Strong Scotch Ale suggestions?

This is the first time I've done a Scotch ale, and I just want a few pointers. I do have some alternative ingredients because the supplier I have right now is somewhat unreliable. So, this is what I have:

Base Grain:
4 lb. Belgian CaraMunich
(Alternate) Dark Munich

Specialty Grain:
2 oz. Roasted barley
1 cup. Rye Malt

Adjuncts:
2 lb. Light Extract
3 lb. Molasses
1 cup+. Maple Syrup (primer)
2-3 cup. Oats
Irish Moss (clarifier)
Oak chips

Hops:
1 Fuggles (4.75%@30 min)
1 Chinook (12%@ 60 min)
(Alternate )3 med. stalk. Angelica

Notes/comments:
6 L Sparge OG: 1.065
12 L Boil FG: 1.016
23L Batch


Just a few notes on some of the ingredients; I'm thinking I might have too much molasses in the brew, but I am not sure.

Also, right now, as most of you know hops are hard to come by (damn global warming) so my supplier imports basically whatever is available. So, I have to improvise sometimes. Angelica is a herb used in liquors such Gin. I think the stalks would be excellent for bittering, but unfortunately it has almost a light floral flavor. I am hoping all of the other ingredients will overshadow this problem.

That's a pretty crazy recipe. Are you going from an established recipe or making this up yourself?

mr x said:

That's a pretty crazy recipe. Are you going from an established recipe or making this up yourself?

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I glanced at a few recipes I've seen online, and a few I have seen in my brew book. I did add few of my own ideas (the oatmeal, maple syrup for priming, the rye, and oak chips). The rest I looked at from other recipes, and from what I've gathered from trying scotch ales. The molasses is definitely there (I'm just not sure how much to add).

That beer will taste nothing like a Scotch Ale. Too much crystal, drop the maple sugar, molasses and oats. This is a start. I'm sure others will chime in:

12 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) 76.19 %
2 lbs Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) 12.70 %
1 lbs Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) 6.35 %
12.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) 4.76 %
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [8.00 %] (60 min) 10.9 IBU 0.50 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (30 min) 4.7 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (10 min) 2.5 IBU
1 Pkgs Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028)

It's not molasses that you taste it's caramel sweetness. Some people take a gallon if the 1st runnings, boil it down to a pint or two and add back to the boil. Now that's a Scottish!

I don't know what to call that recipe. I know I wouldn't call it Scottish.
If you're doing extract
8-10lbs extact(light)
1-2oz Roasted barley
boil 90+minutes
Hop like a cheap Yankee
and you must use Scottish yeast

Well, thanks everybody for the help. I think I will just do my own recipe. It is simple enough, and my supplier should be able to get what I want. I might try for a Scottish ale next time. If I do a Scottish ale, I want to do it right.

I decided to drop the molasses down to 2 lbs. I've looked at brews using molasses, and I've noticed that most use about 1 lb of molasses. This should turn out to be one crazy brew, but I think it'll be not too shabby.

I want to try to stray away from using malt extracts, because it has that "extract taste" (unfortunately, no money for a lauter tun or a that huge mother-of-a brewpot). I want to go for a more natural taste.

I might post my recipe I did in May, because it was pretty good. Needed a bit more strawberries, but it still had a good taste to it (it went pretty fast at my house).

Wow. That is an absolutely crazy recipe, but I would say go for it. You should throw a little (like .5# or 1#) 2-row (or other base malt like british pale malt or pilsner) and do a partial mash with your grains and the oats. The caramunich and oats will not convert themselves (although you will get some flavor from the caramunich). The rye malt may convert itself, but I'm not sure.

"I want to try to stray away from using malt extracts, because it has that "extract taste" (unfortunately, no money for a lauter tun or a that huge mother-of-a brewpot). I want to go for a more natural taste."

I have to warn you that in this case I'm pretty sure you'll avoid the extract taste and get a really nasty natural taste. I mean frankly that is a crazy recipe. 1# of Caramunich is really a lot, and 4# is 4 times a lot. That being said, give it a shot. I think that you'll find the best way to avoid extract flavor (if you find you're getting extract flavor) is to use DME instead of LME.

JAKlaassen said:

I think that you'll find the best way to avoid extract flavor (if you find you're getting extract flavor) is to use DME instead of LME.

