Belhaven St. Andrews Ale Clone

Belhaven St. Andrews Ale Clone
36 IBU
4.6% ABV
A few rare renditions may be as pale as 10 SRM, but most have a color rating of approximately 12.5–17 SRM.

The bittering hop in Scottish ales is usually a Goldings variety, while the aroma hops is usually Fuggles or a combination of Goldings and Fuggles. Typical IBU values range between 29 and 35. Scottish ales are rarely dry-hopped, though the exported Belhaven St. Andrews Ale (36 IBU) is.

• Boil the bittering hops for no more than 45 minutes to minimize the amount of astringency leached into the brew and thus enhance the brew’s smoothness.

• Use flavor hops sparingly. The finish of a Scottish ale relies more on clean maltiness than hop aromatics to make an impression.

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• Because we are fermenting Scottish ale at the bottom of the yeast’s working range, fermentation tends to start more slowly than normal and yeast reproduction is slightly impeded. To compensate, pitch twice as much yeast as you would for a “normal” ale. Therefore, the recipe calls for two packages of yeast.

• Because high gravities are an additional impediment to yeast getting started, add the brewing sugar not to the kettle but to the fermenter after fermentation is already securely
progressing.

• Lager and condition Scottish ales, similar to altbiers, at a temperature below 50 °F (10 °C) for a few weeks, and serve them at about 55 °F (13 °F).