NOTE: The 2021 BJCP Type Pointers state there are solely three conventional beer types broadly accessible in Scotland right this moment. This contains the 70/- shilling Scottish Heavy, the 80/- shilling Scottish Export, and the Sturdy Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy, model 17C). The 60/- schilling Scottish Mild is uncommon and infrequently solely accessible in casks however does look to be having a little bit of a renaissance just lately.
The Scottish 60 Shilling 60/-, 70/-, and 80/- are all reclassified as Type 14A Scottish Mild, Type 14B Scottish Heavy, and Type 14C Scottish Export in Class 14 Scottish Ale.
The Mild, Heavy, and Export Scottish ales have comparable taste profiles and are produced by means of the parti-gyling course of, whereas because the gravity of the beer enhance, so too do the flavour and character of the beer.
On the whole, these Scottish beers are weaker, sweeter, darker, decrease in attenuation, and fewer extremely hopped than modern-day English beers. Most of the divergences from English beer occurred between the late nineteenth century and mid-twentieth century.
Why Are Scottish Beers So Completely different From English Beers?
Because the medieval interval, across the twelfth century, Scottish brewers have been utilizing native botanicals like heather, meadowsweet, and royal fern of their brewing course of.
Even after hops grew to become fashionable within the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century with English brewers, most of Scotland held out on using hops.
When asking why Scottish beers are so malt-forward and low in hops, the local weather might be the most effective reply. The cooler local weather limits any of the native breweries from rising their very own hops and subsequently needing to import them.
The Scots are fairly well-known for being frugal with their cash (tight some would say, however not me!) and plenty of hops had been solely utilized in a beer if it was to be exported so a number of the price could possibly be recouped.
The local weather additionally made cooler fermentations doable with Scottish ales being yeast impartial.
Additionally, there’s the easy incontrovertible fact that colder climate creates a want for malt-heavy beers somewhat than hoppy refreshing gentle beers.
Scotland additionally has good land which yields loads of high-quality cereal grain crops particularly barley, oats, and wheat (simply take a look at what number of “malt” whiskies Scotland produces!).
This might have been a want to focus on the standard of this native crop which saved the native brewers from extensively utilizing extra hops.
Conventional substances for these three Scottish ales embrace dextrinous pale ale malt, corn, darkish brewing sugars, and brewers caramel for coloring.
Put up-WWII recipes typically add darkish malt and decrease percentages of crystal malts alongside different substances reminiscent of amber malt and wheat.
One other brewing apply that helps distinguish Scottish ales from different British ales is a better mash temperature and the early use of sparging.
Greater mashing temperatures make for a extra dextrinous wort, which works properly with these fuller-bodied ales.
The English brewer was nonetheless doing a repeated mashing and draining course of to provide a number of brews at lowering strengths whereas the Scots had been sparging.
Sparging will increase the boiling occasions, which creates the caramelization within the brew kettle these ales are synonymous with.
Why Use the Time period Shillings for Scottish Beers?
Using the “shilling” designation (/-) is one thing of a curiosity in Scottish brewing. A shilling was a pre-decimal coin launched in the course of the reign of King George VI.
Historically, when used for a beer title, it referred to the value of a hogshead barrel of beer. As there was no manner the value of a beer remained constant, and British shillings aren’t even utilized in Scotland any extra, the title caught as shorthand for a kind of beer.
The unique which means of the value of a hogshead stopped being the actual worth throughout WWII.
The bigger the quantity on the whole, the stronger the beer, a minimum of for beers throughout the identical brewery. Between the World Wars, some brewers used the value per pint somewhat than shillings, for instance, Mclay 6d for 60 /-, 7d for 70 /-, and 8d for 80 /-.
Much more confusingly, throughout this time, 90 /-pale ale was a low-gravity bottled beer.
The knowledge beneath remains to be correct for the older model, however should you’re finding out for the present BJCP examination, use this web page together with the present description.
Scottish Mild / 60 Shilling Beer
The Scottish 60 Shilling is a really light-bodied ale (lower than 3.5% ABV). Regardless that the beer is gentle in alcohol, it nonetheless has a mushy and chewy character.
To acquire this character, a better mash temperature can have been used, round 158°F (70°C). Scottish ales, even the sunshine ones, are famous for his or her malt profile and kettle caramelization.
A few of this caramelization, which was initially obtained from a protracted boil, will be acquired by way of specialty malts like crystal and chocolate malts or roasted barley.
- Aroma: The Scottish 60 Shilling has a low to medium malty sweetness with caramel and toffee notes, and a lightweight toasty high quality harking back to toasted breadcrumbs or ladyfinger biscuits. A light-weight pome fruitiness and light-weight English hop aroma, which is earthy, floral, and orange-citrus spicy are allowable. As of late, many Scottish brewers are including extra hops to their beers and have gotten much like English bitters.
