Holiday Homebrew Recipes

The key to creating a delicious and fitting holiday beer is to select the proper kind of ale for the season. In this article, I will discuss four kinds of beer that fit the four seasons: Winter Solstice Stout, Spring Equinox Amber, Summer Solstice Pale Ale, and Fall Equinox Porter. I have chosen these certain types of beer based on both my beer drinking and beer brewing experience, having been a brewer for about ten years.

I choose the heavier Stout for the winter time. Some prefer a crisp, cold winter ale to reflect the qualities of the season, but I prefer to provide a warming, nutritious beer to help people stay healthy and well fortified against the cold dark months. A winter solstice stout should be brewed no later than the first of December, to give it time to ferment and age properly before consumption on the Winter Solstice.

For this ale, as with all beers, I recommend using natural, living spring water, or if that is difficult, to use purified water. You will taste the tap if you use tap water to make your beer. I have included here a list of malt extract-based recipes, for use by the beginning or intermediate home brewer. For advance brewers, you know what to do to make the conversion. The grains are used to add flavor more than sweetness, but I always like to throw ½ pound of American 2-row Barley to increase the liveliness of the beer (helps start the mashing process).

Winter Solstice Stout
4.5 gallons spring water
10 lbs Malt extract
½ lbs American 2-row Barley
1 lbs Roasted Barley
1 lbs Chocolate Malt
½ lbs Caramunich
2 oz. Bittering hops (Chinook)
1 oz. Finishing hops (Saaz)
Yeast

The recipes for Amber ales tend to be refreshingly simple, and that makes this variety of beer perfect for the springtime. Many brewers tend to make ESB (Extra Special Bitters) and Pale Ales for this time of year, but I find a light amber to be quite quaffable for the months of March, April, and May. It is wise to use a ¼ to ½ tablespoon Irish moss for any Amber ale to affect a clear and sparkling beverage.

Spring Equinox Amber
4 ½ Gallons spring water
7 lbs malt extract
1 lbs Roasted Barley
½ lbs Caramel (60) malt
¼ lbs Caramel (120) malt
1 ½ oz. Bittering hops (American Cascade)
½ oz. Finishing hops (New Zealand Hallertaur)
Yeast

Summer Ales are always best enjoyed when they are made as clear, pale, down to business ales. This makes the Pale Ale an ideal type, well suited to Summer drinking. Heavier and darker ales tend to suffer a bit in hotter environments, losing their hearty taste once they warm up. For those serious about inebriation, an I.P.A. could be the next step…

Summer Solstice Pale Ale
4 ½ Gallons spring water
6 ½ lbs malt extract
½ lbs Caramel (60) malt
¼ lbs Caramel (120) malt
¼ lbs Caramunich malt
½ oz. Bittering hops (Cascade, whole or pellets)
1 oz. Flavoring hops (Saaz)
Irish Moss recommended, as well as racking.
Yeast

The Fall is a good season for celebrating! Whether your harvest is corn or wheat, pay-per-click, or apples, the Fall Equinox celebrates the eternal circle of life and death, and should be celebrated. I recommend a sweet malty porter for this season, a beer palatable by most folks.

Fall Equinox Porter
7 ½ lbs malt extract
1 lbs Caramel (120) malt
1 lbs Chocolate malt
½ lbs American 2-row Barley Malt
½ oz. Cascade hops
1 oz. Saaz hops

Good luck with these holiday homebrew recipes! Remember that a fine quality home brew enhances any party, and drink it in good health.