The holidays are filled with rich foods and sweet desserts, which I absolutely love. But, when many of the seasonal beers can also be thick and flavorful, it can be tough to put a few back on a full tummy.
So, I’m attempting to solve this issue by making a crisp and easy-to-drink blonde ale that will cut through it all while still giving the feeling of the holiday spirit.
I’m Trent Musho and this is the Bru Sho. Let’s brew an Orange Cranberry Blonde.
If you’re a big stout fan around this time, I hear you, and stick with the channel because I do have a winter warmer or two on the way. But around this time of year, you rarely see anything light and easy to drink. Everything is beefed up with high ABV and full character.
I wanted to create a beer that complements the feast without being overwhelming, so you can finish that plate of seconds and keep on sipping well into family game time.
I was inspired by a beer I had at Lawless Brewing Co. It was a cranberry orange golden ale, crisp, refreshing with a multivac bone and a twisted citrus, and slight cranberry sweetness bringing those mulled wine characteristics into a beer, much like I did on a cider last year.
I took some creative liberties to make this my own, dialing back the ABV slightly and focusing on a lighter body to really make this beer easy to crush. Let me show you how I made it.
First, a big thank you to the partners that support this channel: Northern Brewer, who supplied all the ingredients for this brew, and Claw Hammer Supply, which I’ll be brewing on their electric 120-volt system. I have links in the description if you’re interested to know more.
Today, I’m changing things up a bit and brewing a smaller batch, aiming for 2.5 gallons of finished brew.