Peaty Scotch Ale
- Thread starter rodwha
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Millions have tried it, hundreds of thousands have regretted it.
I like a little peat in my Scottish ales, but I won't use more than 1/2 ounce per 5 gallons, literally. The tiniest amount goes a looooong way.
I like a little peat in my Scottish ales, but I won't use more than 1/2 ounce per 5 gallons, literally. The tiniest amount goes a looooong way.
Not only is @dmtaylor right, but I understand there's wide variation in the intensity of various peated/smoked malts, making it harder to dial in the right amount. I've only used one type, once, years ago, in a porter.
Side note: When I first developed an affection for single malt Scotch, I favored the heavily peated varieties. Now, less so.
Best of luck, @rodwha.
Side note: When I first developed an affection for single malt Scotch, I favored the heavily peated varieties. Now, less so.
Best of luck, @rodwha.
OP
OP
rodwha
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I had a friend who’s not known for reading or researching things who had bought a pound and used it in 5 gals and it tasted like bog water or Lagavulin 16.
I was anticipating 4xs that amount.
Two suggestions:
- Peat smoke in a Scotch ale isn't really any more traditional than peat smoke in any other beer. So consider all the other styles, and figure out which one you'd most like to crap up with peat. Porter? Marzen? CA Common?
- Spike normal (i.e., non-peated) beer with Scottish whiskey. Might be a good, low-stakes way to figure out what peat actually works in.
I liked my peaty version of McEwans Champion. It was a 20L batch and I used 32g of SImpsons Peated Malt from Brewmaster. I've add a little of it into a couple of other beers too (maybe 25g in 26L batches).
