Making a Scotch Ale

[jkane]

Gonna make a scotch wee heavy this Sunday for a beer club meeting in January. I am looking for some recipes to work from. I have my base idea, but not fixed in stone yet. Still need to decide on quantities of each.

Mostly pale 2 row malt.
A little caraplis 80l or there about.
A little Special B.
A little Roasted Barley.
A little peat smoked malt.
A little oatmeal for body.
Some willamette or fuggle hops for an hour and some for 15 minutes.
A handful of heather in a filter bag while chilling the wort.
A Scottish Ale yeast.

I am debating oaking it.

Any comments will be accepted or ignored depending on my mood at the time. ;)

I am hoping for more 60 degree days since we brew out doors and I HAVE to wear a kilt while making this beer.

[NewEnglander]

I'm still brewing with extract so I can't help out with your recipe formulation. I opened my Scottish 70/- yesterday and was disappointed with the body (too thin) though the malt/hop balance was great. Best of luck with your kilted brewday!

[Dirka Skene]

If you need a taste tester, send some my way. I actually have a pretty decent palate for a young woman. Lol.

[Heming]

I'd go easy on the peat smoke and consider toasting the oats. Oaking sounds good!

I like to use some East Kent Goldings or Northern Brewer in combination with Fuggles and/or Challenger for the last 30 and 15 minutes. I even use East Kent Goldings dry for my more flowery ales.

Try Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale (might be preaching to the choir here, I know). It's really good at a medium fermenting temperature.

[raibeart_dubh]

I'd go easy on the peat smoke and consider toasting the oats. Oaking sounds good!

I like to use some East Kent Goldings or Northern Brewer in combination with Fuggles and/or Challenger for the last 30 and 15 minutes. I even use East Kent Goldings dry for my more flowery ales.

Try Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale (might be preaching to the choir here, I know). It's really good at a medium fermenting temperature.

Some very good recommendations there! Go easy on the peated malt, a little goes a long way and the Wyeast 1728 is a great yeast strain for anything in the Scottish style, it's also very tolerant of higher alcohol levels. East Kent Goldings and Fuggles are the only way to go in the hops department IMHO.

[MMorgan]

like already been said easy on the peated malts.... does not take much to make it tastes like your drinking a bottle o bottled smoke..... and toast the oats..... its a good idea as well... will add a nice berry/nutty flavor... that carapils will add alot o body too....

[jkane]

Yes, I meant Kent Goldings, not Willamette! I knew that was wrong when I typed it. ;-) It'll depend on what they have in stock Saturday when I pick up the ingredients. Either Goldings or Fuggles.

Everyone is afraid of smoked malt. I know I am in a minority in liking smoked beers. Since this is for a group of people, maybe I'll skip it, or just put an ounce or so in there. It will be a 10 gallon batch.

I am skipping the special B. Just going with roasted barley and a little carapils.

Toasted oats? Interesting. Never tried that. How about a box of Cheerios? Maybe I'll toast them a little. I was only adding them for body, not flavor. A little nuttiness would not hurt.

The Wyeast Scottish yeast is exactly what I was going to use.

[Heming]

Toasted oats is lovely, and adds a certain je ne sais quoi. Try that in an Irish stout as well! You could try toasting half the oats (or half toasting all the oats) for a bit of both worlds.

Do try blending different hops, though. It's a science, but very rewarding.

What I particularly like about Wyeast 1728 is its ability to start quickly in a high gravity wort and keep going till it's bone dry.

[MMorgan]

10 gallon batch??? i would prolly not use more then 4 ounces of peated malts..... but it depends on how heavy they where smoked too.... its one of those things you have to dial in lol...

i toast my oats in my oatmeal stout i do that is simply amazing... actually its a chocolate oatmeal stout.... i gotta routine i use to caramelize them and then toast them to the color i want... your interested i think i have it wrote out somewhere,,,,, or look for golden naked oats... real similar in flavor profile...

[jkane]

The deed is done! 1/10 of an ounce of smoked went into it. And I did toast the oatmeal. Burnt some actually. Had to get more to toast right.

I also added 4 ounces of heather to the last minute for a nice flavor and aroma.

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