What beer am I looking for?

[p38a]

I want to start a brew in the next few weeks to be ready for the winter months. I'm looking for something with some heft and sweetness but I don't like anything too hoppy. I'd like something with a high ABV content that is dark yet with a certain crispness to it. Any thoughts on what style of brew would fit this?
I'm wondering if a wee heavy or barley wine fits this description. I don't want anything too syrupy if you know what I mean.

 

[Gremlyn]

Wee heavy could be what you're looking for, or perhaps a Belgian strong dark.

 

[COLObrewer]

Wee heavy could be what you're looking for, or perhaps a Belgian strong dark.

+1, maybe go lighter on the crystal?

 

[amercuric]

Stout lol.

 

[Poindexter]

Or an export stout. Also farm stouts and milk stouts will meet the stated parameters.

Baltic Porter if you can lager, but time is short for that one.

 

[Slasher]

Well, I like the German darks as well... But they tend to be lagered to some degree... Altbier, Schwarz bier, Dunkel and the like... malt w/lil hop taste... As a noob I have no way to lager, but when the right Craigslist/freecycle fridge comes along, I'll be in business...

 

[Yooper]

It sounds like a bock to me. Can you lager? If not, maybe a bock recipe with a cool (60 degree) fermentation with nottingham could work.

I think barley wines are good, but can be very syrupy and "heavy", not crisp like you described. Same with wee heavy.

 

[beerkrump]

Along the same lines, you could brew a Baltic Porter and ferment it cool using US-05. A long period in the primary, 6 weeks or so, and 2 or 3 months in the bottle should result in a good winter warmer. If you want it drier (less syrupy), add some molasses to it. The added sugar will ferment out, up the ABV, and the flavor will add another layer to the complexity.

 

[DRoyLenz]

I decided a couple days ago that I wanted to do the same thing, but I also wanted to try one of Jamil's recipes. The two I were looking at were the Chocolate Hazelnut Porter (you can find the recipe to that here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/tr...-kit-jamils-chocolate-hazelnut-porter-127746/) and the Winter Spiced Ale (recipe here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/doing-partial-boil-lot-malt-extract-127888/). I personally decided on the Spiced Ale, because I'm going to try to make a spice profile similar to my grandmother's gingerbread man recipe.

 

[SmugMug]

Belgian strong ale or a dopplebock.

 

[carbon111]

Scottish Export style ale. Setting one up myself right now for similar reasons.

 

[TheFlyingSparge]

Would suggest an Old Ale, Foreign Stout, Scottish Export. Since you're shooting for higher OG, aim to age as long as possible before drinking. The longer the smoother. Whenever possible, I try to set aside a 12 rack or more for aging till following year. I have an Old Ale brewed in Oct '08 which I'm planning on serving this winter.

 

[DRoyLenz]

Whenever possible, I try to set aside a 12 rack...

What is a 12 rack? When you age brews for that long, do you do anything in particular to help keep them from going stale? Oxygen-absorbing caps? Vacuum seal?

(sorry for hijacking)

 

[TheFlyingSparge]

"12 rack" or, in other words, 2 six packs--New England lexicon I suppose. Personally I don't use 02 absorbing caps or vacuum seal with my bottles. Just brown bottles, standard caps and cool dark cellar. Haven't had any quality issues yet.

 

[deepsouth]

maybe something like an orkney skullsplitter clone?

 

[p38a]

Hey guys, thanks for all the options! I've got some reading to do tonight and some lagering research.

 

[DrMaddVibe]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f71/trois-pistoles-clone-26717/

This is what I'm making this weekend for Christmas.