Gruit-Style Spiced Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.063  FG = 1.015
IBU = 28  SRM = 14  ABV = 6.5%

Ingredients:

12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (60° L)
4 oz. (113 g) torrified wheat
3.5 oz. (100 g) British chocolate malt
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Muntons extra light dried malt extract (DME)
2 oz. (57 g) maltodextrin sugar
1 vanilla bean, chopped
1/2 tsp. sweet gale
1-inch (2.5 cm) licorice stick
2 tsp. anise seeds, crushed
1-inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, grated
8.5 AAUs Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) or White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Lallemand London ESB Ale yeast
1-1/4 cup Muntons extra light dried malt extract (if priming)

Step by Step:   

Bring 5 gallons (19 L) of water to 155 °F (69 °C), add crushed grain in a grain bag and hold for 30 minutes. Remove the grain bag into the brewpot and sparge with one gallon of 168 °F (76 °C) water. Add the dried malt, maltodextrin and hops. Bring the total volume in the brewpot to 6 gallons (23 L).

Boil for 45 min., then add the Irish moss. Boil for 15 min., then remove pot from stove and add all the spices. Allow the spices to steep for 10 minutes, then cool wort. Strain into the primary fermenter and add water to obtain 5.25 gallons (20 L).

Add yeast when wort has cooled to below 80 °F (27 °C). Oxygenate or aerate well. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for 7 days then rack into secondary. Ferment until target gravity has been reached and beer has cleared (approximately 3 weeks). Prime and bottle or keg and force carbonate. If bottling, carbonate at 70-72° F (21-22 °C) for 2 to 3 weeks. Store at cellar temperature.

Partial-mash option:

Mash 1.75 lbs. (0.8 kg) two-row pale malt and the specialty grains in 1 gallon water at 150 °F (66 °C) for 60 min. Sparge with 2 gallons (7.6 L) water at 168 °F (76 °C). Then follow the extract recipe, reducing the Muntons extra light dry malt extract (DME) to 5.75 lbs. (2.6 L).

All-grain option:

Mash 12.5 lbs. (5.7 kg) two-row pale malt and the specialty grains in 4.3 gallons (16.2 L) of water at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Sparge with 5 gallons (19 L) of water at 168 °F (76 °C). The total boil time is 90 minutes. Reduce the hops to  6.8 AAU, adding for the last 60 minutes of the boil. Add the spices and Irish moss as indicated by the extract recipe.