- Look: They’re deep copper to darkish brown in colour. Normally very clear as a consequence of lengthy, cool fermentations, and have a low to reasonable, creamy off-white coloured head.
- Taste: For all Scottish beers, the stability is towards the malt. Within the decrease gravity session beers, the malt will likely be ahead however now sturdy. The preliminary malty sweetness is often accentuated by a low to reasonable kettle caramelization and is typically accompanied by a low diacetyl element. Fruity esters could also be reasonable to none. Hop bitterness is low to reasonable, however the stability will at all times be in the direction of the malt (though today, not at all times by a lot). The hop taste is low to none. A low to reasonable peaty character is non-compulsory and could also be perceived as earthy or smoky. Scottish 60 Shilling beers usually have a grainy, dry end as a consequence of small quantities of unmalted roast barley.
- Mouthfeel: A Scottish 60 Shilling can have a medium-low to medium physique, although it’s low in alcohol. It can additionally exhibit low to reasonable carbonation, generally a bit creamy, however typically fairly dry as a consequence of utilizing roasted barley.
- General Impression: A decrease alcohol malty beer with gentle flavors of caramel, toast, toffee, and fruit. The slight roast dryness is offset by a residual sweetness within the end of this ale, with somewhat bitterness detected simply to stop the beer from cloying.
- Components: Scottish or English pale base malt reminiscent of Maris Otter, small quantities of roasted barley for colour and taste, (which additionally lends a dry, barely roasted end). English hops is a clear, comparatively low attenuating ale yeast. Some industrial brewers add small quantities of crystal, amber, or wheat malts, and adjuncts reminiscent of sugar. The non-compulsory peaty, earthy, and/or smoky character comes from the standard yeast and from the native malt and water somewhat than utilizing smoked malts.
- Very important Statistics: OG: 1.030 – 1.035 FG: 1.010 – 1.013 IBUs: 10 – 20 SRM: 9 – 17 ABV: 2.5 – 3.2%.
- Industrial Examples: Belhaven 60/-, McEwan’s 60/-, Maclay’s 60/- Mild (all are cask-only merchandise not exported to the US).
Scottish 70 /- Shilling Beer
The Scottish 70 Shilling is a light-bodied ale (lower than 4% ABV). The beers within the Scottish Ales class are so comparable that they’ve the identical descriptions.
None are broadly accessible within the US. These beers are known as “heavy,” however they’re on no account heavy by most Individuals’ alcohol ranges. They’re in truth gentle session beers which might be very drinkable and gratifying.
Regardless that the beer is gentle in alcohol, it nonetheless has a mushy and chewy character much like the 60 /- however with somewhat extra physique and a chunk from the marginally increased alcohol content material.
Historically, Scottish 70 Shilling ales require a cool fermentation and a low attenuating yeast to attain the flavour profile. As homebrewers, it’s a should that you simply use temperature management and ferment within the mid-60s (18 – 19°C).
It’s not essential that you simply use an English or Scottish ale yeast. Moderately, good wholesome ale yeast and funky fermentation temperatures will emulate the clear profile of most Scottish 70 Shilling ales.
Use a superb English number of hops and simply sufficient to maintain the malt from being too candy and cloying. Normally, a single addition for bittering is sufficient. You often gained’t discover any hop aroma or taste in Scottish 70 Shilling session beers.
Utilizing low hopping charges will hold the beer centered on the malt, which is the place it belongs within the Scottish 70 Shilling.
Regardless that it’s possible you’ll learn in any other case, it’s not acceptable to make use of peat malt in these beers. When you should, enter the beer within the different smoked class.
An intensive interval of chilly conditioning is useful with these beers. Attempt to situation at or round 40°F (4.4°C) for a minimum of two months to permit this beer to mellow and clear itself up.
- Aroma: The Scottish 70 Shilling has a medium-low to medium malty sweetness, generally with caramel and toffee notes. A light-weight toasty and sugary high quality is barely harking back to toasted breadcrumbs or ladyfinger biscuits. Some examples have a low hop aroma, gentle fruitiness, low diacetyl, and/or a low to reasonable peaty aroma (all are non-compulsory).
- Look: They’re pale copper to brown in colour and have low to reasonable, creamy off-white to gentle tan-colored heads.
- Taste: A medium toasty-bread malt taste with caramel and toffee overtones, completed with a barely roasted dryness. A variety of caramelized sugar and toasted bread flavors will be evident with a clear maltiness and fermentation profile. Mild esters and hop flavors are allowable too. Scottish 70 Shilling beers usually have a grainy, dry end, as a consequence of small quantities of unmalted roasted barley.
