Hookarm's Christmas Beer

It's that time of year again. Shortly after Oktoberfest, my thoughts turn to Christmas beer. Bascially, I made the same thing as last time.

• 7 lbs. light malt extract
• 1 lb honey
• 1/2 lb Crystal 60L
• 2 oz black patent
• 2 oz Cascade Hops (60 minutes)
• 1 oz Saaz Hops (2 minutes)
• 1 oz flaked ginger
• 6-inches stick cinnamon
• zest from 4 oranges
• California Ale yeast

Put the specialty grains in 6 gallons of cold water and bring to a boil. When the boil begins, remove the grains. Add the extract, honey, and the Cascade hops. Boil 45 minutes. Add the Ginger, cinnamon and orange zest. Add the saaz hops in the last 2 minutes of the boil. When the beer has cooled, pitch the yeast.

OG: 1054-1060
FG: 1018-1026
3.7% ABW
4.7% ABV

I brewed it out at Honey Creek Brewery. I hadn't been out there in a while, but I was eager to do a whole wort boil again. Everything went well, and the brew smelled of carrot cake. I wanted to bathe in it!

My original gravity was 1075.

I am going to let this sit until Sunday the 28th, then I will keg it and let it age for four more weeks.