Christmas Beer

[baloonon]

What's coming out of the cellar for Christmas? I've got a Burton I made in
February, a Stout from a month or so ago, and an Old Ale I made almost two
years ago which I'm planning on opening on or about Christmas, maybe a day
or two before or after. I've also got a few of this year's Sierra Nevada
Bigfoot and Sam Smith's Winter Warmer. I'll see if any family and friends
to try, but I have a feeling it's mostly for me.

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by baloonon
What's coming out of the cellar for Christmas? I've got a Burton I made in
February, a Stout from a month or so ago, and an Old Ale I made almost two
years ago which I'm planning on opening on or about Christmas, maybe a day
or two before or after. I've also got a few of this year's Sierra Nevada
Bigfoot and Sam Smith's Winter Warmer. I'll see if any family and friends
to try, but I have a feeling it's mostly for me.

My 'Begotten Not Made' chocolate double stout. Kegged a week ago. I
carbonate at serving pressure, so should be ready in a week or so.

[baloonon]

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by baloonon
What's coming out of the cellar for Christmas? I've got a Burton I
made in February, a Stout from a month or so ago, and an Old Ale I
made almost two years ago which I'm planning on opening on or about
Christmas, maybe a day or two before or after. I've also got a few
of this year's Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and Sam Smith's Winter Warmer.
I'll see if any family and friends to try, but I have a feeling it's
mostly for me.

My 'Begotten Not Made' chocolate double stout. Kegged a week ago. I
carbonate at serving pressure, so should be ready in a week or so.

Real chocolate or chocolate malt? I tried adding real chocolate once to a
stout and never got much benefit as I can tell, though I've had some good
commercial chocolate stouts.

Is that a sweet stout or dry?

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by baloonon

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by baloonon
What's coming out of the cellar for Christmas? I've got a Burton I
made in February, a Stout from a month or so ago, and an Old Ale I
made almost two years ago which I'm planning on opening on or about
Christmas, maybe a day or two before or after. I've also got a few
of this year's Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and Sam Smith's Winter Warmer.
I'll see if any family and friends to try, but I have a feeling it's
mostly for me.

My 'Begotten Not Made' chocolate double stout. Kegged a week ago. I
carbonate at serving pressure, so should be ready in a week or so.

Real chocolate or chocolate malt? I tried adding real chocolate once to a
stout and never got much benefit as I can tell, though I've had some good
commercial chocolate stouts.

Chocolate malt, cocoa powder at 10 minutes, 1/4 lb cacao nibs in the secondary.

Post by baloonon
Is that a sweet stout or dry?

Just a touch of sweetness.

[Joerg]

Post by baloonon
What's coming out of the cellar for Christmas? I've got a Burton I made in
February, a Stout from a month or so ago, and an Old Ale I made almost two
years ago which I'm planning on opening on or about Christmas, maybe a day
or two before or after. I've also got a few of this year's Sierra Nevada
Bigfoot and Sam Smith's Winter Warmer. I'll see if any family and friends
to try, but I have a feeling it's mostly for me.

Having lived near Cologne much of my life we will be having fresh
Koelsch for Christmas. Bottling day is this coming Thursday, plus or
minus a day depending on my work schedule. I found that carbonation with
0.8oz/gal of corn sugar is good enough to pop the first bottles after a
week. I'll also have some Stout I brewed early November (my wife doesn't
like dark beers).

A Cream Ale will be bottled around the same time and an Amber Ale around
Christmas.

We don't give each other Christmas presents since years but we treated
ourselves to a Belgian Tripel recipe kit which will be brewed early next
year. Got to brew an IPA first though because we are running low.
Another Christmas present to myself will be a 5-gal water bottle so that
I have another secondary fermenter, freeing up a primary bucket earlier
than usual.

[baloonon]

Post by Joerg
I'll also have some Stout I brewed early November (my
wife doesn't like dark beers).

Even German darks? They tend to be a lot mellower than stouts.

Sometimes too it tends to be the serving size. A couple of stouts can kind
of finish me for a while, even if it's a low alcohol one like the standard
Guinness. Depending on the situation, that can be a positive feature, not
a bug.

[Joerg]

Post by baloonon

Post by Joerg
I'll also have some Stout I brewed early November (my
wife doesn't like dark beers).

Even German darks? They tend to be a lot mellower than stouts.

When we lived in Germany she used to like Koestritzer Schwarzbier but
now not so much anymore. The Bock beers have too much alcohol content
for her taste.

So sometimes we drink different beers. Like yesterday when she had a
Pale Ale and I had a Stout. Both "mise en bouteille dans notre garage".

Post by baloonon
Sometimes too it tends to be the serving size. A couple of stouts can kind
of finish me for a while, even if it's a low alcohol one like the standard
Guinness. Depending on the situation, that can be a positive feature, not
a bug.

Unless you'd be living in Ireland :-)

No kidding, before moving to the US we did a long vacation in Ireland to
see whether that would be a good place for retirement. The people are
very nice and so is the area around the Shannon. However, me liver would
go to pots there ...