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WINTER SEASONAL BEER

Please note all file contents are Copyright © 2021 Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This file is for the buyer’s personal use only. It’s unlawful to share or distribute this file to others in any way including e-mailing it, posting it online, or sharing printed copies with others. BY GORDON STRONG WINTER SEASONAL BEER ’ve written previously about winter these types of beers to assist with the seasonal beers, but only as a sur- process. That’s all — it doesn’t imply vey of competition winning beers. that some beers are more “Christmas” I Here I’ll focus on the Beer Judge than others. That would be an incorrect Certification Program (BJCP) Style 30C, interpretation of the guidelines. Certainly not all winter seasonal beer, but also speak Winter seasonal beers are an artifi- a bit about how it is related to other cial construct for judging purposes that Christmas or holiday spiced beers and seasonal beers. The takes some subset of Christmas beers BJCP style is part of the spiced beer (the spiced ones) and allows for addi- ales are spiced, but category, so winter seasonal beers are tional fermentable sugars. To do well in specifically the spiced versions most this style, the brewer should describe from a competition common in the U.S. the beer, and identify the spices in- standpoint, there are Certainly not all Christmas or holi- cluded. A base style should be declared, day ales are spiced, but from a com- but it doesn’t have to be one of the other places where petition standpoint, there are other identified classic styles (like pale ale or places where these beers can be en- porter). Specialty beers are about the these beers can be tered. Many British beers are produced balance of ingredients and drinkability, for cold weather, and they often are so brewers should avoid describing entered. called winter warmers, Christmas ales, them in a way that confuses judges or or other similar names. They are rich, disadvantages them. malty, and stronger than normal beers WINTER SEASONAL BEER but are generally unspiced. However, HISTORY BY THE NUMBERS they often have rich flavors from darker It’s hard to describe the history of a OG: . . . .varies by base style brewing sugars and malts. These beers style that is a specialty category since FG:. . . . varies by base style can be entered as British strong ales it is more of an entry category than a SRM:. . . varies by base style, under the BJCP guidelines. true beer style. However, brewers have usually dark Belgium is another country that long produced special beers for cold IBU:. . . .varies by base style often produces winter beers, many of weather or the holiday season. Some- which are just a stronger and richer times these beers have been sold com- ABV: . . . varies by base style, version of their flagship beers. Some mercially, and sometimes brewers just usually over 6% of these beers are spiced, but many of used them as special gifts for friends, the base beers in Belgium are spiced partners, or special customers. or use brewing sugars anyway. So some As I said in the introduction, win- Belgian versions can fall into this cat- ter beers have a tradition in the UK, egory, but only if they are spiced. I’ve Belgium, Germany, and the U.S., and seen beers from Germany, Mexico, and elsewhere. Americans and Belgians elsewhere that are designed for the tend to use more spices, but that is winter season, but they are usually just reflective of their brewing traditions in maltier, darker, and stronger versions of general rather than being specific to existing beers. these beers. Why does this matter for the style? Anchor Brewing Co.’s Our Special Well, remember we are talking about Ale, first produced in 1975 at the dawn beers for competition. One goal of of the craft era in the U.S., inspired the style guidelines is to make com- many American craft Christmas beers. petitions easier to judge by grouping It has the features we are describing, similar beers by style. Winter seasonal with a dark beer of around 7% that beers are a type of specialty beer, so is spiced. The recipe (and the label) some brewer creativity is expected. changes every year, making this beer a But it doesn’t work well for judges to nice Christmas gift worth anticipating. have long flights of radically different As with most beers of this type, it is a Photo by Charles A. Parker/Images Plus Parker/Images A. Charles by Photo beers, so we have tried to subdivide seasonal offering only available in win-

