Sir Walter Scotch Ale

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.100 FG = 1.015 IBU = 10 SRM = 28–30 ABV = 11–12%
My brother went to Scotland for a year. I brewed this Scotch ale the day he left and conditioned it for the year he was gone.

Ingredients

18 lbs. (8.2 kg) Crisp pale malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) crystal malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) chocolate malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) biscuit malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) caramel malt
8.5 AAU Brewers Gold hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
Heather, juniper or elderberry (10 min.)
White Labs WLP028 (Edinburough Ale) or Wyeast 1728 (Scottish Ale) yeast

Step by Step

Mash at 153 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Total boil time is 90 minutes. Add the hops at 60 minutes. Add heather, juniper, or elderberry in the last 10 minutes. I often add various aromatic herbs or hops at the “whirl” or chilling point (either/or with the herbs in the last 10 minutes of the boil) and let them steep as the wort cools down and the trub settles out. Chill to 70 °F (21 °C), pitch the yeast and ferment at 55–75 °F (13–24 °C). After primary fermentation is complete, rack to conditioning vessel. Leave in a cool dark place for as long as you can stand it. Bottle/carbonate and enjoy with friends.

Extract option: Omit pale malt. Steep grains in 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water at 153 °F (67 °C) for 45 minutes. Add water to make 3 gallons (11 L). Stir in 4.25 lbs. (1.9 kg) light dried malt extract and bring to a boil. Boil 60 minutes, adding hops and spices at times indicated. Stir in 6.6 lbs (3.0 kg) Muntons Light liquid malt extract for the final 15 minutes. Ferment at 55–75 °F (13–24 °C).