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I do use DME. It just might be the brand. I usually use Muton's, but lately, my supplier has been getting in other brands. I should clarify I am using oatmeal.

Alright, I've realized my mistake. The Munich is also a specialty grain. I'm changing the Munich to 1#, and adding 4# of 2-row. That should fix things up a bit.

That will definitely help. Keep in mind that you can't just steep the two row and other grains, they need to be converted. For more info: http://www.howtobrew.com/

You can do a partial mash to convert the 2-row, munich and oats (oatmeal, including instant oatmeal do need to be converted). If you do a partial mash (especially with so much of the expected gravity actually coming from grains) I would recommend taking a hydrometer reading before you boil and adjust to your desired pre-boil gravity use DME.

Also, I'll throw it out there that a cooler and manifold/braid MLT can be made on a pretty modest budget. I have a 48qt MLT that I made for about $50 ($10 cooler on craigslist, $10 braid, ~$25 for ball valve and assorted plumbing). It sounds like you're not in the US, so it may be different, but give it a thought.

JAKlaassen said:

That will definitely help. Keep in mind that you can't just steep the two row and other grains, they need to be converted.

You can do a partial mash to convert the 2-row, munich and oats (oatmeal, including instant oatmeal do need to be converted). If you do a partial mash (especially with so much of the expected gravity actually coming from grains) I would recommend taking a hydrometer reading before you boil and adjust to your desired pre-boil gravity use DME.

Also, I'll throw it out there that a cooler and manifold/braid MLT can be made on a pretty modest budget. I have a 48qt MLT that I made for about $50 ($10 cooler on craigslist, $10 braid, ~$25 for ball valve and assorted plumbing). It sounds like you're not in the US, so it may be different, but give it a thought.

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Yes, I was planning on doing a partial mash with the 2-row, and munich. I wasn't sure with the oats, but I was thinking on just throwing it in with the partial mash stuff anyways, just to safe. I was thinking on doing the same with the rye.

I've heard a few people using coolers for a brewpot. If you could give me a link on instructions for that stuff to clairify, that would be great. A cooling system would make things more efficient for me (and a larger brewpot). I rely on a system of using about a 20qt pot. and every time, I have to use one or two bowls to hold my grain. This is because I try to do a 50:50 ratio with the DME, and grains. Oh, and I use cold ice water to try to cool down the brew before I add the yeast in. A very inefficient system (I know) it usually takes me around 8 hours to do a partial mash, and that's not including cleanup. Although time can be cut a bit if you are super prepared before hand.

No I am not from the US, I am from Canada. I've found things are generally somewhat expensive, and scarce as far as brewing is concerned. Wine making is more popular up here than brewing (as people don't have the patience like we do for brewing).

Where at in Canada are you?

mr x said:

Where at in Canada are you?

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I'm from Ontario.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I was always under the assumption that caramunich is essentially crystal 60 with a little more character...Everyone has different tastes when it comes to his or her beer, but 4 pounds is beyond excessive!

rnrchemnerd said:

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I was always under the assumption that caramunich is essentially crystal 60 with a little more character...Everyone has different tastes when it comes to his or her beer, but 4 pounds is beyond excessive!

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I realize that now. I am reading my info from the Homebrewing for Dummies book. It listed it as a base grain. However, I didn't read it carefully enough. It said it could be mashed or steeped. It also has it listed at 55 degrees Levibond. I am also new to the homebrewing world (going on 2 years now) so this is why I ask questions, because I am a bit inexperienced.

I would strongly recommend you pick up a copy of Brewing Classic Styles. It is a great source of recipes and instructions.

mrx: Sure, I'll look into it. The more knowledge the better. My book has loads of recipes as well, I just wanted to try to do something unique. I don't think I did enough homework for this recipe though. But good thing for people on the forums. I think I learn more here then in books.

Also I do want to try some other recipes however, like I said, my supplier is a bit unreliable. They said they can order in grains, but as for hops, it is basically whatever is available. Which is why most recipes I do aren't going to come out the way I want sometimes. But I have no choice; where I live there really is nothing for homebrewing. Lots of things for wine, but not beer (unless you want to do it on premises, which I do NOT want to do). It is basically drive an hour out to the beer and wine store, or use the internet.