Stewart's 80/- 17/11/07

[AngloScot]

After 'avoiding' brewing for 5 months or so I thought get a quick brew in to be ready just in time for Christmas. A strong 80/-.

This was my first attempt at brewing my own recipe so time will tell whether it was successful or not. Use of Brewsmith should have ensured that my recipe isn't a complete disaster!

I don't have my notes to hand so here's rough outline:

Stewart's 80/-

4kg Maris Otter
400g Crystal
200g Torrified wheat
70g Black malt

Mash for ~60 mins @ ~66C with ~12l of water (No major temp drop during mash). 2 batch sparges.

400g Demerara sugar (boil 75 mins)
~50g Styrian Goldings (boil 75 mins)
13g E.K. Goldings (boil 15 mins)
13g E.K. Goldings (boil 0 mins)

SB-12 yeast (Don't know much about this stuff. See my thread in the 'Yeast' section)

I ended up with ~22l @ 1050 and had been aiming for 23l @ 1048 which was 'good enough' by my slack standards!

It's currently in the fermenter bubbling away. I'll transfer to secondary tonight and dry hop with some more E.K. Goldings

Was quite happy with this one. It was my first mash which didn't have serious temperature cock-ups! Sorry about the lack of pics - I was too busy congratulating myself on my temperature control.

It'll be interesting to see how close my first recipe gets to a typical 80/- style....

[delboy]

I no expert on scottish styles but i thought with beers like this it is all about the malt so no late hop additions or dry hopping.
Then again you are brewing for yourself so if you like a beer to have hop flavour then throw the stye guide out the window

[AngloScot]

It will definitely be hoppier than a typical 80. But shouldn't be too much - enough to balance the malt I hope! I had some old hops to use up anyway....

I was hoping that the brown sugar would impart enough of a rummy flavour.

How do you caramelise malt? A shallow boil?

[mysterio]

Taking the first runnings of the mash (a few litres) and boiling it until it has reduced and thickened considerably, then adding it back to the main boil is one way of doing it.

I've tasted dry hop aroma in Scottish ales a couple of times (cask McEwans 70/- from memory) so I wouldn't say it's completely off the wall. Certainly with Caledonian 80/- theres a hint of Goldings flavour.