’Tis the Season to Be Malty
December 9, 2021
’Tis the Season to Be Malty
Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the beer is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let it flow, let it flow, let it flow
Winter is when the days get shorter and the beer world goes dark right along with them. The warming kiss of alcohol stings the tongue. The heaviness of the brew lingers longer in the belly.
Following a long, hot summer filled with session IPAs, light lagers, and tart sours, it’s time for the beer to move from ice cold to toe-tingling warmth.
Much of America’s craft brewing scene in the winter months is steeped in tradition. But tradition doesn’t have to mean that everyone follows the same path. To the contrary, the greatest traditions in winter beer tend to fall outside the norms of a high-octane Imperial Stout, a Pumpkin Porter laden with all-spice, or a Brown Ale aged in a Bourbon Barrel.
Anchor Brewing’s ever-changing winter warmer Christmas Ale is a prime example. Though the recipe is kept under security measures akin to Ft. Knox, it is always steeped in a complex array of flavorful malts that frequently offer notes of coffee, chocolate, toffee, or toasted caramel.
Sierra Nevada’s steadfast Celebration IPA, is an annual fresh-hop IPA release that somehow bucks the trend and slots perfectly into the colder months, relying on the strength of a heavy, malty backbone.
Deschutes Brewery’s Jubelale is another winter beer that defies the confines of normalcy. Based on an English Strong Ale, though there is a spiciness to Jubelale, there are no spices used. The recipe is weighted with five flavorful malts and five different hops.
These traditional releases surround the American holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas, but this is only the start. There are several more months of colder weather on tap across most of North America. The darker, boozier, and spicier beers have a shelf life well beyond the holidays.
So why not forge your own traditions in your brewery by igniting your creative fires with some beers that might fall outside of your norm? Malt heavy is a common link amongst most winter standouts, and it’s a great place to start, but is simply the launching pad to anything your mind conjures up.
Below, we’ve got a few base recipes that hopefully open some new pathways from winter’s past to help forge new traditions for winter’s future. You’ll notice some similarities amongst them especially that they are all fairly malt heavy. This is by design, as cold-weather favorites tend to be a little heavier in body and often higher (sometimes much higher) in alcohol.
But remember, these are just jumping off points. Cliffs that allow you to dive into an ocean of possibilities.
DUNKLES BOCK
Though not unheard of on the American craft brewing scene, a Dunkles Bock or Traditional Bock isn’t extremely common. It’s a German style that dates back several centuries, imparting a heavy dose of rich malts, little hoppiness, and just enough alcohol to put some color in your cheeks, but not enough to knock you over.
Per the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) Style Guidelines for Dunkles Bock:
A dark, strong, malty German lager beer that emphasizes the malty-rich and somewhat toasty qualities of continental malts without being sweet in the finish.
Think of it as a more full-flavored version of an American Brown Ale, but on the lager side of brewing.
This base Bock – as envisioned by MMC Southeast Craft Sales Manager Galen Smith, who was the longtime head brewer at Lonerider Brewing Company in Raleigh, N.C. – stands fine on its own. It is a beer that can be a staple all winter long, but also plays well through the shoulder seasons.
But this isn’t Germany, so sticking to the base beer isn’t required. Reinheitsgebot has no legal standing in the U.S. So this Bock recipe could really serve as a base to launch many creative takes to make it your brewery’s own special winter style. Coffee? Maple? Spruce? Cinnamon and Orange Peel? Maybe some Amburana wood chips?
Bock Grain Bill:
40% Malteurop Munich
27% Malteurop Vienna
33% Malteurop Pilsen
Optional for a darker color: about 1 to 2% Castle Chateau Chocolat
Bock Hops:
The hops in a Bock are subtle, providing balance to the heavy use of malts. Typical European continental hop varieties (Noble Hops) such as Tettnanger, Hallertau, Spalt, and Saaz are frequently used.
Bock Yeast:
Any clean German lager yeast, though many suppliers now offer a specific German Bock Lager yeast.
Expanding Upon Bock:
If you want to take things a step or two further, you can amp up your recipe to a Doppelbock (or Double Bock) or a Weizenbock (wheat-based ale). In the warmer months, you could keep your Bock explorations on track with less-intense styles such as Maibock or Helles Bock. This base Bock, however, is wide open for opportunities to make it a year-round playground.
AMERICAN STRONG ALE
The term Strong Ale harkens back to English Old Ale, which was a strong version of ale that was brewed with the intent of aging for an extended period of time.
The good news? With modern malting techniques, the same type of beer can be brewed in a more typical timeframe, reducing the need for the beer to sit around in barrels for the better part of a year, unless you are simply wanting to impart that barrel character.
