h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Batch XX – Eleven Pound Scotch Ale

Ingredients
8 lb Alexander’s Pale Malt Extract
3 lb Munton’s Amber Dry Malt Extract
1 lb Munton & Fison Crystal Malt 60L
½ lb Munton & Fison Cara-Pils Malt 20L
½ lb Hugh Baird Peat Smoked Malt 2.8L
½ lb Munton & Fison Chocolate Malt 338L
1-½ oz Kent Golding UK Hops (bittering)
½ oz Fuggles Hops (flavoring/aroma)
2 oz Heather Tips
4 oz American Oak Chips
½ tsp Irish Moss
Wyeast #1728XL Scottish Ale Yeast

Boiling Times
60 minutes
- malt extract
- bittering hops
15 minutes
- Irish moss
10 minutes
- flavoring/aroma hops
- Heather tips

Specific gravity – 1.062

This recipe marks my twentieth batch, my 100th gallon of homebrew! Whoa, it’s been a long ride, and a tipsy one. I plan on bottling this on November 16th, one year exactly to the day I brewed my first batch of beer. One year, one hundred gallons of beer. And I hope to see many, many more batches in years to come.

This is almost a remake of my original Scotch Ale recipe. I stuck with eleven pounds of malt extract, giving rise to the name. Added to the specialty grains was chocolate. I specifically caramelized the malt extract. The other touch is the oak chips, to be added to the secondary.

Yes, Scotch Ale got the thumbs up to mark my first big batch. Lots of character, ages well.

Cheers!

Congratulations! I can not wait until I am able to taste it!

I'm very interested in how the boiling of the wort went. 11 lbs. of DME. Sweet Jehovsefat.

Well, it was difficult to say the least.

First of all, it was eight pounds of liquid malt extract and three pounds of DME. I let the liquid sit at the bottom to carmalize for about two minutes. Then I stirred and added the DME. At first, all of the DME turns into little 'rock's. It takes about fifteen minutes before they melt.

The wort level really pushes the limits of my twelve quart kettle, I am going to upgrade soon. So, with only about a gallon of water mixed in, it was like working with cement, as you probably guessed.

Cheers!

October 30, 2005 - Brewing Date
November 4, 2005 - Transfer to Secondary

Specific gravity - 1.015

So far, so good. That gravity puts the estimated alcohol content at over 6% already. It should rise at least a little more, I like it.

Looks good, tastes good. Secondary is nice and clean. Looking to bottle on November 17.

Scotchy!

Cheers!

November 9, 2005

Addition of oak chips to the secondary

Well, I had forgotten to add the oak chips when I transferred over from the primary. But I don't think this matters much.

I took 4 oz of American oak chips and placed them in a small pot with a little water. Brought the water to a boil and heated for a few minutes. I then added the chips and the water to the secondary.

I actually had to remove about two cups of beer so that I could fit this addition. I don't think this was a big deal either, but I wasn't crazy about the somewhat sloppiness of my work. So, the chips are sitting in the beer, soaking. I'm going to give it about two weeks until I bottle. Then it's Scotch time!!!

Cheers!

December 16, 2005

Bottling Date

Well, I waited a long time to bottle this puppy, longer than I would have wanted. But it doesn't make any difference. If anything, it allowed the beer to mature a little more.

Specific gravity - 1.015

Wow, does this thing taste strong! And...it tastes like bourbon. I may have to sit on it for quite a while before it reaches it's intended state. Which is fine with me, at least one case will stick around for a full year.

Cheers!