Wee Heavy/Strong Scotch Ale

ABV: 8.80%

IBU: 36

SRM: 20

OG: 1.091 (21.8° P)

FG: 1.025 (6.3° P)

Link to article
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The following beer recipe is featured in the July/August 2017 issue of Zymurgy magazine. Access this issue along with the archives with Zymurgy Online!

The following excerpt and recipe are from the article “Scottish Ales” by Amahl Turczyn:

The name “wee heavy” caught on as a catch-all term for the strongest of Scotch ales, though it was initially used for only one commercial product, Fowler’s Twelve Guinea Ale. It was sold in “wee” bottles, it was of heavy strength, and the wholesale price of a hogshead was 156 shillings, about as pricey a Scotch ale as you were likely to find.

For an in-depth look at Scottish-style ales, access this article instantly with Zymurgy online.

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The following beer recipe is featured in the July/August 2017 issue of Zymurgy magazine. Access this issue along with the archives with Zymurgy Online!

The following excerpt and recipe are from the article “Scottish Ales” by Amahl Turczyn:

The name “wee heavy” caught on as a catch-all term for the strongest of Scotch ales, though it was initially used for only one commercial product, Fowler’s Twelve Guinea Ale. It was sold in “wee” bottles, it was of heavy strength, and the wholesale price of a hogshead was 156 shillings, about as pricey a Scotch ale as you were likely to find.

For an in-depth look at Scottish-style ales, access this article instantly with Zymurgy online.

Ingredients:

MALTS

  • 18.25 lb. (8.28 kg) Golden Promise pale malt
  • 8 oz. (227 g) 500° L roast barley

HOPS

  • 3 oz. (57 g) East Kent Goldings, 5% a.a. @ 60 min

YEAST

  • White Labs WLP028 Edinburgh Scottish Ale or Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale yeast (preferably fresh yeast slurry from a Scottish ale.)

ADDITIONAL ITEMS

  • 1 Whirlfloc tablet or 1 tsp. (5 g) Irish moss @ 15 min
  • 1/2 tsp. (2.2 g) yeast nutrient @ 15 min

Specifications:

Yield: 5.5 US gallons (20.8 L)

Original Gravity: 1.091 (21.8° P)

Final Gravity: 1.025 (6.3° P)

ABV: 8.80%

IBU: 36

SRM: 20

Directions:

Mash grains at 152° F (67° C) for one hour. Mash out at 168° F (76° C), and sparge at 170° F (77° C). Collect enough wort to account for evaporation from the long 120-minute boil. After an hour, add the 60-minute hops. At 15 minutes, add either 1 Whirlfloc tablet or 1 tsp. (5 g) of Irish moss and the yeast nutrient. After the boil, stir wort vigorously to create a whirlpool and precipitate out the trub. Chill wort to 63° F (17° C) as quickly as possible, run off into a fermenter, pitch yeast, and oxygenate for 1 minute using pure oxygen. Fermentation should be allowed to free-rise to 67° F (19° C) during the first 4 days. It can then proceed at that temperature for another 2 weeks, or until terminal gravity is reached. Transfer to secondary (glass or stainless steel preferred), and cool to 36° F (2° C) and cold condition for 2-4 weeks. The beer can then be conditioned in kegs or bottles for up to 10 months at cellar temperatures before serving.

Extract Version

Substitute pale malt with 13.75 lb. (6.24 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract. Decrease roast barley to 6 oz. (170 g) and steep in 155° F (68° C) reverse osmosis (RO) water for 30 minutes. Dissolve extract and top up to desired boil volume with RO water. Add hops and boil 60 minutes. Proceed as above.


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