FEEDBACK: MacEanruig's Beannacht an Tiarna Leann Fraoch (Heather Ale)

[HighlandRanger]

Looking for some feedback on this recipe. It has been adjusted and modified through the years. Just wanted to see if anyone has some thoughts on it. - Slainte!

This is going to be based on the 2nd runnings of a 3 part Parti-Gyle

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Title: MacEanruig's Beannacht an Tiarna Leann Fraoch
Author: Ken Henderson

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.066
Efficiency: 75%

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.090
Final Gravity: 1.024
ABV: 9.39%
IBU: 0 (No Hops - bitterness will come from Bog Myrtle, Heather and Mugwort)
SRM: 18.4

FERMENTABLES:
1 lb - Raw Honey (5.6%)
7.5 Gallons of Extract from Parti-gyle 2nd Runnings (1.047 SG) - Maris Otter (64.8%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
0.75 lb - Crystal 60 (4.2%)
1 lb - Victory Malt (5.6%)
0.5 lb - Peated Malt (2.8%)
0.5 lb - Rolled Oats (blm) (2.8%)
1 lb - CaraRye (5.6%)
12 oz - Acidulated Malt (4.2%)
12 oz - Melanoidin (4.2%)

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 oz - Bog Myrtle, Time: 90 min, Type: Herb, Use: Boil
2 oz - Heather Tips, Time: 60 min, Type: Herb, Use: Boil
0.5 g - Mugwort, Time: 60 min, Type: Herb, Use: Boil
0.25 oz - Irish Moss, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
1 oz - Heather Tips, Time: 10 min, Type: Herb, Use: Boil
1 oz - Heather Tips, Time: 28800 min, Type: Herb, Use: Primary

YEAST:
Wyeast - Scottish Ale 1728

 

[Albionwood]

Just now seeing this (haven't been on the forum for a while). Did you brew this and if so, do you have tasting notes? My initial thought is that grain bill is overly complex and my experience with peated malt suggests that in small amounts it mainly contributes an unpleasant ash-tray character.

I made a Fraoch a few years ago, though with a much simpler grain bill, and fermented it with a Saison-style yeast. It wasn't very good at first, had a phenolic aroma (burning plastic) that was hard to ignore. I bottled some and let it age, and it eventually lost the phenolics, gained a pleasant tartness, and became quite a nice and complex drink. The heather aroma emerged and the medicinal character receded.

I'd like to continue experimenting with heather but find very little detailed information about how it is harvested and used for best effect.