Krampus Kristmas Ale

Krampus probably should have
visited me more at xmas...

Its September 2nd, the time of the year the brewers thoughts turn to cool fall evenings, pints of ESB after racking the leaves . . . and Christmas. Yep, it is time to start brewing those over-strength ales that we all love to enjoy around yule-time.

Over the past 12 or so years I've brewed a variant of my "Bad Santa"; a light-coloured, light body strong beer with hints of honey, ginger & cinnamon. Every year I tweak it slightly, aiming to make it ever better. Around 2008 this recipe hit its peak and has been on a downward slide since. Indeed, last years batch was a mild disappointment, as chronicled over these posts: 1, 2 &3. Needless to say, it is well-neigh time for a new Christmas beer.

Enter Krampus Kristmas Ale - which is everything Bad Santa isn't. Instead of a light-colour, this beer should have a deep-red hue provided by a mix of melanoiden & caramunich malt. In place of a honey-induced dryness, this beer uses a hot mash to provide a thick, sweet, malty finish. In place of subtle ginger & cinnamon tones, this been has a kick-in-the-face spiciness provided by ample amounts of of cinnamon, allspice & nutmeg. What better name for Bad Santas darker brother than Krampus - the demon who drags naughty children to his lair for punishment?

Recipe & brewnotes below the fold...

---

Recipe:

Krampus Krismas Ale

Christmas/Winter Specialty Spice Beer

Type: All Grain	Date: 13-09-02
Batch Size (fermenter): 20.00 l	Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Boil Size: 29.34 l	Est Mash Efficiency 75.6 %
Boil Time: 90 min	End of Boil Volume 24.5 l
Final Bottling Volume: 19.50 l
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 5.63 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 78.1 % 1.00 kg Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 2 13.9 % 0.46 kg Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.3 % 0.12 kg Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 4 1.7 % 35 g Fuggles [5.00 %] - First Wort 90.0 min Hop 5 23.2 IBUs 14 g Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 3.9 IBUs 1 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 7 - From Bank London ESB Ale (Wyeast 1968) Yeast 8 - 7.00 Items All Spice (Secondary 20 days) Spice 9 - 2.00 Items Cinnamon Stick (Secondary 20 days) Spice 10 - 0.50 Items Nutmeg (Secondary 20 days) Spice 11 -
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.078 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.066 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.025 SG	Measured Final Gravity: TBD
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.0 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: TBD
Bitterness: 27.1 IBUs	Calories: 427.1 kcal/l
Est Color: 15.5 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge	Total Grain Weight: 7.21 kg
Sparge Water: 17.75 l	Grain Temperature: 23.5 C
Sparge Temperature: 75.6 C	Tun Temperature: 23.5 C
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE	Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time Mash In Add 19.06 l of water at 76.8 C 68.9 C 45 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (5, 15l) of 75.6 C water
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Keg	Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 12.5 PSI	Keg/Bottling Temperature: 21.1 C
Notes
BU:GU = 0.35 Malt: -Using leftovers! -2-row = 5.428kg 2-row + 0.134kg Marris Otter + 0.07kg Pilsner Malt Mash/Sparge: -Added an extra ~2.5L; used in first sparge; added boiling as a "mini-mash" **Adding the extra volume was a huge mistake, and dirctly responsible for the low gravity - boiling off an extra 2L would have led to a dead-on gravity!
Created with BeerSmith