Help on Scottish Export Ale

I am planning on brewing a Scottish Export Ale... or at least something I am going to call a Scottish Ale.

6-7 lbs LME
1/2 lb Simpsons peated malt
1 lb Simpsons Golden Promise
1/2 oz Fuggles 60 min
1/2 oz Fuggles 15 min
1 tsp Irish Moss
Muntons gold dry yeast (it's what I have)

I do have some Briess Victory malt & could spare 4 oz from my Victory Ale.
I also have 1 oz Williamette, but was planning on using them in my Victory ale also.
Do I need more color or some crystal or roasted malt?
What about 12 oz dark molasses?

Is Simpson's peated malt a peat smoked malt? If so, 8 oz. is a bunch...2 - 4 oz. would probably be enough, IMHO.

El Pistolero said:

Is Simpson's peated malt a peat smoked malt? If so, 8 oz. is a bunch...2 - 4 oz. would probably be enough, IMHO.

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Yes, it is a peat smoked malt. I just ordered a pound. sounds like it gonna last me a looooong time.

DO NOT USE 1/2 POUND OF PEAT SMOKED!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did that once in a barley wine and it was almost a year before I could drink the stuff. I used 2 oz. for this batch and it's tasting fine at 1030.

12 oz. of molasses would add an intersting note. I used 24 oz. of dark in an Olde Ale and it completely overwhelmed everything.

Clone brews calls for 2 oz (if I remember rightly) of peat smoked for a 5 gallon batch. It lends a nice hint of smoke, not overpowering. MPW

What kind of color are you going for? I guess it depends on what type of LME you use and how it colors during the boil which I'm not that familiar with. I would imagine that your recipe if converted to AG would result in a relatively light colored beer, something less than 'amber' in my mind. I would think the Victory and molasses would help darken things up some, but I'd consider including a roasted grain (just my personal preference).

BeeGee said:

What kind of color are you going for? I guess it depends on what type of LME you use and how it colors during the boil which I'm not that familiar with. I would imagine that your recipe if converted to AG would result in a relatively light colored beer, something less than 'amber' in my mind. I would think the Victory and molasses would help darken things up some, but I'd consider including a roasted grain (just my personal preference).

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I'd like a dark amber color, not black like a stout. I'll Probably add a roasted grain, I may even roast some of the Golden Promise myself. Suggestions?

Also, looks like I'm going to cut the peat to 4 oz. But I gotta say, I've been munching on the grains and I like the flavor. Heck, my wife even likes the flavor!

I'm not going to brew this for a few weeks, so I'm looking for input.

It's just me but I'd still cut the peat smoked malt back to 2 oz.

Also you're color will be too light for the style. I'd throw in about 8 oz of british crystal malt 70-80L.

Add 12 oz of Carapils for head retention.

Cut the Golden Promise malt to 12 oz

Use only 6 lbs of LME. Any more and it's going to be too heavy for an 80/-

Finally, throw the whole ounce of hops in for 60 minutes. Scottish ales are not about hop aroma or flavor. All you want is the bitterness to offset the sweet of the malt. This is a good guide: http://www.brewsupplies.com/hops-gravity.htm

Plugging this in the recipator, you should have:

OG of 1.050 (max for an export)
SRM 10 (bare minimum color for the style)
17 IBU (low end bitterness)