Suggestions for a "Holiday" beer

[Maida7]

I'd like to make a winter warmer type beer for the christmas holiday season. I'm thinking of an english ale, darker, malty and spiced with orange, liqorice, paradise seeds and maybe something else.

Any suggestions or hints?
TIA

[TampaBrew]

how about a quadrupple with some lindeman's framboise added al a Three Philosophers.

[Maida7]

I'd rather do something slightly lower gravity so it will be ready faster. I'm thinking 6% and under.

[majorvices]

I made a 1.080 Saison de Noire with the Fantome strain. It's in the primary right now. Crazy kitchen sink grain bill. Thinking about adding some caramelized dried cherries to the secondary. Christmas is still 3.5 months away so while it may be better by next Christmas (I made 10 gallons of it) it should be palatable by Xmas 08.

[Brandon]

I made a 1.080 Saison de Noire with the Fantome strain. It's in the primary right now. Crazy kitchen sink grain bill. Thinking about adding some caramelized dried cherries to the secondary. Christmas is still 3.5 months away so while it may be better by next Christmas (I made 10 gallons of it) it should be palatable by Xmas 08.

and I better get a bottle....

[shane]

I made a 1.080 Saison de Noire with the Fantome strain. It's in the primary right now. Crazy kitchen sink grain bill. Thinking about adding some caramelized dried cherries to the secondary. Christmas is still 3.5 months away so while it may be better by next Christmas (I made 10 gallons of it) it should be palatable by Xmas 08.

i did something similar this week with wyeast saison strains 3711 and 3726, an OG 1.072 black saison. i'm planning to sour some of it, but i'm intrigued by the caramelized cherry idea. what's your method keith?

[majorvices]

Denny had posted something about using raisins the same way on this post: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=30532

Thought I might try it with dried cherries. Haven't decided yet though. Will taste the beer first.

I used whole tart cherries last yeast in a belgian dubbel recipe and liked the way it turned out well enough - but wanted something a little more complex.

[alewife]

Tomme Arthur does a similar thing with his Pizza Port SPF 8 saison -- carmelizes raisins, deglazes them with port wine and then throws in things like rosemary and orange peel. He does his saisons by season like Fantome does. The SPF 8 specifications are in Farmhouse Ales. That recipe's inspiration was supposedly Fantome's Black Ghost.

Alewife

[beertron]

i would like to make a "big ass" holiday beer. it would have to be brewed next friday at the earliest. is this to late to start a big winter warmer? also, i have zero experience with spices or alternate ingredients. (im not a purist or anything, its just worked out that way so far.) any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[MaltnHopsrGood]

i would like to make a "big ass" holiday beer. it would have to be brewed next friday at the earliest. is this to late to start a big winter warmer? also, i have zero experience with spices or alternate ingredients. (im not a purist or anything, its just worked out that way so far.) any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My advice, take it easy with the spices! A little can go a long way. I made my Silent Night Spiced Porter for the first time a few years ago, it was the first time I ever brewed with spices...the beer was absolutely undrinkable for at least 6 months. Then it was only decent! After a year though, it was AMAZING!

[cornixt]

I made one in August and it has only just become good. The only things that made it "holiday" was the addition of nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon. Only used a teaspoon of each but you can certainly taste/smell it in the beer. It was made as xmas presents for people (the same people who drank the rest of my beer last week, leaving me with just this lot left and a batch still fermenting)