
Homebrew Heaven’s Nose Nipper Spiced Holiday Ale
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Approximate Starting Gravity: 1.054 - 1.060
Approximate Ending Gravity: 1.014 - 1.020
Approximate Bitterness: 33 IBU's
Approximate Color: 25 SRM's
Approximate ABV: > 6%
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AVAILABLE: JAN & SEP thru DEC
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Ingredient Kit Instructions:
This Beer Ingredient Kit makes 5 gallons of heavenly homebrew. This is equivalent to about fifty-two 12 oz. Beers. Only the finest ingredients are chosen and used in the making of this kit. Should you have any questions regarding this kit, Homebrew Heaven of Everett, WA will be happy to help you out. Our phone number is (425) 355-8865 (local), or (800) 850-2739 if you are calling from out of town.
Our Nose Nipper Holiday Ale is a mildly hopped, spiced beer that is dark amber in color. Hints of clove, ginger, citrus and peppermint give this ale its’ festive flavor. Great to enjoy for those cold nights by the fireplace.
This Kit Contains:
1 Package of Light Dry Malt Extract with Bittering hops (Northern Brewer), already mixed into the dry malt
1 Package containing 2-Row base-malt, Dextrine, Crystal, Honey, Special B & Black Barley Specialty Malts, along with a cheesecloth grain bag
1 Package of Flavor hops (Yakima Goldings) with Clarifier Tablet
1 Package of Finishing hops (Yakima Goldings)
3 Packages of Holiday Spices (includes a real peppermint candy cane)
1-2 Package(s) of Ale Yeast – 10g minimum
1 Package of Corn Sugar that is used to “prime” the beer just before bottling
Equipment and Sanitation:
It is necessary to assure that EVERYTHING that comes in contact with your ale wort after boiling, is sanitary. By this, we mean free from bacteria and other wild yeasts. Your brewpot, spoon and wort chiller (if using one) will be sanitized by the boiling of your ingredients, but from that point on, your fermentor, carboy, airlock & stopper, etc., should be sanitized thoroughly. We recommend an iodine-based product called Iodophor for this purpose.
We also recommend that your fermentation be done in a sealed container with an airlock affixed to it (closed fermentation) to avoid airborne bacteria. A sealed six-gallon, food-grade bucket works great as a fermentor. If you add water to your fermentor after the boil, it’s usually OK not to boil it, but if you want to be absolutely certain of avoiding bacteria, you can boil it ahead of time (be sure to cool it afterwards). Always sanitize your siphon equipment (bottle filler, racking cane and tubing) and bottles prior to bottling your beer. Bacteria infections are rare, but most originate from the siphon equipment.
INSTRUCTIONS
General Note: While it is normally best to cook your entire batch of beer (5–6.3 gallons of water) at once, this recipe follows the partial mash method for extracting more fermentable sugars from your grains than the normal steep method. This method uses less water initially, but you will be adding additional water after the steeping process to reach your full boil volume of water.Note: If it is not possible to boil your entire batch of beer, boil as much as you can (at least 3 gallons) & add the remaining amount during the cooling process.
1. Add 8 quarts of water to your brewpot & while heating to 170° F, put the specialty grains into the cheesecloth grain sock and tie a knot at the top of the bag (leave some room for the grains to “swish around” within the bag). When the water has reached 170° F, put the grain sock into the water, remove from heat & allow it to steep for 45 minutes. Occasionally check the water temperature (try to maintain 154° F, or 150° F - 156° F) & give the grain bag a light squeeze. After 45 minutes, drain & remove the grain bag – it has done its’ job.
2. Add enough water to bring your total volume up to between 6 & 6.3 gallons. This allows for evaporation that takes place during the boil. After the water comes to a boil, it’s time to add the dry malt extract. You will have to add the contents slowly while stirring to mix. We like to remove the brewpot from the heat for this step to prevent the malt from scorching at the bottom of the brewpot. Dry malt takes a while to dissolve into the water. Just keep stirring until the entire amount of malt has been emptied into the brewpot.
3. Bring the mixture back to a boil and make note of the time. It is ESSENTIAL that you WATCH FOR BOILOVERS at this stage. Your beer will not be ruined, but a boil over makes a BIG STICKY MESS! Keep stirring the green stuff (hops) back into the boil as you do this. The hops like to stick to the side of the brewpot – keep stirring them back down in.
4. Remember how we told you to make note of the time? Well, you’ll be boiling your mixture (now called wort) for one-hour total time. This one-hour boil ensures a good breakdown of the malt and hops. Ideally, you’ll maintain a nice rolling boil for the entire time.
5. At 15 minutes before the end of the boil (45 minutes after the start of the boil), it is time to add the package of Flavoring Hops Clarifier Tablet, and Spice Pkt #1.This addition adds a unique flavors and aids in clarifying your finished beer.
6. At 5 minutes before the end of the boil (55 minutes after the start of the boil), stir in Spice Pkt #2, until the candy cane is completely dissolved. It helps to break the cane into smaller pieces.
7. At 2 minutes before the end of the boil (58 minutes after the start – or so…), throw in the package of Finishing hops. This addition provides a wonderful aroma to your finished beer.
