Christmas ale recipe help (spices?)

[TripleC223]

I'm planning a Christmas beer to be consumed by mid-December and need some guidance. Given that it's nearly September already, I'm not trying to brew something that would require significant aging, though I would like to use spices to give it that holiday aroma & taste.

I would like to use a Belgian single as the base style with WLP500 and Weyermann German Pilsner as the main ingredients, mainly because that's what I have and I know that style doesn't require the extended Belgian timeline. Beyond that, I'm pretty flexible, at least in terms of what I have in my brew inventory and spice cabinet.

I've never brewed with spices before, but I've read enough to know that a little goes a long way. I guess that's the main area where I need some input -- what spices to use, how much, and what combinations are best for the base style. I'd like something that has the aroma of sugar cookies, gingerbread or cinnamon/nutmeg, or all of the above.

This would be a 3-gallon batch. Here's what I have in my pantry:

Base malts
10 lbs. German Pilsner
5 lbs. American 2-row

Specialty malts
1 lb. Caramel 15L
1 lb. Biscuit malt
1 lb. Golden Naked Oats

Hops
Simcoe
Bravo
Cascade
Citra
Comet
Ekuanot
Loral
Mosaic
Nugget
Warrior

 

[okiedog]

It all depends on what you like. I like to add cinnamon or cloves, or both, and sometimes ginger. Cloves is pretty strong though, and can add a strong, bitter flavor if overdone. Bayberry and spruce tips add a unique flavor dimension. Just don't throw in a bunch of spices though. A balanced flavor is what you want, starting with a good malt background. You can take cues from the flavors of your favorite spiced foods, or you can make a tea from the spices to determine what you like. I brewed one holiday beer with cinnamon and Habanero pepper. It was quite popular with the holiday beer crowd.