Scottish Ale

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I usually leave mine in primary for 2-3 weeks then rack straight to the keg, no secondary for me, unless I'm adding oak or fruit or something crazy. never made a Scottish ale but that looks tasty jswordy!!
 
I usually leave mine in primary for 2-3 weeks then rack straight to the keg, no secondary for me, unless I'm adding oak or fruit or something crazy. never made a Scottish ale but that looks tasty jswordy!!

Yeah, there's a disagreement about all that. Everyone I know "in person" says to do a secondary before bottling, including my professional brewer friend. They all do it, and the instructions in the kits I have had so far also say it is preferred. The Midwest brewing instructional video says always use a secondary for clearer beer.

I'm new to all this, but my first batch turned out clear as could be after secondary, and I have never been served anything but crystal clear beer by my friends who are advising me... so that's how I'm doing it.

Your keg is serving as a secondary, in a way. I don't keg beer, I bottle it.
 
Yeah, there's a disagreement about all that. Everyone I know "in person" says to do a secondary before bottling, including my professional brewer friend. They all do it, and the instructions in the kits I have had so far also say it is preferred. The Midwest brewing instructional video says always use a secondary for clearer beer.

I'm new to all this, but my first batch turned out clear as could be after secondary, and I have never been served anything but crystal clear beer by my friends who are advising me... so that's how I'm doing it.

Your keg is serving as a secondary, in a way. I don't keg beer, I bottle it.

I did a secondary quite by mistake.
I racked from primary to a carboy with the intent of bottling a day or 2 later.
When I went to bottle I noticed there was some sediment as I had sucked up some goop from primary.
I racked again and bottled.
I still ended up with some sediment in mybottles but that is because I did not use any whirfloc or moss (I will be this time).
But then again I am using a AIO to rack, which some extra long hoses, so racking is not that much of an issue.
I have already approached SWMBO about a kegging system. She thinks I should get a few more boils under my belt, and for the kids to be out of school & the cars paid off, & the mortgage paid off, & my student loans to be....you get the hint!
:se
 
I'm done buying equipment. I have enough. No need for more toys when I can git-r-dun now.
 
Things are clearing up nicely... top half is cleared... Mmmmm...



Is that the primary?
I am considering doing primary in a carboy, but I am so used to using a bucket.
Not to mention it is way easier to take an sg just by opening the lid and dropping the hyrdrometer in.
 
Is that the primary?

That is the secondary. I would not recommend primary in a carboy, though I know people who do it. Cleanup can be a mess with certain beers.

Forgot to mention, I got the Scottish ale kit delivered from Northern Brewer yesterday. Totally different approach to the same style beer! This will be interesting to taste test.
 
Interestingly, Mr Beer recommends not to rack into a secondary (but then they don't make 2 gallon carboys) and to allow beer to age 4 weeks and not 2 or 3 in the primary. This seems counter intuitive as the amount of time a customer ages their beer in their kegs is the amount of time their customers are not likely to be making (read buying) a refill or a recipe... If 4 weeks is considered better for most beers - even lower gravity brews when made with LME (or DME) - then I wonder if the 4 weeks with all grain will take that up a notch....
 
The time a beer needs in primary and/or secondary is affected by numerous things, however, source of fermentables is not one of them. Extract, (liquid or dry), started out as the same grain that I use to brew my beers. It's just someone else did the time consuming part, and presented the fermentable sugar in a nice, easy, ready to use package.

I don't use a secondary. I also don't worry about when my beers are done. I'll rack them from primary straight into my bottling bucket or keg. When I get around to it. That's usually in the 3-6 week range. With careful racking, you can have beer as clear as you want it. But remember, when you're bottling, you're creating new fermentation in the bottle, so you'll have some sediment in the bottle anyway. Allowing a beer 3-4 weeks in the bottle will also go a long way towards providing clearer beer. Having several days to a week in the fridge before drinking will also help yeast settle out.

Using a secondary is most beneficial for those who aren't careful with racking, or with extended bulk aging. If you can rack your beer without sucking up the yeast cake, and are not aging your beer for several months, you don't need the secondary.

