I had a thread a while back asking how to harvest enough yeast for a wee heavy. The general consensus was to brew a session beer in preparation. So, I did. Turns out this is probably my favorite beer so far. It’s got a nice body but I can drink 3 and still function. It’s nice and crisp. Really turned out great. This is the first beer I’ve felt confident enough to enter into a competition. I’m pretty stoked about this beer, I’d even serve it to you guys!
This is the recipe I used:
I opted for the reduction instead of Crystal. I feel it really makes a difference.
You pull off part of the first running sand boil until it caramelizes. I say boil until you get scared. The last bit happens fast as the water content is low the temperature goes up quickly.
This thread brings back the most pleasant of memories. My very first “real” or “craft” beer was a Grant’s Scottish Ale sometime back in the early 80’s. My grandfather was Scottish and I play pipes, and I sat down in a restaurant once to find a tent card urging me to try Grant’s Scottish. Thinking it was Scottish, I ordered a pint.
I had never had anything like it. It was the first time I had tasted a real malt flavor, and the main taste I remember was that of caramel. I didn’t know at the time that it was quite out of character for a Scottish ale, but it was also liberally laced with Cascade hops. Ignorance is bliss, and I loved it. It was my “gateway” beer, and although the quality could be uneven, I sought it out regularly, reveling in the times I’d happen into a bar with a fresh, well handled keg. It also opened my mind to trying other beers, and I soon learned what a huge, wonderful world was out there. You can’t imagine my surprise when I learned it was actually made in Yakima, on the dry side of Washington where I had grown up.
Part of my glee in getting back into home brewing is the hope that I can recreate the taste of Grant’s Scottish. Or maybe I should say recreating the taste I think I remember. No matter, the fun is in the journey.
I have gotten into ordinary bitters and 60 Schillings lately in a big way. The tasters in my group hav been asking for more of the 60’s and I have some Wyeast 1768, I believe is the number, so I will have to make a starter this week!
Thanks for spurring me on in this direction - the side burner reduction is now on my agenda!
This sounds like a fun brew. I may have to give it a go - I use a BIAB set-up but I’m thinking I could transfer some of the wort into a second kettle and boil it down before the main boil. What % do you usually reduce?
either way the target it to take about a gallon of wort per (for a 5 gallon finished volume batch) and boil to a quart or so. ‘boil till your scared’ is the mantra here. the bubbles will start stacking on top of each other.
All-grain, although I’ll through a little DME into the mix when needed for gravity adjustments post-boil. Thanks, that seems pretty doable, definitely going to have to try it. I had a few beers in Scotland last summer, don’t remember what but they were some sort of organic stouts.
I’m sure my neighbour will love me! He was livid at the smell of a 90m boil permeating the house.
For the reduction, you pull that off the first runnings and get it boiling, but then you go ahead and start your sparge right? Otherwise you are continuing your mash for the time its boiling. Then pour the reduced wort into the boil pot?
