DEFALCO'S SUGAR & SPICE & EVERYTHING NICE CHRISTMAS ALE RECIPE

• 6 lbs. amber malt extract    
• 1 lb. Melanoidin or Aromatic malt
• 1 lb. Belgian Cara-Munich
• 1/2 lb. Belgian Special B
• 1/2 lb. Munich malt
• 1 lb. honey (add at end of boil)
• 1 lb. brown sugar (add at end of boil)
• 1 oz. Tettnanger hops (bittering)
• 2/3 oz. Czech Saaz hops (flavoring)
• Spices & Herbs (add the last 5 minutes of the boil)  - Here are a few suggestions.  Use some or all:
• 4 - two inch long cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp. crushed cloves
• 1 oz. crushed/grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 oz. sweet orange peel
• 1/2 tsp. ground all-spice
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 vanilla bean (cut lengthwise)    
• 1 pkg. Windsor ale yeast (Wyeast #1338 or #1007 or White Labs California or German Ale Yeast)
• 1 pkg. Bru-Vigor (yeast food)    
• 2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar (priming)

1. In a small saucepan, bring a gallon of water to 160° - 170° and turn off the heat. Add the bag of grains and water salts (if used) and steep 30 minutes. Now, gently sparge (rinse) the grains with hot tap water (ideal temperature 168°) and bring the total volume up to three or more gallons in a stainless steel or enameled kettle (avoid aluminum). As a rule, boiling as much of the full five gallons as possible is best. Bring to boil and resume step #2.
2. Turn off heat and add malt extract. Return to boil, taking care not to allow wort to overflow onto your stove top. Start timing now, continuing the boil for 5 minutes. Add the bittering hops (1 oz. Tettnanger) and boil 55 minutes. Now add the flavoring hops (1/2 oz. Saaz), and the spices (your choice).  Boil an additional 5 minutes. Note there are no finishing hops in this recipe, just spices. Add the honey and brown sugar now. For more molasses flavor, choose dark brown sugar. For less molasses flavor, opt for light brown sugar.  You'll need more of this sugar at bottling time.
3. To facilitate cooling, we suggest placing your brewing kettle in the sink with 5 or 6 inches of cold water (A tray or two of ice cubes in the cooling bath wouldn't hurt). Allow to stand for 20 - 30 minutes in the cooling bath.
4. If using dried yeast, rehydrate it while the wort is cooling. To do this, sprinkle the yeast into a cup of lukewarm (90° - 100°F) water and cover with saran wrap or tin foil. Let stand for 10 - 20 minutes. For best results, we recommend using Wyeast or White Labs liquid yeast.
5. Pour the cooled wort into the fermenter. Bring the total volume up to five gallons. Check and record the temperature and specific gravity at this time. Make the necessary gravity corrections for temperatures above 60° (Add .001 for every 7° above 60°F).
6. If the temperature is less than 80°, pour the yeast "slurry" and the packet of Bru-Vigor (if using tap water) into the wort and place the lid and airlock over the fermenter. Although ideal fermentation temperatures are lower, it is very important to get the fermentation started as soon as possible to avoid contamination of the beer. In any case, be aware that temperatures over 110° will most likely kill your beer yeast.
7. For best results, ferment at 63° - 75°F.
8. FERMENTATION: Double Stage - The beer will be ready to rack (syphon) when the rocky head subsides (2 - 4 days) and the gravity drops to approximately 1.018 or less. Syphon the beer into the secondary fermenter. As soon as the foaming allows, top up the secondary with water to within 2 - 3 inches of the fermentation lock if your volume is short. Allow to ferment and settle until action has virtually ceased and the beer has clarified.
   FERMENTATION: Single Stage - Allow wort to ferment for 7 days. Assuming your fermentation lock has stopped bubbling proceed to step #9, bottling preparations.
9. Check the specific gravity. This final gravity (F.G.) should read about 1.011 or less. If it is more than 1.016, do not bottle until you call us!
10. Prepare the priming sugar by making a simple syrup on the stove. Pour the sugar into a small saucepan containing a cup of boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Pour this mixture into the finished beer as you are syphoning it into a sanitized priming container. Stir well, but avoid excess splashing. Immediately syphon the beer into sanitized bottles, leaving about an inch of head space. Use a bottle filler for ease in filling.  Cap and seal.
11. Allow beer to age at room temperature for at least two weeks before chilling further. Peak flavor should be reached about six weeks and lasts several months. Note that longer aging may result in a smoother taste.
12. Chill and serve! Pour carefully so as not to disturb the small amount of sediment on the bottom of the bottles. Enjoy your homemade beer!

• 8 1/2 lbs. Domestic Special Pale (pale ale) malt    
• 1 lb. Melanoidin or Aromatic malt
• 1 lb. Belgian Cara-Munich
• 1/2 lb. Belgian Special B
• 1/2 lb. Munich malt
• 1 lb. honey (add at end of boil)
• 1 lb. brown sugar (add at end of boil)
• 1 oz. Tettnanger hops (bittering)
• 2/3 oz. Czech Saaz hops (flavoring)
• Spices & Herbs (add the last 5 minutes of the boil)  - Here are a few suggestions.  Use some or all:
• 4 - two inch long cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp. crushed cloves
• 1 oz. crushed/grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 oz. sweet orange peel
• 1/2 tsp. ground all-spice
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 vanilla bean (cut lengthwise)
• 1 pkg. Windsor ale yeast (Wyeast #1338 or #1007 or White Labs California or German Ale Yeast)