A strong ale comes in many forms: English, American, Belgian. Each has its own unique characteristics, but they all come in at a fairly hefty ABV for their region.
An English Strong Ale has a rich, malty sweetness, some fruity esters, isn’t overly bitter, and generally notches an ABV of about 5.5 to 8 percent.
An American Strong Ale has similar characteristics. It has a rich, complex, malty sweetness accompanied by some fruity esters, but is generally much more bitter than its British counterpart. An American Strong Ale will typically fall between about 6 to 10 percent ABV without presenting too much alcohol bite.
The Belgian Dark Strong Ale is the big kid on the block, punching above its weight. Again, this one is rich and complex, but also generally darker with some dark fruit flavors and spiciness that you won’t find in the other Strong Ales. There is not much bitterness from the hops, but this Strong Ale starts to warm those cheeks nicely with ABVs in the range of 8 to 12 percent.
Each of these is open to a good bit of interpretation and each offers different strengths to play off to craft a Strong Ale that is uniquely your own, but we’re offering up the American style here.
American Strong Ale Grain Bill:
80% Malteurop 2-Row
15% Malteurop Munich
2% Castle Malting Château Black
For a slight smoky character, consider adding a bit of Castle Château Smoked malt
American Strong Ale Hops:
American Strong Ale isn’t known for its overly fruity characteristics. So the hops in the base version typically bring a good dose of bitterness along with traditional Pale Ale notes of slight citrus, resin, or stone fruit.
For a winter time bent, I’d suggest leaning into the resinous, piney flavors with hops like Columbus, Chinook, and Simcoe. And maybe consider a Spruce Tip late addition. But again, these are just suggestions, so sprout your legs and hop away.
American Strong Ale Yeast:
The yeast can take any beer in a different direction, but if you want to let the malt, hops, and any other ingredients shine, a straight forward American Ale or California Common type of yeast will do well with this style.
Make it your own:
This is a good style to think about adding some unique character from things like spruce tips, molasses, gingerbread, smoked wood chips or a touch of smoked malts, or other flavors that might play off of the high alcohol and bitter base.
SAISON
Saisons come from a time when a low ABV, slightly bittered dry ale was required to quench the thirst of farm workers who were toiling in the sun. So how does this fit the colder, winter months?
Well, Saisons have come a long way! As with any beer style, crafty brewers have made it their own, upping the ABV, hopping to different degrees, and playing off of the base style with any number of unique flavor additions.
Per the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) Style Guidelines for Saison:
Most commonly, a pale, refreshing, highly-attenuated, moderately-bitter, moderate-strength Belgian ale with a very dry finish. Typically highly carbonated … Quite aromatic, with fruity, spicy, and hoppy characteristics evident.
While other wintertime recipes often feature a heavy dose of rich, darker malts, Saisons can offer that more refreshing sip, while still maintaining a complexity of character that pairs well with some of the heavier dinner dishes of the colder months.
Being aromatic, often with a smattering of pepper on the nose and the tongue, there is something about a Saison that carries it well into the fall and winter months. Particularly in these colder months, a Saison tends to find its way into the upper reaches of ABV for the style. A normal Saison clocks in at about 5 to 7 percent, though it is not unheard of to see imperial versions upwards of 9.5 percent.
Saison Grain Bill:
18% Malteurop Vienna
Saison Hops:
The hops in a Saison generally carry floral, earthy, herbal, and spicy notes that accentuate the yeast. Hops such as Saaz, Hallertau Mittelfrüh, East Kent Golding, and Styrian Golding are common, though modern techniques take Saison hopping all over the board. More adventurous styles of hops can lend character to whatever final flavor you’re drying to dream up, as well.
Saison Yeast:
Yeast is the heart and soul of a Saison. Be particular in choosing a good Belgian Saison yeast strain that imparts spicy phenolic notes and fruity esters and is highly attenuating. Even if you go for a bit darker Saison, it should finish on the dry side.
NOTE: It is important to know that most traditional Saison yeast strains are diastaticus positive. So be aware of how they work and the proper sanitization and safety procedures to have in place, especially when packaging. There are, however, some newer Saison-style yeast strains that are not diastaticus positive, which would lower the risk of potential diastaticus side effects.
Making it more unique:
There’s a lot you can do with a Saison. Just be judicious in your additions, as you are competing with a fairly light base beer relative to the other styles we discussed. Some ideas that might give flow to your creative juices: orange peel, crushed coriander, pink peppercorns, ginger, black currants, juniper berries, dark cherries, etc.