I was thinking about winter warmers seeing the northern NM mtns dusted with snow. For this recipe I am thinking a English Style Winter Warmer (malty with caramel and some dark fruit flavors). I am planning on getting the spice notes from Rye Whiskey (Lion's Pride Rye or High West Double Rye) addition during kegging. I also may decide to soak oak with the rye and add it that way. My concerns are if I have enough crystal malt and yeast selection. Thoughts? I have never brewed this style before. Size: 5.01 gal Efficiency: 70.0% Original Gravity: 1.074 Terminal Gravity: 1.019 Color: 21.02 Alcohol: 7.21% Bitterness: 44.8 (0.0 - 100.0) Mash Temp: 154F Ingredients: 13.0 lb (88.1%) Maris Otter - added during mash 0.75 lb (5.1%) British Crystal 55°L - added during mash 0.75 lb (5.1%) Caramel Malt 90L - added during mash 0.25 lb (1.7%) Chocolate Wheat Malt - added during mash 2 oz (66.7%) Willamette (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60 m 1 oz (33.3%) Willamette (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 10 m 1.0 ea White Labs WLP002 English Ale -Rye Whiskey addition in keg or oak/rye in secondary
This looks good although I personally would nix the chocolate wheat and just go for a full 1lb of C 90. If you want to develop some nice caramel notes be sure to do an extended boil.
A technique that I have used in the past on a Christmas beer that I brew is to take about the first gallon or so of the runnings and reduce them down to a thick syrup in a seperate pot, then add it back to the wort at flameout. This gives a nice molasses/dark fruit/ malt richness to the finished beer that would go great in a winter warmer.
