Scottish Export Four Peaks Kiltlifter Clone

[scottland]

Recipe Type

All Grain

Yeast

Safale S-04

Yeast Starter

Only if you use liquid

Batch Size (Gallons)

5.5

Original Gravity

1.060

Final Gravity

1.014

Boiling Time (Minutes)

60

IBU

22

Color

16SRM

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

2 Weeks

Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

2 Weeks

Tasting Notes

Smokey, fairly malty, a little toasty, but very clean

Assuming 82% efficiency (Add 2-row if you get less):

9.5lbs 2-Row
1lb Crystal 80L
8oz Carapils
2oz Roasted Barely (This is the 300L RB. If you have 500L cut it back to 1.5oz, or maybe even 1oz)
0.5-1oz Peat Smoked Malt. This part is personal preference, I like a little less peat (0.5oz). Don't go over 1oz, this stuff is potent.
1.5oz Kent Goldings @ 60min
Mash @ 151*

Ferment with Safale S-04, WLP007, or your favorite highly flocculate British strain @ 62-64*. Definitely ferment this on the cool side. I'd even be tempted to go as low as 60*. I'd lean towards WLP002 or WLP007 rather than S04, which tends to leave a tart 'twang' to the beer. The cleaner english yeasts are better for this beer.

Targets: OG:1.060, FG: 1.014, SRM: 16, IBU: 22, ABV: 6.0%

This turns out dangerously close to the real Kiltlifter. The only difference I can taste is some subtle yeast characters that would be hard to match without Four Peaks exact strain. This is a pretty simple, malt forward Scottish with some smokey notes, and light heat from the alcohol.

I'll post a picture next to the real-deal in the next 3-5 days, I'm waiting for the last little bit of chill-haze on my current batch to fall out.

 

[JGarner]

Finally! I have been waiting for someone with adequate beer knowledge to come up with this. How did it turn out? This one is definitely on deck for me.

 

[scottland]

Almost identical. I used a touch too much roasted barley(3oz) so mine was a little too dark(a few SRM), and a touch too toasty, but I'm splitting hairs here. Also next time I make this, I will ferment colder. Probably 60-62*.

1oz of the peat smoked was dead on, just make sure they measure it carefully. It's easy to overpower a beer with that stuff.

 

[JGarner]

Just out of curiosity, what did you ferment at?

 

[scottland]

64, but I'd go a little lower next time.

 

[cg17]

Gotta try this. I love Kiltlifter

 

[hem1tp]

yeah, I love this beer: relocated from Gilbert, AZ to Eden, NC and have been missing this; am definitely going to try this. thank you for the research and recipe

 

[daveooph131]

Man had this on a layover to Vegas lived it. I'm going to brew this. Did you use just an American two row?

What about using golden promise or marris otter?

 

[iparks81]

Im introducing a friend to brewing next week. Kilt Lifter is a good familiar brew so I think this recipe will be the one we go with for his first "Brew day"

 

[BigPoppa502]

I did this one as my first brew also. It's fantastic! My LHBS had a great recipe for me. Turned out a little sweet, probably due to my excitement and stopping the fermentation too soon. Still a great batch though!

Mine was a extract adaptation.

 

[daveooph131]

Just took gravity after a week and this beer is amazing already. Very similiar to the real thing.

Mine is high at 1.020 right now but I'm sure it will drop a few more points with time. Usually I'm always high after only one week.

 

[scottland]

Nice! Let us know how it is once it's carbed up.

 

[T8rAleKing]

Owner of Brewer's Connection put together a 2 gallon recipe for me for my Mr Brew (2nd batch ever BTW) as my wifey turned me on to this ale (yes, she is good for something). Partial mash Recipe as follows:
1/2 lb. breiss 6-row
1/4 lb cara-munich 45-55l
1/4 lb german cara-pils
.13 simpsons peated malt 2-3l
1 lb briess amber DME
1 lb Muntons light DME
1 packet Danstar windsor ale yeast 11g
1 packet UK fuggles hop pellets 1 oz

boiled to instructions and opened a bottle 2 days ago, pretty spot on...only thing we noticed was a high amt of carbonation, could have been due to pouring the cold ale into a room temp beer stein ( I should have chilled it first obviously)

I am going to do a 5 gallon Kiltlifter clone tomorrow same recipe just 2.5 times the main ingredients. I haven't graduated to all-grain yet as I am only on batch 6 and still learning my way.

Any special advice, send it my way. I am having way too much fun with homebrewing, per my wifey! TIA

 

[T8rAleKing]

@Scottland:

I am trying to perfect this recipe using a partial mash and I just used SA-04 as well. Someone else had told me to try SA-05 next time...any opinions on that? 1st batch I did a 2 gallon Mr Beer recipe from Brewers Connection using windsor yeast...tasted pretty spot on, slightly over-carbed yet, drank 2 liters so far and sitting on others in the fridge for another week or 2, not sure if carb will subside tho.

Just did a 5 gallon batch using the SA-04 from BYOB in Gilbert, Fuggle hops, 6-row barley malt, 1/4 lb of smoked peat and other grains and malt extracts. Hope I am getting closer and closer to KL clone cuz it's SWEEEEEEEEETTTT.

Salud

 

[scottland]

You're in the right ballpark, but you've got a few things to tweak.