Just because you can have a beer go from grain to glass in three weeks, doesn't mean you should. A good rule of thumb would be to expect normal strength beers, (4-7%), to sit in a fermenter, (primary or secondary, completely up to you), for 3-4 weeks, and be in a bottle at at least 70 degrees for two more weeks.
 
Interestingly, Mr Beer recommends not to rack into a secondary (but then they don't make 2 gallon carboys) and to allow beer to age 4 weeks and not 2 or 3 in the primary. This seems counter intuitive as the amount of time a customer ages their beer in their kegs is the amount of time their customers are not likely to be making (read buying) a refill or a recipe... If 4 weeks is considered better for most beers - even lower gravity brews when made with LME (or DME) - then I wonder if the 4 weeks with all grain will take that up a notch....

I think part of the Mr. Beer logic is that you are using their proprietary system. I had some similar instructions from Coopers about brewing their beer, which involved using their proprietary brewing system. I am using my winemaking stuff, so I am adapting.

Using my current kit as an example: It is a 6 week (42-day) kit. They are allowing one week for primary fermentation, two weeks in secondary, and three weeks bottle carb.

But I'm a winemaker. My beer finished in 2 days and went to secondary (my brewing friends say it is not unusual for beer to finish in 3 days here). Two weeks in secondary (if it takes that long) will mean 16 days total. Then 2 or 3 weeks to bottle carb. That's just 30 days on the short end and 37 max. Then the sitting around part, which basically for me is gonna be how long will it last with me poaching beers off it.

As far as using a secondary or not, I'm going to follow the instructions of my longtime brewing friends, one of whom is the head brewer/co-owner at a craft brewery. Keith has been brewing for over 20 years, having started out with just the kind of equipment I am using. He now produces thousands of gallons a month. I'll go with that.
 
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Got to take a trip to Illinois this weekend, so the ale will rest in secondary a bit longer than I'd ideally like. Cap is up in the bubbler, so no worries. Hope to prime and bottle the next weekend. That's good, as I am out of beer right now. Oh yeah, my friend Keith breaks ground this week or next on a brand new brewery. So the hobby can grow quite a bit!
 
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My 2nd batch was an extract "ale", I may bottle this weekend after 2 weeks of primary simply because the next 4 weekends are booked.

I already looking for a recipe for my next batch. I am thinking of going partial grain and trying some dry hopping.
I have a recipe for a Sculpin clone, but it will cost me near $70 for the boil. but considering a 6 pack is $14, I guess the cost is worth it.
 
Aye laddies, the ice storm cancelled my trip to Illinois, so here's 55 bottles of Scottish ale and a wee bit of flat beer left in a wineglass for the brewmaster for his troubles after bottlin'! She should be ready for springtime porch sippin' in 3 weeks, and since it's 65 here now, none too soon.



 
Pulled a green bottle last night for inspection in a light. This stuff is clear as a bell! And I am THIRSTY! Come on, March 23! At least I'll get a carb test bottle out of that! :dg
 


Carb test in a freezer-frosted glass last night, 12 days in. Needs to go the full 21. The brew is clear as a bell with no adjuncts used. This beer turned out lighter in taste than I thought it would, probably due to a couple of practices with a full 5-gallon boil that the brewer needs to refine. I'll work on that. I also know I need more hops than the 1 ounce total provided in the kit. 2 ounces total would be about right. Still, adding in the price of 2 ounces of hops on top of this all-inclusive kit ($27 with yeast and even the caps and bag!) and free shipping over $50 total, I just can't go wrong.
 
We are now right at 3 weeks bottle carb, and I am drinking this. I have my bottles in my 1960s Cornelius Coke cooler now (best $25 I ever spent an an auction). The beer has improved a lot in 3 weeks in the bottle. Probably my last 6-pack will really taste excellent. ;)
 
Had my first Scottish ale last weekend while brewing. Not bad, heavy and malty.
A nice break from all the hops!
ImageUploadedByWine Making1428149333.073600.jpg
 
Ah yes, Belhaven. My second favorite SA. I don't much like the wee heavy SAs. 80 shilling is my preference. I'm not that big a hophead, I like the malt to come through unless it is a pilsner or lager. And I'm not equipped to make those.

The malty ales are great with cherry or oak aging.

Talked to a friend in Michigan who has made a hefeweizen ale. Sounds lovely. Might have to look into that one sometime.
 

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