Help With Muntons Gold Higland Heavy Ale Kit

[Luka]

Hi all,

I picked up one of the Muntons Highland Heavy Ale kits, which is just two cans of goo, and wondered if anyone had had any experience with them? I also got the Wyeast Scottish Ale yeast, but I was unsure about hopping requirements. Are the kits adequately hopped? Has anyone added aroma hops? If so, what kind?

Please share any experience that will lead me in the right direction style wise, that would be great.

Cheers!!
Luka

 

[amiddler]

I haven't used the Highland Ale yet but have tryed to create some Scottish Ales before.

A true Scottish or Highland, shouldn't have to much hop flavour or aroma at all. There are more about the heavy malt flavour. I would think that the two can would have enough bitterness and hop tone for this type of beer. If you felt you needed to add some more hops I would be sticking with British hops like Goldings or even Fuggles.

Drew

 

[Bribie G]

As an almost Scot (from Newcastle on Tyne :lol: ) here's the lowdown on Scottish beer styles:

Originally draught beers were taxed by the (wooden) barrel depending on alcoholic strength, and there were three bands of strength and still referred to today:

sixty shilling 60/- which is a dark mild fairly weak beer a little like southern English dark milds. In Northern England this is known as 'Scotch'. great for ten or twelve pints after a day in the coal mines or shipyards.

seventy shilling 70/- a medium dark or copper coloured but stronger beer for general 'session' consumption. In Scotland this is what is known as 'Heavy'

eighty shilling 80/- depending on the brewery a copper or golden ale which is top of the range and corresponds to English 'best bitter'

Scottish beers are not hoppy as in centuries past the hops had to be transported vast distances from England - today's equivalent of getting them from the other side of the planet.

I would tend to make up the kit as is.

 

[dataphage]

+1 for do it as is.

I've made loads of the Muntons kits before I started messing about with spercialty grain & extract and they are all nicely balanced just the way they are.

A tip though is that to get the absolute best flavour from them if you are bottling is to leave it a good long time to condition. I found that the muntons kits generally hit their best after 8 weeks in the bottle. I had a nice cool cellar when I was in London which was perfect for this, I miss it badly!

 

[brettprevans]

since youve spent the $15 on Wyeast Scottish, make sure you save some of the trub to start yeast farming. I think the Scottish Wyeast is great. I wouldnt be using it on a Muntons K&K then discarding the yeast. Muntons kits are ok but you can make beer thats just or good (or better) using speciality grains etc and it works out a lot cheaper.