8. At 60 minutes from the start of the boil, turn off the heat and cool your wort as quickly as possible. The best way to cool your wort is with a wort chiller. If you don’t have one, you can set your brewpot in a sink full of ice water. A wort chiller will cool your wort in about 15 minutes, whereas the “sink full of ice water” method takes at least an hour, so leave the lid on the pot to avoid airborne bacteria. If your boiled volume after evaporation is less than 5 gallons, you can add cold water to help cool your wort. The point is, cool it quickly, keeping the pot covered if possible!
9. When you wort has cooled to 80°, or below, it’s time to pour it into your primary fermentor. Go ahead and splash your wort in order to aerate or “oxygenate” your wort at this point. Yeast “like” a little oxygen at this point ---- but never after. Don’t worry about the residue. That is protein and hop residue (called “trub”). Now you should take a “starting gravity” reading (approx. 1.054 – 1.060), using your hydrometer and test jar. After pouring the wort into your primary fermentor and taking a hydrometer reading, you can add (“pitch”) your yeast. Do this by following the directions on the package of yeast. Sprinkling the yeast on top of the wort without rehydrating will work just fine & is usually what we do. Be sure to put a tight sealing lid on the fermentor with an airlock.
IMPORTANT NOTICE - PLEASE READ ACTIVE FERMENTATIONS:
When brewing conditions are ideal; fresh malts and / or grains, good boil, well oxygenated wort, correct pitching temperature for yeast, fresh yeast, and consistent fermenting temperatures, the fermentation can be very active. Large amounts of malts such as you find in higher gravity beers, can also result in an overactive ferment.
When this happens it is not uncommon for your wort to exit out through your airlock usually clogging the airlock causing pressure to build up inside your fermentor. If the pressure builds too high before primary fermentation subsides, the lid and / or airlock on your fermentor can very well blow off, spraying your precious beer all over the room & ceiling. What a messy clean up!!! To avoid this, we advise using a “blow off” tube consisting of at least 3 feet of ½” minimum to 1” diameter tubing placed through the opening of your plastic or glass fermentor in place of your airlock and rubber stopper. Do NOT extend the tubing end too far into the fermentor. Leave at least 2” between the end of the tubing & the fermenting wort. Place the other end of the tubing into a small container of water. A pint or 2 of water should do.
Once fermentation has subsided (little or no bubbles in your container of water) you can remove the tubing & replace the airlock & stopper for the remainder of the fermentation. Be sure to clean & sanitize your airlock & stopper as well as the tubing.
10. At this point, it is best to keep your fermentor at about room temperature (65° - 75°) until you see some activity (bubbling) in your airlock. This may take from 8 – 36 hours with dry yeast. Be sure to fill your airlock halfway to provide a barrier between your wort and potential “invading” bacteria. The ideal fermentation temperature is between 65° - 75° F..
11. How long can you expect the fermentation to last? That depends on temperature, the freshness of the yeast and many other factors. At room temperature, the fermentation may take place in 2 – 3 days. At a cooler temperature, it may take 2 – 3 weeks. In any case, wait for the bubbling in the airlock to slow down to perhaps one “bubble” or less, per minute before transferring the beer to another container. This is called a “secondary fermentation” and serves to clarify and “condition”, or age your beer. Homebrew Heaven likes to use a glass carboy for this next step, although another plastic bucket will do just fine. Transfer the beer by siphoning off the clear bear and leaving all of the trub (crud) behind. There is no need to strain out the trub – leave it in the bottom of the bucket. Give it to your garden or compost, or throw it down the drain - - - we’re after clear beer here. Remember? Add Spice Pkt #3 at this stage. These will round out the flavor profile of the beer. Don’t worry about a little residue, it will settle out later.
12. After the bubbling has completely ceased in your secondary fermentor, it is time to bottle your beer. Make sure there is at least 3 minutes between each “bubble” through your airlock before bottling. This ensures that there is no residual malt left to ferment. You will be adding corn sugar when you bottle in order to provide the right amount of carbonation. If there is still malt extract to ferment, you could have over-carbonated beer, or worse yet, exploding bottles. This is the time to take an “ending gravity” reading (approx. 1.014 – 1.020), using your hydrometer and test jar.
13. To bottle, siphon off the good stuff – clear beer, into another sanitized container. Your primary fermentor works fine for this. Next, stir the package of corn sugar into about 16 oz. of lukewarm water until it dissolves. Add this mixture to the beer and stir gently to mix. Siphon your beer into sterilized bottles, leaving about ¾” of headspace in each bottle and apply your caps to the bottles. Your beer will be ready to drink sooner if you place your bottles in a warm (room temperature) place. Allow about 7 - 10 days before trying one if you do this. If you leave your bottles in a cool place (55°) you should allow an extra week or so. Be sure to store your bottles out of direct sunlight, or it will get “skunky” smelling if you do. Your beer will get better and better with aging, but who can wait? Enjoy! You can make more, right?
We sincerely hope you have enjoyed your Nose Nipper Holiday Ale kit! Let us know what you think!!!
Variations:
1. Try using 1.5 cups of wheat or light DME (available at Homebrew Heaven) in place of the corn sugar when bottling. This will add a little more malt flavor and give your beer a creamier, dense head, however doing this can greatly increase the time it takes to carbonate. This can be done with any beer.
Homebrew Heaven
9109 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98204
(425) 355-8865
(800) 850-2739
E-mail: brewheaven@aol.com
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