My first Scotch Ale

[Idlehanz]

I've never posted a recipe I've come up with here before, but I want to make a fantastic Scotch Ale this Saturday.

Opinions or criticism?


Amount Item Type % or IBU
6 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 50.00 %
4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 33.33 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 8.33 %
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 4.17 %
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.08 %
4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 2.08 %
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 7.0 IBU
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (45 min) Hops 6.4 IBU
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (10 min) Hops 13.1 IBU
0.50 oz Coriander Seed (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
5.00 gal Portland OR Water
1 Pkgs Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.084 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.022 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.18 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 26.5 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 20.2 SRM Color: Color

Thanks for your thoughts.....

R

 

[COLObrewer]

Love me some skotch ale. Personally, I'd drop the crystal malt and up the roasted barley to maybe a pound then do a long boil or boil the piss out of the first runnings in a separate pot, etc.

Also the chinook doesn't really belong there, if your set on it maybe reduce to 1/4 ounce? I'd also drop the corriander, as you can tell I like the traditional simple skotch ale but ultimately this is not my brew, if it's what you like then go for it

 

[JonM]

Ah, just picked up a 4-pack of Skull Splitter the other day. Love that stuff. That and Oskar Blues Scotch ale.

Anyway, I'd second what COLObrewer said about the chinook and coriander, and everything else looks great!

 

[jer204]

Maybe try some Special B. Last scotch ale I made, I used a pound.(all grain) Goldings and Perle. COLObrewer spot on with the long boil. I mashed high and boiled for 2hrs. Gave me a nice thick brew. Good luck!

 

[unionrdr]

Def keep the biscuit malt,but I say take it easy on the roasted stuff,just enough for the right color,& a little added flavor to the biscuit malt. And def drop the coriander,out of style for Scotch/English ales. & replace the Chinook with Fuggle or Willamette for classic hop flavors/aromas. Trust me,I used those in the light,smooth doppel bock I sent Gary at home brewer tv (#38). He really loved it,giving it a full 3 thumbs up! Some combination of 2 out of 3 of Kent Golding,Willamette,& Fuggle hops will be "proper" old boy...

 

[Idlehanz]

I added some coriander because one of my favorites ( Traquair Jacobite Scotch Ale ) is brewed with it.

I'll take the advice on the Chinook and go with Willamette's. I have extra's of those lying around in the freezer.

Why the long boil? Just curious as I already seem to lose a lot of wort during a 60 minute boil.... Are you talking 90-120 minutes? *EDIT* I missed the 2 hour boil part.....

Thanks for the input!

 

[unionrdr]

I found recently that 55-60 mins is fine. Unlike George Washington,I don't need to boil over an open fire for 3hrs. lolz. Anyway,Kent Golding & Willamette go together beautifully for Scotch/English ales. So good!!

 

[XXguy]

The long boil can give you some melanoidins, darkening the wort and also giving you some flavoring differences - a biscuit or bready flavor. Carmelization can give you that kind of toffee note some people look for in a Scottish Ale.

If you really want to get more of a carmelization, you probably want to reduce down some first runnings on a stovetop while you're working on the rest of the mash & boil.

Here's 2 links that might help:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/kettle-caramelization-maillard-reaction-fermentability-123029/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/melanoidins-again-118034/