First, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture becomes pale yellow and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, combine the cream, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, and cloves, stirring until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.

Next, slowly add about half of the warm milk mixture to the egg mixture one spoonful at a time, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking. Then pour this tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves, and cook over low heat while whisking until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (about 3-5 minutes).

Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and pour into a glass pitcher. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour or overnight for best flavor. When ready to serve, pour into glasses, add Lyre's American Malt if desired, and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.