What I am Brewing: Holiday Brew

My cooling wort just waiting for some yeast

Name: Holiday Brew #1


Comments:
 

My goal with this beer was to make a lightly spiced, dark ale for the holidays. As we are in the second half of October already, this beer should be ready just in time for Thanksgiving. I'm hoping there will still be some left by Christmas!

Cinnamon stick, fresh ginger (needs chopping), whole nutmeg (needs grinding), and specialty grains (needs crushing)

Amarillo Hops (left), Vanguard Hops (right), and spices ready to go

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs - Muntons Dried Plain Dark Malt
• 3 lbs - Muntons Dried Plain Aber Malt
• 2 lbs - Muntons Dried Plain Light Malt
• 1/2 lb - Grains: Crystal 50/60
• 1/2 lb - Grains: Caramel 120
• 1 Cinnamon Stick - whole
• 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg - freshly ground
• 1 Teaspoon Ginger - freshly chopped
• 3 Cloves - whole
• 1.0 oz - Hops: Vanguard (AA 4.8%), boiling hops
• 1.0 oz - Hops: Amarillo (AA 7.1%), finishing hops
• Yeast - Safale S-04

Method:

• Simmer crushed grains in 3 gallons of water at 155 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• Rinse grains with 1 gallon water - drained right into the brew kettle
• Add more water to bring total to 5 gallons
• Bring to boil.
• Add malt extracts and return to boil
• Add boiling hops for 60 minutes
• Add spices at T-10 minutes
• Add finishing hops at T-2 minutes
• Cool and transfer to clean 5 gallon carboy
• Add yeast when completely cool (below 75 degrees F)
• Ferment, rack, prime with 3/4 cup corn sugar, bottle, age, drink!