How To Brew Scottish Heavy Beer: From Tartan Highland Taps to Your Tankard

Scottish Heavy is a heavier version of a Scottish Light. The Scottish Heavy is actually similar in character to a Wee Heavy, but much smaller in terms of alcohol content. The real irony is that a Scottish Heavy is anything but heavy.

It is actually one of the lighter beers you could brew. While there are some similarities, there are plenty of differences with Scottish light ales.

The Scottish Heavy is a beer style that requires a skilled hand in “nailing” the heavy descriptor and also still keeping the beer sessionable.

It should also be noted that the Wee Heavy or Strong Scotch Ale is so beyond the sessionable beer of Scottish ales that they shouldn’t even be spoken of with these beers.

A Tax is Tax

For many years the shilling system was referenced when talking about Scottish Ales. The shilling system began around the mid 19th century.

Scottish brewing historian, Charles McMaster said the shilling terminology started when taxes on malt and sugar in the UK was replaced by Beer Duty, which is the tax associated with alcohol in the UK.

From Shillings to “Light”, “Heavy”, and “Export”

Basically there are three “weights of Scottish ales. Light, Heavy and Export, prior to the 2015 BJCP Guidelines were simply known as 60 shilling, 70 shilling, and 80 shilling respectively. As the gravity levels rose, as did the taxes associated with that particular beer.

After the range of beers that were offered shrunk, the terms, Light, Heavy and Export took the place of the shilling terminology.

The Parti Gyle

Traditionally, Scottish ales were often brewed using a “parti gyle,” which is brewing multiple worts from a single mash. A brewer would brew a bigger beer first and then use the leftover spent grain to brew a smaller beer.

This is an efficient use of grains that would usually be thrown out. You can also try these 18 Awesome Spent Grain Recipes.

Style Profile for Scottish Heavy

Appearance

The color is usually a pale copper to very dark brown. The head on this beer should be creamy and off white with a suburb clarity.

Aroma

Low to medium maltiness on the nose. Often the flavors consist of breadcrumbs and biscuits. Low to medium caramel and low butterscotch notes are perceived. Low English hop aroma, which is often earthy, floral, orange-citrus, or, spicy. Peat smoke is inappropriate.

Mouthfeel

The mouthfeel is usually medium-low to medium. Low to moderate carbonation. Can be rich and creamy to dry and grainy.

Taste

The flavor of this beer is all malt. Flavors range from bready malt with caramel overtones to rich-toasty malt with roasted accents, but not roasty. Fruit esters are not required, but add some depth as long as they are not too high.

Hop bitterness to balance out the malt. Low hop flavor is also allowed. Finish is rich and malty to dry and grainy. A subtly butterscotch character is acceptable, but burnt sugar is not. Peat smoke is inappropriate.

Food Pairing

The characteristics of a Scottish Heavy, much like the Scottish Light, fare well with gamey meats like pheasant and quail, as well as more traditional roast pork, smoked salmon, or lamb. Spicy Mexican dishes can work as well.

For cheese pairings, you’re probably best off with something smoked. Overall though, the Scottish Light is probably BEST to save for a rich dessert, given the heavy toffee, caramel-like nature of the beer… anything with dark chocolate, toffee, or caramel will work really well.

Tips for Brewing your own Scottish Heavy

Grain

Originally Scottish pale malt, grits, or flaked maize was used in the grist. Today an English pale malt, such as Maris Otter, would be used. Golden Promise would also be a good base grain.

The rest of the grist is made up of 10% of Crystal, Chocolate, Black malt, roasted barley, and wheat. Possibly a little Chocolate Rye can be used to add some interest and earthiness (or a perceived spiciness) to the grist.

The combination of specialty malts is up to you to experiment with a little. Take good notes in order to replicate this beer again and again.

Hops

Since hops grow so poorly in Scotland, they needed to be imported. The closest area that has hops is England, so English hops make up the hop bill in most Scottish beers.

