Winter ale critique

[dkziemann]

Hey all,

Please critique my Winter Ale! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

60min boil

20lbs 2 Row
2lbs Molasses (60 min)
1lb Crystal 40l
12oz Chocolate Malt
8oz Crystal 80l
8oz Victory malt (or biscuit)


3oz Goldings (60 min)
1oz Hallertauer 5 min
1oz Hallertauer 0 min
1tsp Cinnamon 5 min
1tsp Nutmeg 5 min
Clove (how much?)
Vanilla Bean (again, quantity suggestion?)
Orange peel

I'm also thinking of using a Belgian yeast for this. Mash profile is for full body (according to Beersmith).


Questions-- how much clove, vanilla bean, and orange peel should I be using? Should I cut back on the hops by an ounce or two? Thanks!

 

[dkziemann]

Bump!

 

[Glynn]

I'm not a big fan of clove and nutmeg so i cant help you there, but they have a strong flavor profile so i wouldn't use a lot maybe 20 whole cloves and a 1/4 tsp nutmeg. In my last brew i used two cinn stick, 2 oz candied ginger and 1 oz of sweet orange peel. If i had used vanilla i would go with 2 whole beans split. my batch was for 5.5 gal btw

 

[jfr1111]

You don't want to use 2 pounds of molasses, unless you want your beer to taste like mole asses

A few ounces would be my limit (6-8): it ferments out completly, leaving a metallic (iron) taste and smell that I find very much off putting. Almost smells like dried blood to me. Treacle or invert syrup are much, much better choices, but can also be overpowering in such huge amounts. Invert syrup in particular can get very fruity.

If you do decide to go for molasses, go for fancy molasses, not for blackstrap. Blackstrap is useful in very small amounts for colour adjustements or to mimick darker invert syrups, not to boost gravity or provide fermentable material.

 

[dkziemann]

If I wanted to do maple syrup, could I use 2 pounds of that instead? Or maybe 1lb brown sugar 1lb maple syrup? I'm looking for flavor but also to increase the OG. Thanks!

 

[dkziemann]

Bump!

 

[chiteface]

I can't speak to the syrup thing, but may I suggest honey? I feel like that would complement it instead of fighting all the spice profiles, like syrup, treacle or molasses would.