Looking for a Wee Scotch Heavy recipe

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BreadMurderer

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Fellow Mashers,

I'm looking to make a deliciously strong Wee Scotch Heavy style brew, and I need your help as I'm looking for a tried & tested recipe. Things to note:

- Never brewed something this strong a beer before (we are talking around the 10%+ABV mark)
- I'm using a 40L urn (so BIAB for me)
- I do NOT want to do double batches so I'm quite happy for a low volume of wort to bottle
- It's all about the malt here but I like my hops so American style recipes are fine too

Your help as ever is much appreciated! :party:

Cheers,
Scotsman Dan
 
I'd be very interested in doing something like this too. I haven't done one as of yet.

Maybe our vice-pres Kevin has suggestions? I've had a dark Scotch ale of his, though I can't remember what style it was.
 
Dan I if I was you I'd dial in your system first before trying a big beer. By the sounds of it at the meeting the other night you may have some work to do on that. Make a few consistent and successfull brews then give this a crack.
 
Well, not sure it counts as a double batch. I split the bill and mashed the second half in the runnings of the first. As it happens I'd already copied it out for TimT,
I called it Dirty Mac, after my boss, who is a psychopathic Glaswegian. Definitely a "Wee Heavy", but a few pence short of a 90/-.
so here we go,..

[SIZE=11pt]So it was a BIAB job in a Crown urn.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]8kg Maris Otter[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]800g Simpson’s dark crystal[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]300g Munich 2[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]200g Dingeman’s Biscuit[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]200g Roasted Barley[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]All double crushed.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]I then divided the grain bill in half. The first half I mashed in 32L at 55C for 20 mins, then 63 for 20 mins, then 70 for 20 mins, mashing out at 77 for 10 mins.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]With the wort I got from that, I mashed the other half of the grain bill for an hour at 66C. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Then boiled for about 70 mins, adding..[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]EKG 4.5% 50g for 60 mins[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]EKG 4.5% 20g for 10 mins[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Czech Saaz 3.2% for 10 mins.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]OG was 1.090ish[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Pitched a 2l starter of Wyeast 1728 and after about 2 weeks at 20C, racked to a secondary for another week or so at 15C by which time it was down to 1.022. Bottled primed with DME and shoved in a cupboard. So I guess that makes it about 9% ABV.[/SIZE]

I've done that step-mash thing again since, and it definitely ramps up the efficiency a bit.
If you brew this and it's shite, don't blame me. Anyway, you're Scottish, I'm only a Geordie (who the Scots sometimes describe as Scots who've run out of petrol). So you've no excuse.
 
@Shannon - Yeah you've probably got a fair point there and I appreciate the reality check. I've only got a few months before I start farm work so keen to get some different brews under my belt before then. Long conditioning time for this one too...

@Kev - Ta muchly for that recipe and tips! I remember you talking about this and will need to give it ago. Maybe not this one after all...
 
I recently brewed my first Scotch ale after tasting one @ James Squire last winter. Loved it and wanted to brew one, mine is smokey as I love the peated malt in scotch whisky.

Vol 25L OG: 1.072 FG:1.020 Alc 6.4ish

5.25Kg Pale malt
1.0Kg Peated malt
0.5Kg Dark Crystal
0.5Kg Dark Munich

Mashed at 68 for an hour

30g Perle @ 60mins (40mins for no chill)

Wyeast 1728 (Scottish Ale) in a 2L starter, you could use 2 packets if you cant make a starter, wouldnt reccomend any less as the OG was around 1.072


Next time I might back the peated off to 0.80Kg and swap the Pale malt for something like Golden Prosmise or Marris Otter. Could use some Carafa to increase the body, but it drinks really well had a few good comments about it.
 
@Tex083 - thanks for the recipe! I don't really want a lot of smokiness in the one I'll eventually make, want it to be more caramel sweet.

@Kev - that would be great cheers!

I think I'll be brewing an IPA of sorts before I get onto the heavier stuff, means I can drink it quicker too. :)
 
The smokiness is why I brewed this style, apparently the scotch yeast gives a smokey flavour to the beer anyway. 0.5Kg of dark crystal is good you could add more to balance the smoke.
I did some "research"before brewing.
1. Angry Freeballing Frenchman (100% peated saison) - 7 Cent brewery it was MAD smokey and had a great saison funk to it. a one of a kind beer
2. Rex Attitude - Yeastie Boys I like peated malt but a 100% ale was too much in this beer.
3. G&G had a Beer brewed on site that was 100% peated and delicious, the brewer is a member on the site and has shared the recipe.
4. Re ale in a Kilt - Bira del Borgo and Brew dogs peated re ale, its amazing.

Have a look at the local bottle shop and taste some examples, Renaissance Brewing out of NZ do a good scotch ale. Anyway have fun and brew up a storm whats the worst that happens? you make BEER and get a bit drunk.
 
FINALLY got my brew on again yesterday and everything has went sweet as a button!

I'm not entirely sure how this is going to turn out, the base malt profile is for an IPA (but a wee bit darker) and I used whatever hops I had left over, then to top it off I'm using Mangrove Jacks Belgian yeast. Should be around 6% and has an IBU rating around 70.

Let's see how this one turns out! :D
 
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