scottish ale help

[kcinpdx]

Hi All-

I brewed a high gravity Scottish Ale and it is tasting rather sweet to me. Granted, I have not yet carbonated because I'm wondering if I should warm it up or re-pitch. Here's the recipe:

Size: 8*gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%

Original Gravity: 1.095 (1.070 - 1.130)
Terminal Gravity: 1.024 (1.018 - 1.040)
Color: 18.56*SRM (14.0 - 25.0)
Alcohol: 9.5% (6.5% - 10.0%)
Bitterness: 27.8 (17.0 - 35.0)

Ingredients:
24.65*lb (86.2%) Golden Promise Pale - added during mash
2.9*lb (10.1%) American Munich - added during mash
.7*lb (2.4%) 2-Row Caramel Malt 80L - added during mash
.36*lb (1.3%) 2-Row Black Malt - added during mash
2*oz (74.1%) Fuggle (4.8%) - added during boil, boiled 60*m
.7*oz (25.9%) Fuggle (4.8%) - added during boil, boiled 30*m


I boiled about 1 gallon for 30 mins prior to running off the rest. Mashed at 156, fermented at 60F using Imperial Tartan and got down to about 1.025 which doesn't seem too high given the OG. Am I simply not familiar enough with the style or will it mellow with a bit of age?

 

[dmtaylor]

It is what it is. Your result is consistent with your recipe. Maybe you just don't like Scotch ale. I'm sure I would LOVE it.

 

[mabrungard]

While it doesn't sound as if the FG is way out of line, if the beer lingers too long on the palate and seems cloying, you may want to do something.

Breweries in Edinburgh were some of the well-known Strong Scottish style brewers. Interestingly, some of the water in that city has a somewhat elevated sulfate content. That turns out to be a helpful thing for malty finishing beers. Sulfate has the effect of drying a beer's finish. Sulfate DOES NOT make beers bitter.

In your case, I recommend that you try a test in a glass of this beer. A thin pinch of gypsum between your finger and thumb, placed in a pint of beer should add about 100 ppm sulfate to the beer. Mix that into the beer and see if it improves or degrades the perception. If it degrades, try about half the original amount. What I anticipate you finding, is that the increased dryness will make this beer more balanced and pleasing.

 

[kcinpdx]

That is an easy enough test! I'll give it a try and report back. Thanks.

 

[snowtiger1987]

The perceived sweetness could be contributed by the Munich and Caramel malt which should not be in the grain bill IMO. Not much to do about it now except try what Martin says. Carbonation should help too.