Brewlog - Flowery Kilt Scottish Stong Ale (Wee Heavy)

[loveofrose]

Specialty Grains
8 oz Caramel 20L
2 oz Biscuit Malt
1 oz Roasted Baley
1 oz Peated Malt
-Hold at 170 F 25 minutes in 2.5 gallons water.
Add 12 lbs Maris Otter extract, water to 5 gallons, and bring to a boil.
Add the following hop schedule:
1.5 oz Syrian Goldings for 1 hour
2 oz Fuggles for 10 minutes.
Added 1.5 lbs of honey and 4 oz heather flowers at 1 minute before flameout.
Cooled with a wort chiller.
Pitched a 2 liter starter of Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale.
SG 1.097 IBU 25 - Setup a blow off tube. That turned out to be a wonderful idea.
Bubbling away vigorously at 24 hrs.

 

[loveofrose]

Day 5 - 1.012!? Wow. 11% ABV!
I expected a FG of 1.02. That is an attenuation of 87%!

Well, I wanted a winter warmer. Careful what you wish for...

 

[loveofrose]

Day 22 - Definitely finished. Substantially more clear, but not clear enough. I wonder if the heather will add some haze that won't go away?

 

[Floculator]

Did you record your pitching temp?

Do you plan to age this?

 

[loveofrose]

Pitch temp was 78 F. I will age it until winter hits.
How long is that you say? In Texas, it could be September or December!

 

[loveofrose]

Day 25 - Tasted very thin with LOTS of peat. Try again cold before bottling.

Day 31 - Tried cold. Very good. It's so light you would never guess it is so strong. The peat died a lot since Day 22 (Thank God), but very balanced. I don't get a lot of heather right now, but it is there. I'll bottle this weekend.*
I don't think it fits a Scottish Ale anymore due to the high attenuation/low FG. Instead, it is Very strong, very drinkable, delicious beer than is even better than a Scottish Ale and defies the stupid guidelines!

 

[loveofrose]

Bottled Day 35.
As of last weekend, the flowery kilt has been bottled 2 months...
So I tried it...

Very good carbonation with a thick, rich head that dies fairly quick.
Malty with spicy notes of heather and a small amount of alcohol. Peat is very weak, but I think appropriate. Half a pint of this 12% ABV monster and you feel it! I should have called it "The Kilted ClusterF*%#"!

 

[loveofrose]

Finally got some cold weather. Enjoyed quite a bit of this last night. It has really developed into something wonderful.

Before, I could barely detect any heather. Now, the first smell and taste is intense heather. It has a wonderful spicy note that compliments the Maris otter malt. Despite the massive amount of malt, the beer is actually very light with lots of carbonation. Although it is pushing 13% ABV, you can't taste any alcohol. It is very easy to drink. For better or worse!

 

[loveofrose]

Month 11
This stuff has aged really well. It is very light with a strong heather note followed by a nice malty backbone. A bit of smokiness has shown itself now in the back palette. It only takes a few sips to realize this one is going straight to your head.

Next winter this will be phenomenal.


Better brewing through science!