Briess Gingerbread Cookie Imperial Stout Recipe

I’m sitting here drinking a gingerbread latte, scrolling through a list of gingerbread beers being released this year. By the way – gingerbread latte > pumpkin spice latte. Also, gingerbread beer is better than pumpkin spice beer. This author’s opinion only, of course!

Here’s a recipe that’s been reformulated a few times. Most notably, I used to steep the spices in the hot boil kettle at the end of the boil like a tea, but the flavors were pretty sharp and strong. I also used to throw bourbon soaked oak chips in the fermenter, but that didn’t seem to take flavor in the appropriate direction. The current incarnation is sweet, spicy, and strong, a perfect complement to the holidays.

________________________________

Gingerbread Cookie Imperial Stout Recipe

Batch Size: 5 Gallons | Original Gravity: 1.100 | Final Gravity: 1.025  | ABV 10%

Recipe Notes: Mash at 154°F for 90 minutes with 5.7 gallons of water. Mash out with 3.4 gallons at 168°F for 10 minutes. 60-minute boil. Two weeks in primary fermenter. 2-4 weeks in secondary. After fermentation stops, give the beer 1 week to settle.

On brew day, add all spices and vanilla extract to steeping bag, and steep in 1 cup of vodka for 2 weeks. Add vodka to bottom of secondary fermenter, and rack beer on top, mixing spicy infusion in to beer.

Happy Holidays!