Andrimne Christmas Ale

Source: Gahr Smith-Gahrsen
Recipe added: 11/17/99
Email: hengm@student.uib.no

Here in Norway almost all commercially available Christmas beers are lagers. Jonas Moen and I wanted something more fruity and fresh to go with the rather heavy traditional dishes served at this time of year. We came up with this one, and we are happy with the results. The beer is slightly weaker than other Norwegian Christmas beers, but it is still full and well balanced. It might be classified as a strong mild, but since we brew it for Christmas I didn't post it in that category. Hope somebody tries this one.

Specifics

Recipe type: All Grain
Batch Size: 22.5 liters
Starting Gravity: 1059
Finishing Gravity: 1018
Time in Boil: 60 min
Primary Fermentation: 5 days at 20 C
Secondary Fermentation: 7 days at 20 C
Additional Fermentation: 2 months in bottle

Ingredients:

4 kg pale malt
500 g flaked barley
600 g crystal malt
80 g chocolate malt
40 g Challenger pellets 6,1AA, 60 min boil
20 g Fuggles pellets 3,1AA, 5 min boil
5 g Irish moss 15 min boil
125 g dissolved in 3 dl ater for priming
400 slurry of yeast grown from the dregs of a Fuller's bottle

Procedure:

Single infusion mash at 65 C for 90 min. Strain and sparge to collect 25 l. Bring to boil and add Challenger. After 45 min, add Irish moss, 5 min before end add Fuggles. strain out hops and hot break and chill to pitching temperature. Add yeast and let ferment. After five days, rack to secondary and leave for one week. Rack the beer onto the prinings to make sure the sugar is distributed well and bottle. Store in a cool place for two months. Merry Christmas!

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