Gordon Strong’s Winter Seasonal Beer

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.068 FG = 1.016
IBU = 24 SRM = 24 ABV = 6.8%

Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) UK pale ale malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) dark Munich malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) aromatic malt
12 oz. (340 g) flaked barley
12 oz. (340 g) Caramunich® II malt (45 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) UK dark crystal malt (100 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) chocolate malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) honey
2 oz. (57 g) treacle or molasses
2 oranges, zested
2 vanilla beans, split, scraped
6 cinnamon sticks, broken up
12 coriander seeds, crushed
1 whole nutmeg, chopped
8 whole allspice, crushed
6.2 AAU UK Challenger hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 8.3% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Styrian Goldings hops (5 min.)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB), White Labs WLP002 (English Ale), or LalBrew London ESB Ale yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride to the mash.

This recipe uses a single infusion mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash the pale, Munich, and aromatic malts with the flaked barley at 154 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Add the remaining specialty malts, raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) and recirculate for 15 minutes. Sparge slowly and collect 7 gallons (25.6 L) of wort.

Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. Put all the spices in a mesh bag and add during the last 10 minutes of the boil, removing at the end of the boil. Add the honey and treacle at the end of the boil, and stir.

Chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment. After two weeks, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.

Winter Seasonal Beer

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.068 FG = 1.016
IBU = 24 SRM = 24 ABV = 6.8%

Ingredients
4.4 lbs. (2 kg) pale liquid malt extract
2.3 lbs. (1 kg) pale liquid Munich malt extract
12 oz. (340 g) Caramunich® II malt (45 °L)
12 oz. (340 g) UK dark crystal malt (100 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) chocolate malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) honey
2 oz. (57 g) treacle or molasses
2 oranges, zested
2 vanilla beans, split, scraped
6 cinnamon sticks, broken up
12 coriander seeds, crushed
1 whole nutmeg, chopped
8 whole allspice, crushed
6.2 AAU UK Challenger hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 8.3% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Styrian Goldings hops (5 min.)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB), White Labs WLP002 (English Ale), or LalBrew London ESB Ale yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Steep the grains for 30 minutes in a mesh bag, then remove from the kettle. Turn off the heat. Add the malt extracts and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely.

Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. Put all the spices in a mesh bag and add during the last 10 minutes of the boil, removing at the end of the boil. Add the honey and treacle at the end of the boil, and stir.

Chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment. After two weeks, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.