1 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved WINTER bag and add during the last 10 min- Boil the wort for 90 minutes, add- utes of the boil, removing at the end ing hops at the times indicated in the SEASONAL BEER of the boil. Add the honey and treacle recipe. Put all the spices in a mesh (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) at the end of the boil, and stir. bag and add during the last 10 min- OG = 1.068 FG = 1.016 Chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C), utes of the boil, removing at the end IBU = 24 SRM = 24 ABV = 6.8% pitch the yeast, and ferment. After two of the boil. Add the honey and treacle INGREDIENTS weeks, prime and bottle condition, or at the end of the boil, and stir. 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) UK pale ale malt keg and force carbonate. Chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C), 1.75 lbs. (794 g) dark Munich malt pitch the yeast, and ferment. After two 1.75 lbs. (794 g) aromatic malt weeks, prime and bottle condition, or 12 oz. (340 g) flaked barley WINTER keg and force carbonate. 12 oz. (340 g) Caramunich® II malt SEASONAL BEER (45 °L) (5 gallons/19 L, 12 oz. (340 g) UK dark crystal malt extract with grains) (100 °L) OG = 1.068 FG = 1.016 4 oz. (113 g) chocolate malt IBU = 24 SRM = 24 ABV = 6.8% 1.5 lbs. (680 g) honey INGREDIENTS 2 oz. (57 g) treacle or molasses 4.4 lbs. (2 kg) pale liquid malt 2 oranges, zested extract 2 vanilla beans, split, scraped 2.3 lbs. (1 kg) pale liquid Munich 6 cinnamon sticks, broken up malt extract 12 coriander seeds, crushed 12 oz. (340 g) Caramunich® II malt 1 whole nutmeg, chopped (45 °L) 8 whole allspice, crushed 12 oz. (340 g) UK dark crystal malt 6.2 AAU UK Challenger hops (100 °L) (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 8.3% 4 oz. (113 g) chocolate malt alpha acids) 1.5 lbs. (680 g) honey 1 oz. (28 g) Styrian Goldings hops 2 oz. (57 g) treacle or molasses (5 min.) 2 oranges, zested Wyeast 1968 (London ESB), White 2 vanilla beans, split, scraped Labs WLP002 (English Ale), or 6 cinnamon sticks, broken up LalBrew London ESB Ale yeast 12 coriander seeds, crushed 3 ⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming) 1 whole nutmeg, chopped 8 whole allspice, crushed STEP BY STEP 6.2 AAU UK Challenger hops This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 8.3% water. Adjust all brewing water to a alpha acids) pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 1 oz. (28 g) Styrian Goldings hops tsp. of calcium chloride to the mash. (5 min.) This recipe uses a single infusion Wyeast 1968 (London ESB), White mash. Use enough water to have a Labs WLP002 (English Ale), or moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or LalBrew London ESB Ale yeast 3 3.1 L/kg). Mash the pale, Munich, and ⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming) aromatic malts with the flaked bar- ley at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. STEP BY STEP Add the remaining specialty malts, Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C) and recirculate for 15 minutes. °C). Steep the grains for 30 minutes Sparge slowly and collect 7 gallons in a mesh bag, then remove from (25.6 L) of wort. the kettle. Turn off the heat. Add the Boil the wort for 90 minutes, add- malt extracts and stir thoroughly to ing hops at the times indicated in the dissolve completely. Turn the heat recipe. Put all the spices in a mesh back on and bring to a boil.

