Recipe Critique: Title: Wild Highlander 140/- Wee Heavy

Beer Recipes
1

Brewing this Saturday at local Learn to Homebrew Event… thoughts?

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Title: Wild Highlander 140/-

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Wee Heavy
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.086
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.109
Final Gravity: 1.021
ABV (alternate): 13%
IBU (tinseth): 28.59
SRM (morey): 17.27

FERMENTABLES:
21.87 lb - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (96.4%)
6 oz - American - Roasted Barley (1.7%)
7.2 oz - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (2%)

HOPS:
2.4 oz - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.1, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 24.64
0.5 oz - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.1, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 3.95

YEAST:
White Labs - Edinburgh Scottish Ale Yeast WLP028
Starter: Yes
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (custom): 81%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 65 - 70 F
Fermentation Temp: 68 F
Pitch Rate: 1.25 (M cells / ml / deg P)

2

Why the Carapils? I’d move the 30min addition to 5 or 10. Half ounce of low AA hops at 30 is a bit useless.

3

I’d also substitute Golden Promise (being a traditional Scottish malt, also less toasty than MO) for the Maris Otter if possible.

4

may want to boil longer.

5

Or pull off a gallon, boil down until almost syrup and add back to main boil.  Even then I’d still do a 90 minute boil.

Use golden promise.

If your fermentor is 5.5G use a blow-off tube.

6

With that big of an OG, I would also consider pitching big and most definitely fermenting a bit cooler than 68F. This will help to reduce fusel alcohol production along with esters and possibly make for a “cleaner” finished product.