Belhaven Scottish Stout clone?

Had a Belhaven Scottish Stout at the Yardhouse in Glenview, IL...WOW!!! I was absolutely floored. Anyone had this before, and if so, does anyone have a comparable extract recipe?

Here's the description from the Belhaven web site:

"Scottish Stout 7%: We reckon this is the porter equivalent of the tall dark handsome stranger, but with its blend of triple malts, roasted chocolate flavour and hop character, once you've tried this deluxe stout you'll want to get reacquainted.

Belhaven Scottish Stout wins 'Platinum Medal' Award

Belhaven Brewery is proud to announce that Belhaven Scottish Stout has received top marks from the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) in their 2008 World Beer Championships Awards.

The deluxe handcrafted stout at 7%, was awarded its top rating - 96 points and a Platinum Medal - in the 'Strong Stout' category.

"It's an honour," said George Howell, Head Brewer at Belhaven Brewery. "Belhaven's products are all about quality, flavour and authenticity. Achievements like these validate the brands position as an authentic, deluxe stout. The brand was only launched in 2007 and it is already one of our top selling export brands in the States".

The Scottish Stout was described by the Beverage Testing Institute as having "aromas of baker's chocolate" and "charred nuts". Delicious!"



Cheers!!!

Jason

I would look for a clone for their wee heavy (probably pale, crystal, roasted barley, minimal hops, scottish yeast), then just up the roasted barley until it gets to ~30 SRM. I also really enjoy that the beer has stout in the name, and in the description they call it a porter.

Good luck.

Yeah, I got a kick out of that too. Whatever category it actually falls into (probably FES?), I was really impressed with it and had absolutely no clue that it was 7% ABV. But I imagine that they likely didn't reinvent the wheel with the recipe.

I'll have to keep an eye out for the Wee Heavy.

Thanks!

Jason

I also LOVE that beer and was blown away when I first tried it on tap. I've never seen it in bottles and only know of one place that has it on tap here in Cincinnati. I contacted the brewery and this is what they said. I'd love to have some more advice on what to do with the info, since I'm still mostly a n00b.

The Stout is brewed using crystal malt (1%), chocolate malt (5%), roast
barley (4%) and white malt (90%).

It is not overly hopped for a stout which gives a good balance and
drinkability.

The brewery mash tun is about 100 years old; we brew with water from our
own borehole and use our own yeast strain. These three combined
contribute to a whole load of flavour! (These are the only secrets in
the process).

Hope that's helped. The only hint or tip I can give you is to keep on
experimenting with the home brewing which is after all half the fun!

Other Belhaven beers worth trying are Scottish Ale, a 5.2% traditionally
Scottish beer full of malty sweetness. Wee heavy, a 6.5% strong dark
malty beer also traditionally Scottish. Twisted Thistle IPA, 6.1% pretty
bitter but with a slight sweetness.

Regards,

Shaun Fallon
Trainee Brewer
Belhaven Brewery
Tel 01368 869213

Any mention of what type of hops they use? I'm sure I can figure it out, but I'd like to be accurate. We just got this on tap at the bar I work at and the stuff is blowing my mind. I'm not really all that big of a stout fan, to boot!

I would guess they use Whitbread Golding Variety (WGV), as that's what all the Belhaven beers in Graham Wheeler's Brew Your Own British Real Ale use for bittering. The 90/- also uses it late in the boil.

I am very impressed with this beer. I am surprised that I did not happen upon this earlier. It is fantastic.

Cincinnati: next time you are in Detroit, head to Windsor Ontario, the LCBO stocks it.

Belhaven Scottish Ale and their Twisted Thistle are FAANTASTIC. Haven't seen the stout yet.

I think I may have to brew something along these lines...

Brewed something along these lines today.

95% - 11 lbs Maris Otter
5% - 10 oz Roasted Barley (550L)

Mashed at 155 for 60 min

75 min boil
24 IBUs of Styrian Goldings ~ 60 min

Boiled down 1 gallon of the dense first runnings to 3 cups and added back during the chill to add some caramel notes.

OG 1.064. Fermenting in the mid-60s with East Coast Yeast Scottish Heavy.

Using the information from this thread I have gotten close but not quite there yet. Here is what I have come up with so far gonna make a few minor changes and try it again.

10 lbs Extra Light DME
.56 lbs Choclate Malt
.45 lbs Roasted Barley
.11 lbs Crystal 60L
2 oz Goldings 60 min
1 oz Fugles 15 min
White Labs London Ale

I originally tried it with Edinburgh Ale Yeast and only 1 oz Goldings hops but it came out way to fruity tasting.

gonna try it again but this time with Irish Ale yeast.

Romad said:

Using the information from this thread I have gotten close but not quite there yet. Here is what I have come up with so far gonna make a few minor changes and try it again.

10 lbs Extra Light DME
.56 lbs Choclate Malt
.45 lbs Roasted Barley
.11 lbs Crystal 60L
2 oz Goldings 60 min
1 oz Fugles 15 min
White Labs London Ale

I originally tried it with Edinburgh Ale Yeast and only 1 oz Goldings hops but it came out way to fruity tasting.

gonna try it again but this time with Irish Ale yeast.

Click to expand...

That sounds much stronger than the Belhaven which is “only” 7% ABV. Keeping fermentation temps down will help, I really like Wyeast Scottish Ale (try to keep the beer ~60 F).

I was happy with how my 90 Shilling Stout came out, boiling down gave it enough caramel, and the yeast imparted a complex/woody character. I might go more than 5% roasted barley next time to give it more roasted flavors.

Yep its about 9.9 ABV I like to push my brews a little. I am planning on making a move to All grain pretty soon probably gone reduce the ABV down to 7% when I do though.

I haven't been disappointed in a beer from Belhaven yet. The stout is by far the best stout I've tasted to date. I can't wait to try my hand at brewing it!

Mark from Maltose Express sent me a copy of the recipe from the Beer Captured book by Mark and Tess Szamatulski. They also sell the kit for it. I am planning to brew it soon and will let you know how close it comes to the original.

We bottled ours yesterday and I was exceedingly happy with the little we tasted. Can't wait to try it when it is done. Based on this recipe I am definitely asking my husband to buy the Beer Captured book for my birthday!

Post that recipe on here so we can see it

I put Belhaven's Black Stout as a HUGE competitor to Guinness... They are so very close, if i had my choice.. it be hard pressed to decide which one to drink..

My first Scottish Stout (recipe) was solid. Using kettle caramelization and only two malts left it a bit thin and bland though. I was much happier with the re-brewed version 8% cara/crystal malt.