Wassail is a very traditional style of spiced ale that is brewed for Christmas and the holiday season. They are interchangeably referred to as Holiday beers, Yule Ales, Winter Warmers and, if they contain fruit, Mulled ale.
A Short History of Wassail
The word Wassail (rhymes with fossil) comes from the ole English “Waes Hael” which was "be hale" or "be whole", both of which meant "be of good health". This was considered the proper toast when presenting someone with a libation. The drink of choice was usually mulled ale. Mulled ale is a strong ale that is laden with spices and sweetened with sugar or pieces of fruit. The spices consisted of nutmeg and ginger, while the fruit was usually roasted crab apple. The concoction was warmed by the fire before being served in a bowl. This bowl, which came to be known as the wassail bowl, was traditionally cut from the wood of the maple tree.
These Pagan practices eventually became an accepted part of Christian ritual. Merry groups of revelers (made all the merrier by the ale nog) would visit the houses of friends and neighbors to sing carols of the season. This came to be known as "wassailing".
Making Wassail at Home
If you are already an accomplished homebrewer and you’re looking to make something unique and unusual for the Holidays, consider making your own version of wassail. It’s important that your base beer be fairly substantial; it should be rather malty to carry the spice flavor you’ll be adding, and it should have a subdued hop profile so it won’t be a clash of spicing and bittering on the palate. Something along the lines of an amber ale or lager is best, though ales are more traditional.
Perhaps the best thing about making wassail is that you are not bound by a specific recipe for the gruit -the list of spices to use in your brew. The key to using these flavorings is to complement the underlying beer flavor without completely masking it. Too little spicing is better than too much; heavy-handed spicing can render a beer unpleasant and undrinkable.
Wherever possible, make sure that you add these ingredients directly to the brewpot to take advantage of the disinfecting action of the boiling wort (unfermented beer) and to meld the flavors into the brew. Simply pour the wort through a sieve to remove the spices.
Spice it Up
Many of the spices and flavorings used to make wassail tend to be perceived as “warming” in aroma and flavor. Here’s an overview of those options:
- Allspice- This is one of the more interesting spices to use; within the single small berry is a natural mixture of flavors reminiscent of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and juniper berries.
- Cardamom- The plump seeds of the cardamom family are used in culinary applications as diverse as coffee flavoring, barbecue sauces, and curry powder. Used judiciously, cardamom lends beer a unique and subtle spicy flavor.
- Cinnamon- Cinnamon is most often associated with pastries and other confections. Make sure that you use cinnamon bark rather than powder because you can easily remove the sticks from the brew; cinnamon powder (unless filtered out) would remain in the beer and may create a harsh flavor and an unpleasant lingering mouthfeel.
- Cloves- Clove-like aromas and tastes occur naturally in some beer styles — most notably the Bavarian Weizenbiers and some Belgian Ales. Homebrewers can introduce this clove character by using whole cloves — but use them in small quantities. Cloves are often perceived as having a strong phenolic or medicinal character.
- Ginger- The flavor of raw gingerroot is intense and may be described as spicy-hot or sharp in anything but small quantities or dilutions. The flavor -most closely associated with gingerbread cookies and ginger ale (soda)- actually works quite well in beer. The key is to use grated gingerroot rather than ginger powder. Use gingerly; 1 ounce in a 5-gallon batch of beer is plenty.
Other Unique Alternatives
These non-spice flavorings make interesting alternatives:
- Spruce essence- A tip of the cap to colonial beers, spruce beer was an early American favorite. You can buy spruce essence through your homebrew supplier. Five teaspoons or less gives your beer a refreshing spruce taste.
- Orange peel- Due to the growing popularity of Belgian Witbier, dried orange peel is now available at most good homebrew supply stores. Choose between sweet orange or bitter (Curaçao) orange variety. A couple ounces per 5-gallon batch is typical usage.
- Vanilla bean- Although high-quality vanilla extract is easier to work with, the oil of the vanilla bean can also lend a pleasant mouthfeel to your brew while it gives a rich aroma and flavor. For best results, use macerated (crushed) vanilla beans during secondary fermentation only.
