Bock, Apfelwein, Chocolate Porter, DIPA, Raspberry Mead, DunkelWeizen, Irish Red, and a 2 year old Wee Heavy.

Throwing a party for my brewclub, hopefully those are a good draw!

 

[max384]

On tap I've got:
IPA
Cream Ale
Saison
Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

In primary:
Reindeer Fuel (my ~9% winter warmer)

In secondary:
Blonde Ale
Saison

For Christmas, I expect the cream ale will kick, and probably the IPA as well. The Reindeer Fuel and blonde ale will be on tap in their place. I'll be brewing another IPA soon, and I may actually bottle that. That should get me through the holidays!

 

[ThirstyMoose]

In September I brewed up an Imperial Cream Stout. I was hoping it would be conditioned by Thanksgiving but after sampling one last week I don't think it will be ready until Christmas.
Anticipation makes the heart grow fonder!

 

[unionrdr]

My dampfbier V2 will be ready by turkey day & I still have some Bavarian watermelon hefe. The ESB will be brewed soon to go with those for Christmas. Too much money spent on repairs & bills lately to brew porter or stout in time. So far, anyway.

 

[altimate_one]

Having a few friends over for the Bills vs Browns on the 30th and made a little beer in preparation for that.
10 Gals Milk Stout that will be on the new Nitro tap
5 Gals Papa "G's" Razberry Ale
5 Gals Strawberry Wheat Ale
5 Gals Robust Porter to try out the Fast Ferm that should be in its prime between Christmas and New Years.

Gonna be a good winter in NE Ohio