- Mouthfeel: A Scottish 70 Shilling can have a medium-low to medium physique with a low to reasonable carbonation, generally a bit creamy, however typically fairly dry as a consequence of using roasted barley.
- General Impression: These beers are clear and malty with a dry end, maybe just a few esters, and now and again a faint little bit of peaty earthiness (smoke). Most beers end pretty dry, contemplating their comparatively candy palate, and as such have a unique stability than sturdy Scotch ales.
- Components: At its easiest, a 70/- Scottish Heavy will use pale ale malt and coloured malt, however may also use corn, wheat, coloring brokers, and quite a lot of different grains. Clear yeast is generally used with mushy water however there ought to be no pettiness to any of the substances. Using colorants in any such beer means you will get many alternative coloured beers in the identical class.
- Very important Statistics: OG: 1.035 – 1.040 FG: 1.010 – 1.015 IBUs: 10 – 25 SRM: 9 – 17 ABV: 3.2 – 3.9%
- Industrial Examples: Caledonian 70/- (Caledonian Amber Ale within the US), Belhaven 70/-, Orkney Raven Ale, Maclay 70/-, Tennents Particular, Broughton Greenmantle Ale.
Scottish 80 /- Shilling Ale
A Scottish 80 Shilling 80/- is typically known as an “export.” It’s the strongest of the Scottish Shilling ales and can have a better alcohol content material, a much bigger malt profile, and extra hops to stability the malts.
This ale is much like the opposite two beers within the Scottish Ale model, the 60/- and 70/-. You’ll discover that there are simply sufficient English hops to maintain the large malt profile from turning into cloyingly candy.
As of late, brewers in Scotland are brewing beers that extra intently match the English-style bitters. This class doesn’t replicate that, and ultimately, homebrewers and American brewers could be the solely ones left brewing the model.
It is a good malty beer that many brewers wish to carry on faucet, as their session beer when the larger beers are a bit an excessive amount of.
Historically, Scottish 80 Shilling ales additionally require a cool fermentation and a low attenuating yeast to attain a clear taste profile.
Barely heavier hopped than the opposite ales within the shilling vary, it’s simply sufficient to maintain the malt from being too candy and cloying. Normally, a single addition for bittering is sufficient. You seemingly gained’t discover any hop aroma or taste in Scottish session beers.
Utilizing low hopping charges will hold the beer centered on the malt, which is the place it belongs within the Scottish 80 Shilling.
Once more, an in depth interval of chilly conditioning is useful with a Scottish 80 Shilling. Attempt to situation at or round 40°F (4.4°C) for a minimum of two months to permit this beer to mellow and clear itself up.
- Aroma: The Scottish 80 Shilling has a medium maltiness, typically with these notes of toffee and caramel exhibited by the opposite shilling beers.
- Look: They’re pale copper to brown in colour with a low to reasonable off-white creamy head.
- Taste: Medium toasty-bread malt with caramel and toffee overtones completed with a slight dryness from using roasted malts. A variety of caramelized sugar and toasted bread flavors can typically be detected. The cooler fermentation course of offers a clear maltiness to this ale. Hops are barely extra evident than the weaker shilling beers, however nonetheless very reasonable in comparison with most different British beers.
- Mouthfeel: A Scottish 80 Shilling can have a medium physique with a medium-low to reasonable carbonation and have a creamy sensation, however are sometimes fairly dry as a consequence of utilizing roasted barley.
- General Impression: A moderate-strength beer with the identical gentle caramel, toffee, and fruit flavors discovered within the different shilling classes. Once more, it’s solely barely bitter to stop cloying, and a slight roast dryness is balanced with a residual sweetness.
- Components: Scottish or English pale base malt reminiscent of Maris Otter, small quantities of roasted barley for colour and taste, (which additionally lends a dry, barely roasted end). English hops. Clear, comparatively un-attenuative ale yeast. Some industrial brewers add small quantities of crystal, amber, or wheat malts, and adjuncts reminiscent of sugar. The non-compulsory peaty, earthy, and/or smoky character comes from the standard yeast and from the native malt and water somewhat than utilizing smoked malts.
- Very important Statistics: OG: 1.040 – 1.054 FG: 1.010 – 1.016 IBUs: 15 – 30 SRM: 9 – 17 ABV: 3.9 – 5.0%.
- Industrial Examples: Orkney Darkish Island, Caledonian 80/- Export Ale, Belhaven 80/- (Belhaven Scottish Ale within the US), Southampton 80 Shilling, Broughton Exciseman’s 80/-, Belhaven St. Andrews Ale, McEwan’s Export (IPA), Inveralmond Lia Fail, Broughton Merlin’s Ale, Arran Darkish