S04 will be closer than S05. Four Peaks uses a fairly clean english strain
4oz of smoked peated malt is way too much. I'd use like 1oz
If you want a good extract recipe, i'd do:

Steep:
1lb Crystal 80
2oz Roasted Barley
1oz Peat Smoked Malt
(no carapils)
Then:
6lbs DME or 8lbs LME (light)
1.5oz East Kent Golding @60min
Ferment with S04 or WLP007 or WLP005 in the mid 60* range.

 

[T8rAleKing]

You're in the right ballpark, but you've got a few things to tweak.

S04 will be closer than S05. Four Peaks uses a fairly clean english strain
4oz of smoked peated malt is way too much. I'd use like 1oz


Thanks scottland. next batch of KL clone it is.

Salud:rockin:

 

[daveooph131]

Well it's done and fantastic. I used marris otter as the base malt which I love the toasty quality it provides. Very good beer, finished a little high on FG but all in all will definitely brew again.

 

[scottland]

Glad it turned out well!

 

[captainL]

I think I'm going to brew this up tomorrow. I'm doing a BIAB full volume mash with 8 gallons of water. Anyone mess with water the profile. I figure something straight forward: about 1.75 tsp cal chl and .5 tsp gypsum. Thanks for the recipe!

 

[captainL]

I brewed this up the other day. I used 90L crystal instead of 80L because thats all the brew store had. I used .5 oz roast (695) and .5 oz choclate(395) instead of the 2 oz of roast @ 300L. So it definitely looked a little darker. But its looking good. Can't wait.

 

[blackollie]

Hey guys-
This is my first all grain brew and I'm a little concerned things aren't going too well. I'm a week into it and this is fermenting very slow compared to other beers I have done. Is this Normal or should I do something to speed it up? Fermenting in a dark room at about 66 degrees (coolest spot in the house and the coolest I can get the house before my wife changes the temp). Also in 3 weeks when it's go time for bottling how long are you waiting before you throw a few in the fridge and crack one open?

 

[scottland]

blackollie: Pop open the fermenter and take a peak inside. Is there still a krausen on top? If not, take a gravity reading, and see how close to finished the beer is.

You probably have nothing to worry about. In terms of bottling time, it all depends on the temperature your bottles condition at. My house stays warm in Arizona (75-82*), so my bottle conditioned beers are carbonated after a week to two weeks. That might be 2-3 weeks at your house's temp.

 

[blackollie]

Was out of town for a bit but took a reading as soon as I got home. Right now I'm estimating about 1.005 (about even between 1 and 1.010). Took a sip of it afterwards and it tastes identical to Amstel light... Went ahead and transferred it for a secondary fermentation and it looks lighter in color than I was expecting and that yeast is still happily making gas. I'm starting to think my temps were a little low making the wort. Should have about 2 more weeks if this sounds right. What do you think? 1.005 seems off but im new at this.

 

[stonebrewer]

scottland - I have been mulling over brewing both Four Peaks and Pike Brewing Kilt Lifter brews for several months now. Getting to the point where they fit into my brew schedule pipeline. I was wondering if you had considered using WLP028, Edinburgh Scottish Ale yeast, for this brew? I am a big fan of WLP007 for pale ales, but for this Scottish style ale I was leaning towards brewing with WLP028. Perhaps that is the subtle yeast character you were looking for? Interested in your thoughts on this...

Tony

 

[scottland]

Four peaks Kilt Lifter isn't the best 'true scottish ale'

A. It's a little smokey
B. It has some esters

If you want a beer that tastes like FP's Kilt Lifter, use 007, or something else that's dry and english. If you want a good scottish export, use WLP028 or WLP001. It'll be muchhhhhhh closer to the BJCP style.

 

[stonebrewer]

Thanks! What I think I will do is is follow your advice on FP and use the 007 and then use the 028 on the PB version of Kilt Lifter. Should be two very tasty brews! Thanks for the clone recipe. It isn't far off from what I concocted in brewsmith for the PB version sans the 300L RB, adding some Munich, and adding Magnum to compliment the EKG. I am a little antsy about the peated malt as well. I have used this in a smoked porter and had it come out fabulous with a trace amount, and overpowering with around 2 ounces...it is definitely something you need to be mindful of. I think I will use 0.5 oz or less.

Cheers!

 

[BAJones]

Scottland your blog is great, love all the info on IPA's, how do you get them so clear after so much dry hopping! (I mean I read how you do it, but it's still impressive) I live in Tempe and I'd bet if you asked nice enough FP would give you a slurry to try and do a spot on clone. Are you an ASH member?

Also were you able to find Mosaic anywhere? I've been scouring the net.

 

[scottland]

No Mosaic yet, but there really aren't many 2012 hops out yet. As for the clarity: Gelatin and cold conditioning, they work wonders. I'm not an ASH member, but ya, I've heard of a few people getting a slug of Four Peaks yeast.

 

[StainlessBrewing]

x2 on the blog. Hopefully we'll see some more porters and stouts now that it's cooling down?

 

[scottland]

I've got an American stout on deck. Elder clone is next, a blonde ale, then a big hoppy stout =) But ya, once I get done cloning these IPAs, I'll get back to more malty beers.

Thanks guys!