We'll toast the centennial of the #ChristmasTruce with our own version of German-English-Belgian-influenced ale. The beer itself is designed to be friendly and accessible. It will have representative characteristics of flavor, mouth-feel, body, yeastiness, bitterness, and aroma that would have been familiar to everyone on the Belgian front line that Christmas Eve 100 years ago.
It should represent an un-melancholy and language-transcendent catalyst to reminisce about homes far away and provide a means to share connections with lands and people to which the men on both sides of the trenches dearly hoped to return.
It should have encouraged those who shared it to wish the best to their temporary comrades who, on the following day, dutifully went back to assuring that they never did return to those far away homes.
War is hell. Good beer shared with friends helps to remind us why.
Mash in at 145 for one hour
Fly sparge at 185 for 45 minutes with direct heat to 190 on boil kettle
Boil for one hour
Add dark candi syrup at 45 minutes
Crash to 72 and pitch