2 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved ter months. cold winter night or a good fireside shouldn’t focus on a favorite commer- Seasonal beers are a popular craft beer. There is any number of beer cial interpretation, and brewers should offering, from the seasonal pumpkin styles that fit this mold, so we need to always try to explain their concept to and harvest beers of the fall, to the get a bit more specific. the judges to get the best score. heavier-spiced sipping beers of the The general characteristics for this Malt can bring some flavors like winter, to the spring bocks and stouts, style are that the beer is somewhat chocolate, caramel, toffee, and toasted to summer wheat and fruit beers. Many strong; with a rich body, and a full, nuts, depending on the style. Spices smaller craft producers have made a warming finish; that it is dark; and should be in balance, but noticeable. name producing one-off beers and that it contains spices. But we can’t If you mention a specific spice in your special offerings, while seasonal beers stop here because you could construct description of the beer, judges will ex- last a few months. I enjoy waiting for a beer that fits that description that pect to be able to detect it. If you use Sierra Nevada Brewing’s Celebration wouldn’t fit the style. So let’s take a a combination of several spices, some- and Bigfoot, which are winter seasonal look at each part of that statement. times it is best to give a name to the offerings but not spiced beers. “Somewhat strong” and “warm- mix or to identify the associated food ing finish” means the alcohol should (mulling spices, gingerbread spices, SENSORY PROFILE add a warming element to the beer; etc.). Believe me, if you list ten spices, Since this is a specialty category, writ- it shouldn’t be hot or burning. These there are judges who will argue that ing a sensory description is tricky be- beers aren’t usually huge, about the they could taste only eight of the ten cause every sentence would begin with strength of an IPA to a double IPA, I’d and therefore ding your score for the “it depends . . .” So it’s best to start guess. We aren’t usually talking barley- lapse. with the general theme and then try wines or imperial stouts, although if Some of my favorite interpreta- to get more specific. Winter seasonal you age them enough, spiced versions tions include those beers that evoke beers are specialty spiced beers for of these beers could fit the bill. Christmas desserts, such as English- the winter season and should have a “Rich body” and “full finish” means type Christmas pudding, rum cakes, suggestion of an accompaniment for a that it should be medium to full, eggnog, gingerbread cookies, and the chewy even. Rich, malty flavors are like, as well as Christmas decorations, pretty much required but the beer such as mulling spices, potpourri, and doesn’t have to be sweet. They can be evergreen trees. Basically, if it makes malty-sweet, but that is often due to you feel warm and happy and brings restrained hopping rather than overt back good, childhood memories, you’ve sugary sweetness. The balance is not nailed it. often hoppy since that can interfere with spices, but brewer creativity BREWING INGREDIENTS AND shouldn’t be discounted. There are METHODS probably hoppy versions with spices Since the base style for this beer can that could be quite interesting. vary, it’s hard to directly address how “Dark” doesn’t mean black; it just to brew it and what ingredients to use. means more than pale. Although the I can make some generic statements base style could make it lighter, beers like most of these are ales and since that are coppery to brown are most they don’t require high attenuation; common. Color is the least important a single infusion mash is appropriate. aspect to this style, so judges shouldn’t But isn’t that how you would have claim a beer is out of style solely on made it anyway if I didn’t say anything color unless it is radically at odds with at all? I can see some cases where a a declared base style. decoction mash could make for an in- “Contains spices” is the requirement teresting beer, particularly if the base for this style, but should be interpreted style is a malty lager. But in general, liberally. Spices that evoke the Christ- use the ingredients and methods as ap- mas or winter season are most appro- propriate for the base style of beer. priate, but many combinations can fit Select malts that play up the fla- this bill. Dried fruits or fruit peels, vari- vors that are commonly found in this ous dark sugars or syrups, and spices style. You are missing an opportunity can all be used in combination, but if you use a simple base malt rather there should be something more than than one that brings bready, malty, or Photo courtesy of Anchor Brewing Co. just sugars. Brewer creativity can cre- toasty flavors. I often use a blend of ate interesting combinations between base malts for more flavor complexity, Anchor Brewing Co’s iconic Our Special Ale has been released yearly since 1975 featuring a new the base beer’s malts, the yeast, any such as using pale ale-type malts and recipe and artwork each year since. noticeable hops, and the spices. Judges Munich-type malts. The same is true of