Much like the Scottish light, hops such as Target, Progress, Sovereign, East Kent Goldings, Fuggle, and Challenger will be on the list to choose from for a Scottish Light.

Since hop characters are not really prevalent in this style, the hop itself is very seconrady. Look for hop additions to only consist of the bittering charge at 60 minutes for this style.

Yeast

A yeast that is clean and neutral with minimal flavor additions. Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale, or White Labs WLP028 Edinburgh Scottish Ale are both good choices. Safale S-04 or Danstar Winsor are the dry yeast choices.

Fermentation

Usually a beer can ferment in about a week’s time if not less. Since Scottish ales ferment much cooler, it can take up to three weeks in primary to finish.

Traditionally, cold conditioning in a secondary for up to six weeks to aid in clarity and accentuate the malty profile.

Scottish Heavy By the Numbers

• Color Range: 13 – 22 SRM
• Original Gravity: 1.035 – 1.040 OG
• Final Gravity: 1.010 – 1.015 FG
• IBU Range: 10 – 20
• ABV Range: 3.2 – 3.9%

Scottish Heavy Recipe

Grain

• 72% 6 lbs Maris Otter Malt
• 14% 1 lb Crystal 45 Malt
• 7% 8 oz Chocolate Rye Malt
• 7% 8 oz Roasted Barley

Hops

Yeast

Directions

1. Mash at 152°F (66°C) for 60 mins
2. Boil for 60 mins

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Heavy Beer?

A heavy beer, often referred to as a Scottish Heavy, is a style of beer originating from Scotland. It’s a sub-category of Scottish ales and is known for its malt-forward profile and moderate alcohol content.

Unlike the name might suggest, “heavy” doesn’t refer to the body or alcohol content of the beer, but rather is a traditional Scottish designation stemming from how beers were taxed based on their strength. In Scotland, ordering a “pint of heavy” usually refers to a beer of this style.

What distinguishes a Scottish Heavy from other Scottish Ales?

Scottish Heavy is one of the lighter Scottish ales in terms of alcohol content, positioned between the lighter Scottish 60/- (60 Shilling) and the stronger 80/- (80 Shilling) or Scotch Ale.

The primary distinction lies in the malt character, which is pronounced but not as rich or sweet as in the stronger Scotch Ales. Scottish Heavy beers emphasize a clean, malt-forward taste with a moderate hop bitterness.

Can you provide a basic outline of a Scottish Heavy Beer recipe?

Certainly. A typical Scottish Heavy recipe involves a variety of malts to achieve the desired flavor and color. Common malts include Pale Malt as the base malt, along with small amounts of Crystal, Munich, and perhaps a touch of Chocolate malt for color.

The hops used are usually of a low to moderate bitterness level, with East Kent Goldings being a traditional choice. The beer is fermented with a clean, well-attenuating ale yeast, which allows the malt character to shine through while achieving a balanced finish.

How does the term ’70 Shilling’ or ’80 Shilling’ relate to Scottish Heavy Beers?

The terms ’70 Shilling’ and ’80 Shilling’ (70/- and 80/-) are traditional Scottish classifications indicating the strength and price of the beer, which was historically taxed by alcohol content.

’70 Shilling’ or ’70/-’ is a designation for a lighter Scottish Ale, while ’80 Shilling’ or ’80/-’ refers to a stronger beer, often categorized as a Scottish Heavy. These terms are still used today to help classify the different types of Scottish ales.

In brewing a Scottish Ale, is there a significant difference between an all-grain and extract recipe?

Yes, there is a difference. An all-grain Scottish Ale recipe allows for greater control over the final flavor and color of the beer, as it involves brewing from the raw grains. This process can be more labor-intensive but is often preferred for its ability to yield a more complex malt profile.

On the other hand, an extract recipe utilizes malt extract, which simplifies the brewing process but may result in a less nuanced malt character.

Both methods can yield a delicious Scottish Ale, but all-grain brewing is often preferred by those looking to closely replicate traditional Scottish beer flavors.