winter ale - not spicy

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kelper

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I have just moved from kits to extract to all grain. What would make a really good winter ale but without spices? Is it just a strong ale? I really liked Gales winter ale but that was forty years ago. It tasted like diesel according to my fellow students.

I think it was quaffable because it was only lightly carbonated. It was a cask ale, not a keg. It seemed like their HSB in that it didn't really have much head, just a few, large bubbles. It certainly wasn't flat. But that was in Southampton where they don't like gassy beers. My tastes changed when I moved to Hartlepool! But still, I don't like lagers or gassy beers generally.
 
For me a winter beer is a strong, dark sipper, so maybe something like a Belgian quad (tastes like liquid Christmas cake to me :thumba:), or a barley wine, an imperial stout, or even a doppelbock.
 
I love Belgian Dubels, Tripels and even Quads but that's not what I'm after. I must try some Imperial Stouts but I don't really like that style yet :laugh8:

I'm loving the English Trappist beers I have in my beer fridge.

Why does a 10% Trappist taste stronger than a 14% wine?
 
For me it's doesn't need to be strong (I much prefer session strength beers), but winter beer means malty. A scottish shilling beer might fit the bill? I just made a session strength bitter (OG 1.037), no late hops with moderate bitterness, highish FG of 1.012 (used MJ Empire ale yeast to achieve this)
 
Perhaps look at some historic Mild recipes, when mild meant something different to what it does now.

Basically, a high gravity pale ale with British hops and yeast, pale malt and perhaps some dark sugar or a pinch of roasted barley to colour. Very much similar to the shilling ales @MyQul suggests. Somewhere between an ESB and a Barleywine.
 
Perhaps look at some historic Mild recipes, when mild meant something different to what it does now.

Basically, a high gravity pale ale with British hops and yeast, pale malt and perhaps some dark sugar or a pinch of roasted barley to colour. Very much similar to the shilling ales @MyQul suggests. Somewhere between an ESB and a Barleywine.

I put some homemade golden syrup in my malty winter bitter. It was a lot darker than golden as I accidentley let it caramalise too long - but I think this may be a good thing
 
Do you have a recipe for the Gales beer?
It's the same one @Deadhead posted above except for the below. Now I'm wondering if the recipe above is an improvement since my recipe from BYO is from a magazine that's probably older? I love how what my recipe says turns out. I do extract but I can imagine the all grain one being great as well.
Below is what's in my magazine that's different for extract:
.76 kg 2-row Maris Otter
1.1 kg Muntons Light DME
3 kg Muntons Light LME
1 C corn sugar
For all grain the only differences from posted recipe above are 6.6 kg Maris Otter and the 1 C corn sugar.
I do use yeast nutrients and am considering soaked oak cubes in batch four since Gale's is barrel aged (don't quote me on that part though).
 
If I was going to do a clone, I'd like to clone Gales' Winter Ale! I like the idea of a mild. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm drawing from three PBs at present and must wait till one is nearly empty or I will have nowhere to put it after fermentation. But today will be dry so maybe I should do an outdoor brew today? The weather in this part of Scotland is very localised and we seem to be drier than most.
 
For me it's doesn't need to be strong (I much prefer session strength beers), but winter beer means malty. A scottish shilling beer might fit the bill? I just made a session strength bitter (OG 1.037), no late hops with moderate bitterness, highish FG of 1.012 (used MJ Empire ale yeast to achieve this)
I never did like Scotch beers or anything with Shillings in the name. They always seemed to taste of caramel. I know caramel colouring has no taste but that's what I sensed.
I'd love a pint of M&B Brew XI for old times' sake 'specially brewed for the Men of the Midlands'. I cut my teeth on that one.
 
Some good suggestions, but perhaps a different approach might help. Maybe @kelper could describe the beer in mind, flavours, body and ABV, and the combined experience of those on the thread could design a suitable recipe.
 
Maybe @kelper could describe the beer in mind, flavours, body and ABV, and the combined experience of those on the thread could design a suitable recipe.
As I said in post #1, I liked Gales Winter Ale. It was probably similar to Prize Old Ale, which was 9% ABV. I certainly found it hard to stay awake in college after two pints at lunchtime!
 
Southern English Old Ales I've had on tap are like stronger dark milds, around 4.5 to 5.5 ABV.

An example... Harveys Old Ale...

Soft and full-bodied, with hints of dried fruits and dates. Rich, dark and warming. To be enjoyed in the autumn and winter months by a roaring fire.
 
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