X-Mas Ale 2023

Towards the beginning of 2023, I realized that I had not brewed beers in every category of the 2021 BJCP Guidelines (see Sheppy's Blog: I lied), and I thought that Category 33 - Wood Beer would make a good X-Mas Ale .

I used my standard X-Mas Ale base, pretty much the same as the 2022 version.

On the homebrew level, I really didn't want to use a barrel or even really age it all that much, and decided to go with wood-spirals to obtain the wood character.

I knew I would drink most of this before it can be considered "well-aged", but I hope to remember to bottle a few bombers to drink in the future.

It is a wonderful winter warmer. The wood character was there pretty early, but subtle. Provides a little dry accent to help balance out the sweetness of the winter warmer.

Great X-Mas Ale.

On untapped: X-Mas Ale 2023 - SheppyBrew

X-Mas Ale 2023 --- Batch 1 (347)

Style		Wood-Aged Beer		Batch Size		5.50 gal
Type		All Grain		Boil Size		6.60 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency		65.00		Boil Time		60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity		1.061 SG		Estimated FG		1.013 SG
Recipe Bitterness		38.3 IBUs (Rager)		Alcohol by Volume		6.4 %
BU : GU		0.631
Recipe Color		20.1 SRM		Color
Measured OG:		1.061		Measured FG:		1.011
ADF:		81		Measured ABV:		6.6

Ingredients

Ingredients

Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
8.15 gal	Denver, Colorado	Water	1	-	-
6.00 g	Calcium Chloride (Mash)	Water Agent	2	-	-
2.00 g	Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash)	Water Agent	3	-	-
2.00 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash)	Water Agent	4	-	-
0.50 tsp	Lactic Acid (Mash)	Water Agent	5	-	-
11 lbs 8.0 oz	Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)	Grain	6	80.0 %	0.90 gal
1 lbs 8.0 oz	Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)	Grain	7	10.4 %	0.12 gal
8.0 oz	Crystal, Ligth (Simpsons) (40.0 SRM)	Grain	8	3.5 %	0.04 gal
6.0 oz	Crystal, Medium (Simpsons) (68.0 SRM)	Grain	9	2.6 %	0.03 gal
4.0 oz	Crystal, Extra Dark (Simpsons) (180.0 SRM)	Grain	10	1.7 %	0.02 gal
4.0 oz	Midnight Wheat Malt (Briess) (550.0 SRM)	Grain	11	1.7 %	0.02 gal
1.000 oz	Magnum [12.60 %] - Boil 40.0 min	Hop	12	38.3 IBUs	-
1.00 Items	Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins)	Fining	13	-	-
1.00 tsp	Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins)	Other	14	-	-
1.0 pkg	Nottingham (Danstar #-) [23.66 ml]	Yeast	15	-	-
2.00 Items	American Oak Infusion Spirals (Secondary 7.0 days)	Flavor	16	-	-

Mash Profile

Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Saccharification	Add 32.61 qt of water at 157.5 F	150.0 F	45 min
Heat	Heat to 156.0 F over 10 min	156.0 F	20 min

If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Water salts bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=100,Mg=15,Na=21,SO4=112,Cl=117,HCO3=104
Acid addition to bring expected mash pH to 5.4
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 2 weeks of fermentation, transfer beer to keg along with the wood spirals.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:				Strike Temp:
Mash Temps:
Pre-boil OG		(1.055 SG)		Pre-boil Vol		(6.60 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency				Pitch Temp
Fermentation
Day 1:
Day ...
Day ...