In preparation for the holidays, a lot of brewers are starting to brew their winter ales about this time of year - and the Sudzl crew is no exception.  So in honor of the (coming) season, I’ll share what I’m brewing on this very day.  Most of my brews are all-grain, but I have been making something similar to the following beer almost every year since I started brewing; and this extract recipe turns out fantastic.

Sudzl’s Winter Warmer Solstice Ale

Batch Volume: 5.0 gal

Original Gravity: 1.069
Bitterness: 41 IBU
Color: 19.8 SRM
Alcohol: 5.9%

Ingredients:
6 lb Dry Light Malt Extract
0.75 lb Crystal Malt 60L
0.25 lb Caramel Malt 120L
6.0 oz Chocolate Malt

Start of Boil
1.0 oz Target Hops (9.8%)

Last 15 Minutes
1.5 lb Clover Honey
2 fl oz Molasses (~ 3 oz by weight)
1 oz Fuggle Hops (2.7%)
4 Cinnamon sticks
0.5 tsp Nutmeg (ground)
24 Cloves (whole)
7 Allspice
Zest of 1 large navel Orange
1 Vanilla bean (whole, split lengthwise)
2 tsp Irish Moss

White Labs WLP013 London Ale Yeast

Steep grains in bag at 150-155 for 45 minutes with 1/2 tsp Calcium Sulfate (gypsum).  Remove grain to strainer and rinse into boil pot with 170F water.  Add another 1/2 tsp of Calcium Sulfate and top up kettle with water for full boil. Once boiling, turn flame off, add dry malt extract, stir, and return heat. Add Target hops once boiling commences. At 15 minutes before the end of boil, add honey, molasses, Fuggles hops, all spices and orange zest (in a bag), and Irish Moss. After flame out, cool wort and pitch yeast. Primary ferment for about a week.

A few days before transfer to secondary, in a small bowl, soak 1-2 oz. of Oak Chips in just enough whisky to cover them (this is to sterilize them).  Add these chips to the secondary. Remove them before kegging/bottling. Secondary for about 10 days.

Keg or bottle. If bottling, prime with 3.1 oz dark dry malt extract (preferred) or dextrose/corn sugar.