Scottish 70/-

Well, I'm finding most of my beers are 7% or higher, so im thinking a nice session ale might be a good change of pace... that and I want to use this 4% beer's yeast cake for the old ale or scotch or imperial stout I'm going to do next.

I'm looking for it to have a good balance between nutty-roasted and malty; let me know what you think, thanks!

Woad Rader - Scottish Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.30 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 8.37
Anticipated OG: 1.041 Plato: 10.14
Anticipated SRM: 16.3
Anticipated IBU: 13.2
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
71.7 6.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Great Britain 1.038 3
6.7 0.56 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium 1.035 24
4.5 0.38 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
9.0 0.75 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
6.0 0.50 lbs. Crystal 90L America 1.033 90
2.2 0.19 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.60 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.75 13.2 60 min.


Yeast
-----
1728 Scottish Ale

Looks like a tasty brew. I have to say I'm not super familiar with the style (though I enjoy commercial versions), but aren't the IBU's a little low even for this malty style? I would have guessed upper teens if not low 20's would be where you'd want the IBU's.

I'd drop the carapils since you'll get plenty of body from your crystal and I don't think that's the most attenuative yeast anyways.

Interesting, I don't think I've seen a recipe for a Scottish-style Light Ale before. "Little bitterness is perceived and hop flavor or aroma should not be perceived. ... Scottish light ale will have a degree of malty, caramel like, soft and chewy character." Sounds like you are on target. Maybe I'll try one of these when the current Brown blows.

Baron, I've never made something so light in alch. before so I don't want it coming out too watery... but there is a healthy amount of crystal in there. how about dropping the carapils for some munich to accent the maltyness?

6.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Great Britain
0.50 lbs. Biscuit Malt Belgium
0.50 lbs. Munich
0.75 lbs. Crystal 40L
0.50 lbs. Crystal 90L
0.19 lbs. Chocolate Malt

and bump the ibu's up to 16-18

also whats you guys experience with Biscuit malt? I want a hint of it in there, but not be as predominant as say Fat Tire.

If you want a hint of biscuit malt go with 3-4oz...it's more than a hint in larger quantities.

You've got plenty of crystal in there to prevent it from being watery, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. Like I said, that yeast isn't real attenuative IIRC (I still haven't checked!) so it should leave some fermentables on the table to contribute to body.

Your revised recipe looks good to me...I'd even considering bumping up the Munich to a pound, especially if you drop the biscuit down to 3-4oz.

Just my opinion, though - I bet that recipe would do just fine like it is.