Sweet holy crap! We might be geniuses. The wort of this beer tastes like liquid lebkuchen. I am drinking the entire tasting container of it, that's how good it is.

2009-01-10: As I mentioned on my blog, this tastes like spicy Christmas cookies and Grandpa's flask. I am patient.. I am patient...

2009-04-04: A little more of grandpa's flask is evident after sitting for 74 days. After you get used to the alcohol flavor, the flavor is still there, perhaps with a bit more molasses character.

2009-05-01: This went over well at the homebrew club meeting a week or so ago. I am trying it myself for the first time tonight. The alcohol has mellowed quite a bit, but there is a little hop bitterness and a slight astringency in the flavor. I think both of these will mellow with time, so it might end up in the Ohio State homebrew competition. I am quite impressed with this beer.

1. Create a starter for the yeast. See special procedures.
2. Heat two gallons of water to about 155 degrees F.
3. Place all grains into a grain bag and place into water.
4. Steep for 30 minutes.
5. Remove and drain grains without squeezing.
6. Bring wort to a boil.
7. Add one can (3.3 lbs) of LME, boil again.
8. Add bittering hops, boil for 40 minutes.
9. While waiting, boil the honey. See special procedures.
10. Add the honey to the wort. Be careful as the liquid will immediately boil from the temperature of the honey.
11. Add the spices, DAP, yeast nutrient, and Irish moss.
12. Add in about 1/2 gallon of extra water to cover the higher sugar content. (Start with more water next time).
    
13. Bring back to a boil, boil for 10 minutes.
14. Add the finishing hops, boil for another 15 minutes.
15. Add into sanitized fermenter 3 gallons of 40 degree water.
16. Chill wort down to 115 degrees F, siphon into fermenter, final temperature was about 66 F.
17. Pitch yeast, seal fermenter and place to rest.
    

Starter:

1. Create 1 quart of 1.040 wort by boiling 1 quart of water, 1 tsp of yeast nutrient, 1 tsp of DAP, and 3.2 oz of Light DME for 15 minutes
2. Chill down to 70 degrees F
3. Transfer wort into sanitized growler, pitch yeast into growler.
4. Seal with an airlock.
5. Shake it up every time you look at it.
6. One day before brewing, refrigerate the starter to crash the yeast out of solution.
7. On the day of brewing, decant the leftover beer off, leaving enough to put the yeast cake into solution by shaking it.
8. Bring the yeast to room temperature.

Boil the Honey:

1. Add honey to non-stick pan (a really good one if you have it).
2. Set temperature on stove to medium.
3. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Boil for 15 minutes, stirring CONSTANTLY (no really, constantly).