It may not be Santa’s workshop but there was a flurry of activity at the NC Teaching Brewery for Saint. Nicholas Day on December 6.
Staff and students at the Teaching Brewery marked the Feast of Saint Nicholas by rolling out the release of Rudolph’s Red Nose Ale while a class of students from the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program worked on another Christmas inspired beer to be released on December 6,2024.
Rudolph’s Red Nose Ale
Festive Christmas beer Rudolph’s Red Nose Ale was released on Dec. 6.
Brewed annually at the Teaching Brewery, this year’s edition of Rudolph’s Red Nose Ale will be available for purchase at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre retail outlet(DJP Campus) while supplies last.
“We’re releasing it on St. Nicholas Day because St. Nick was one of the patron saints of brewing and we like to get it out so people can enjoy it at Christmastime,” he said.
Brewmaster Professor Jon Downing has been brewing the Christmas beer every year since 1986 and has been brewing the festive English amber ale with NC students since 2012. He noted that the beer is a little bit different each year. This year, it’s in the middle range strength at about 6% ABV.
Rudolph’s Red Nose Ale is an award-winning beer. It has proved so popular it became one of the main Beer 101 offerings, as Beer 101 Strong which has won numerous medals over the years.
Barley wine for 2024
Led by instructor Adam Marshall, who is also a recent graduate of the Brewmaster program, a class of third-semester Brewmaster students began brewing a barley wine that will be released on December 6 next year.
Marshall, who created the recipe, noted that it will be a “malt forward” traditional English style barley wine.
“There are American style barley wines that are a little hoppier, but this one will be malt forward with some toffee, a little bit of fruit from the yeast and some dry fruit will probably come forward as it ages,” said Marshall.
“Every year, the brewers release Christmas beers here and so I thought I would brew next year’s because it is traditional to have a barley wine at Christmas.,” said Marshall. “I think it’s fun for students because most beers have a very quick turnover — about two to four weeks – then they’re out into the market and sold but this beer is going to age for 11 and a half months and will likely be the same strength as a wine at 11 or 12%.”
Third-term Brewmaster student Mike Koski, who was among students working on the beer on December 6, said while the beer won’t be released until after he graduates, he hopes to have a chance to to try it.
“It’s in the nature of creating this style of beer – kind of like distilling too – that once you make a product, you set it to age. It’s just the way that it works,” he said.