3 Best of Brew Your Own Magazine © Battenkill Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved specialty malts. Caramel and toasted intend to go light on the spices in the that it doesn’t actually contain tea. malts can bring in toffee, caramelized boil, knowing that I can increase them I like English ale yeast for this type sugar, and dark fruit flavors, and a light later if necessary. But if you overspice a of beer, especially ones that aren’t use of chocolate-type malts can bring beer, there is not much you can do (let overly attenuative or that emphasize in cocoa flavors if desired. it age, or blend it). I often steep spices malty or fruity flavors. I’m not look- Sugars and other fermentables can in boiling water, like making tea; then ing for yeast to bring any spicy flavors, add flavor complexity. Many English I use the strained, cooled product to so I try to avoid strains that produce ales use brewing sugars like invert adjust the final spicing of the finished phenols or minerally flavors. Calcium sugars of varying color to add flavors beer. I don’t like to add raw spices to chloride as the water treatment em- similar (but more intense) than flavors finished beer since that can often give phasizes the malty, rounded flavors. found in crystal malts. Honey, treacle, an unpleasant “dusty” flavor to the beer. I try to keep the alcohol around 7% molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, by volume because I normally make and other similar products can be used HOMEBREW EXAMPLE this beer in the early fall for holiday to add gravity points as well as flavor. I’ve been making Christmas beers since serving. If you make this too big, you Body in the beer can be gained through my fifth batch, which won my first might find the alcohol too sharp and the use of a higher mash temperature, best-of-show award (so it kind of has a then have to cellar the beer for another the use of starchy adjuncts such as sentimental place in my heart). It has year. Talk about a lump of coal flaked oats, barley, or wheat, or the use several of my favorite ingredients and in your stocking . . . of dextrinous malts such as Carapils®. combinations, and is richly malty, com- Spicing can be just about anything, plex, and spicy for the season. but it’s helpful to pick a theme. I like To name names, I like to use Golden to think of food memories or certain Promise as the primary base malt but cuisines to inspire spice choices. Some any pale ale malt should work. I’m not combinations are known to work to- looking for something overly bready, so gether, and will help inspire flavor this is why something like Maris Otter memories for drinkers. Spices like cin- is a second choice. Several of the spe- namon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, clove, cialty malts are British, since they tend and mace can be found in holiday to add the deep caramelized flavors I foods, but more exotic spices like star like; the chocolate malt is really just anise or cardamom can add a unique for color and a little extra richness. I character. Vanilla should not be over- think too much roast flavor in this beer looked, since it can round out other would get in the way. spices. Be careful with clove, however, To boost richness, I have dark Mu- since many judges will mistake it for nich and aromatic malts; I often use a fermentation flaw. Dried fruit such these malts in recipes where I want as raisins, prunes, figs, and dates can significant malt flavors, like bocks and be used, as can the peels from various other strong German beers. I’m adding citrus fruit. Herbs are less common, but flavor and gravity points with honey I’ve used thyme on occasion, as I know (I tend to use orange blossom honey it has been used in some Belgian beers. since the flavors are very compatible) When using spices, I like to add and a little treacle adds dark molasses them towards the end of the boil (10 sugary flavors often found in Christmas minutes or less), or just put them in desserts. after heat is turned off and let them The flaked barley is to boost the steep. I think spices need some heat to body. Using oats, Carapils®, or other bring out their full flavor and aroma similar malts, could work as well for but too much will potentially drive off this purpose. I like some chewiness in the more volatile of the aromatics. Too these cold-weather beers. The spices much exposure to heat can extract tan- seem Christmas-like to me, but I don’t nins from many spices (think about tea like to have them add astringency so steeping too long), so I try to avoid this I tend to bag them, add them near the by putting spices in a mesh bag and re- end of the boil, and then remove them. moving them after they have steeped. If the spicing is off to your taste, you Spices are a perishable product, and can always make a tea from boiling the strength and potency of them can water steeping the same spices (or a be quite variable. So take the listed different mix to your taste) and dosing amounts in recipes as a guideline. You the finished beer with the tea. Note have to adjust spicing to taste. I often that I’m calling this infusion a tea, but

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