Wee Heavy Recipe critique

[jturman35]

Hey guys I came across this recipe from Basic Brewing radio and wandered if this looked like a killer recipe? I really like the idea of using Nottingham for the yeast. I was wandering if anyone happened to brew this or have suggestions?

15.5 lbs Brittish Pale Malt
4oz Honey malt
4oz Roasted Barley
4oz Brown Malt
4oz Victory
.5oz Target @ 60
.05 Target @ 30
1oz Challenger at flame out
Nottingham yeast

 

[u81doughboy]

Nottingham is a great yeast, I use it quite a bit. However I have found that Notty produces a drier finish. This may be due to fermentation temps, but that's been my experience. I would lean towards a less attenuating English yeast. Good luck, keep us advised how it goes, as I like the simple recipe.

 

[MaxStout]

A wee heavy should finish fermenting on the high side, leaving it sweet, but not overly so. If you plan to use Notty, you could limit attenuation by mashing high (154-156F). Otherwise, S-04 might work for you, as it is less attenuative.

If you want to use liquid yeast, WLP028 or WY1728 would be good candidates.

 

[DBhomebrew]

I've got Imperial Tartan in the fridge, getting ready for a run through some Scottish ales. Probably quite close to 1728/028.

Traquair reportedly uses Notty. Traquair's is the only actually Scottish strong Scotch ale I've tried. Full-bodied sure, but not sweet at all whatsoever.

Speaking of Traquair, I wouldn't call your grist simple. Traquair's House is 98% UK pale ale / 2% roasted.

 

[MaxStout]

My understanding is that most of the malt flavor comes from the base, anyway. OP could probably pare that malt bill down to just the Brit pale plus either the roasted barley or brown malt.

 

[jturman35]

I kind of thought the recipe seemed busy. I have always loved Notty in my brown ale which is a much smaller beer and finishes around 1.020. You guys get much complexity out of the simple grain bill?

I came across this recipe years ago that is much simpler other than caramelizing the first running's. And may just give this a go.
https://www.growlermag.com/homebrew-recipe-scotch-ale-issue5/
16lbs Marris Otter
6oz English Roasted Barley
Nottingham or US05

 

[MaxStout]

I kind of thought the recipe seemed busy. I have always loved Notty in my brown ale which is a much smaller beer and finishes around 1.020. You guys get much complexity out of the simple grain bill?

I came across this recipe years ago that is much simpler other than caramelizing the first running's. And may just give this a go.
https://www.growlermag.com/homebrew-recipe-scotch-ale-issue5/
16lbs Marris Otter
6oz English Roasted Barley
Nottingham or US05

The key is a longer boil, say, 90 minutes. It concentrates the wort and produces some complexity. Be sure to adjust your water volumes.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Scottish brewers use normal length boils and no kettle caramelization / 1st runnings reduction. Use good UK pale ale malt and trust it to do the heavy lifting. At 1.070+ you've got plenty of malt flavor in the wort.

Check out Ron Pattinson's blog and search for what Scottish brewers have been doing. Simple recipes for big malty beers and often plenty of hops!

 

[jturman35]

After a lot of back and forth here is the recipe i am rolling forward with for my first Wee Heavy. I took Jamil's recipe and a few others and tweaked it to my liking. I plan to mash in the 151 range just to help the FG, I do not want a cloying sweet beer. Never use this yeast but i'm really shooting for a smooth warming strong beer hopefully by Christmas!

18lbs Marris Otter
1lb Crystal 60
1lb Munich
8oz Crystal 120
3oz light Choc Malt
2oz English Roasted Barley
8oz sugar (help dry beer some)
1.5 oz EKG @ 60
1oz EKG @ 15
WLP 028 2L Starter

1.093-1.022 = 9.6%

 

[DBhomebrew]

Scottish brewers use normal length boils and no kettle caramelization / 1st runnings reduction. Use good UK pale ale malt and trust it to do the heavy lifting. At 1.070+ you've got plenty of malt flavor in the wort.

Check out Ron Pattinson's blog and search for what Scottish brewers have been doing. Simple recipes for big malty beers and often plenty of hops!

See what I mean?!

http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2022/09/lets-brew-wednesday-1885-william.html?m=1