Geordie Scottish Export. bke or dme best?

[Wekslap]

Hi all. Thinking of doing this next. What would you recommend? 1kg of bke or 1kg of DME? In an ideal world I would like to get it nearer to McEwan's export or scotch.

Thanks

[Hopping_Mad]

I'm partial to the odd McEwans Export so await any responses with interest!

[Wekslap]

Anybody? Please? Then I can start brewing it!

Thanks

[timbo41]

Either or mate get it on. I don't think you'll find the geordies will have the same bitterness than a mcewans. I find they tend to be slightly sweet. Great little kits to play with. Why not use dme and have a small boil with half oz of goldings type hop. Maybe twenty minutes. Then strain and add to kit. Might get closer.

[Exiled Bradfordian]

Having never had a McEwan's I can't say. Is it quite a light beer or does it have lots of body? If it's quite light, use BKE, if it's full bodied, use DME...would be my advice, but only as a guide as I've never drunk it!

I have to be honest, I have no desire to recreate a commercial beer; my objective is to brew a wide range of beers that I like to drink. If they taste like something else that's all well and good but it's more by accident than by design.

I actually prefer my own bottles gear to commercially available bottles beers. It still doesn't quite beat a pint down the local, but bottled ales never do taste the same as a pulled pint. I need to get me a pressure barrel I think.

[Wekslap]

http://www.mcewans.co.uk/our-beers/mcew ... 9a122284d0

[Wekslap]

http://www.mcewans.co.uk/our-beers/best-scotch/

[Wekslap]

Mcewan's export is a 4.5abv darkish beer. Malty and full bodied. To me its sort of a cross in taste between newcy brown and a scotch or dark mild. The Scotch is sort of a lower strength version of the same.

[cwrw gwent]

Gordie Scottish Export is a light-coloured ale (it says deep golden on the tin) and it looks like a blond beer. I always associate Scottish Export as being dark and malty (as Wekslap says in the previous post).

[Wekslap]

Would the DME darken it? Can you still buy brewing caramel?

[Wekslap]

Well. Got me Geordie export on on Mon night. Went with 23 Lts with 1 kg DME. Using cobbled together blow off tube for first time. Regular blop blop about one a second Tues morn. Now a bit slower but regular like a wet fart sound. Would like it to be bit more like McEwan's export or scotch hence trying all DME for first time. Would this be better suited to cask or bottle do yous lot think?

Cheers

John

[tubthumper]

brewing caramel is just the same thing as gravy powder according to graham wheeler but don't use bisto or any with meat flavors in it

[WestyTwaalf]

Would like it to be bit more like McEwan's export or scotch hence trying all DME for first time. Would this be better suited to cask or bottle do yous lot think?

Cheers

John

Hi John,

If you mean McEwan's from a tin, a leaky budget barrel wont give you that fizzy lager like carbonation that the original has. If you like to burp and fart all night then bottle with shitloads of sugar.

[Wekslap]

No I don't mean like from a can. I can't speak for elsewhere in the country but McEwan's scotch and lorimers scotch, exhibition etc were the main workingmans drink, along with federation beers, which were founded by the working men who set up their own brewery as a cooperative.

These beers as i was growing up, although now harder to find, some no longer with us, were lovely ales brewed for the nnorth eastern palate. They were beautiful, and served on draught. And not fizzy.

PS and my pressure barrel doesn't leak.

[WestyTwaalf]

This is a review of "Export"

https://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com/20 ... ns-export/

I would concur with the review, the drink you mention is obviously very different. Here is a quote from their website:

"Curiously, although called ‘McEwan’s Best Scotch’, it is not usually found in Scotland. But it is hugely popular in the North East where it sells more than 4 million pints."

I presume this would have been a 60/ beer about 3.7% ABV. I think most only have bittering hops so your only variable is malt or steeping some grains.

You are the head brewer so make as you see fit. You could keg and bottle a few for comparison.

I brew mine short with brew enhancer and add various hops but for a cheap kit it makes a pleasant session beer.