Brew your best beer EVER. Start your Free Trial of Brewer's Friend today! Sign Up ×

Strong British Ale - Wee Heavy


Rich, malty, dextrinous, and usually caramel-sweet, these beers can give an impression that is suggestive of a dessert. Complex secondary malt and alcohol flavors prevent a one-dimensional quality. Strength and maltiness can vary, but should not be cloyin

Flavor Profile: Richly malty with significant caramel (particularly in stronger versions). Hints of roasted malt may be present (sometimes perceived as a faint smoke character), as may some nutty character, all of which may last into the finish. Peat smoke is inappropria

Ingredients: Well-modified pale malt, with roasted barley for color. May use some crystal malt for color adjustment. Slight smoke character may be present in some versions, but derives from roasted grains or from the boil. Peated malt is absolutely not traditional.

BJCP Style Guide

Top 10 Wee Heavy Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
Peat Smoked Scotch Ale
2.7 gal 9.77% 36.33 1.096 1.022
All Grain 9122
Vėtra
9.4 L 8.02% 29.22 1.082 1.020
All Grain 6777
La Brettécossaise
9 L 8.79% 82.64 1.082 1.015
All Grain 5122
#60 Wee Heavy
27 L 6.92% 24.38 1.080 1.027
All Grain 4221
Vikings vs Aliens
5 gal 7.91% 25.89 1.080 1.019
All Grain 4169
Wee Heavy
500 L 7.02% 24.6 1.070 1.017
All Grain 4021
Cinnamon Roll Ale
21 L 7.43% 27.25 1.078 1.021
All Grain 3840
Time Lord Tardis Ale
2.7 gal 7.61% 32.17 1.076 1.019
All Grain 3557
Wee Heavy Alvaro cambre
20 L 8.04% 0 1.082 1.020
All Grain 3329
Smoothie
1000 L 7.46% 99.1 1.076 1.019
All Grain 2942

Newest Wee Heavy Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
Wee Heavy
5.5 gal 9.41% 48.08 1.096 1.025
All Grain 32
Atonement Ale
60 L 7.62% 24.33 1.076 1.022
BIAB 61
Wee Heavy
10 L 7.72% 31.11 1.084 1.025
All Grain 77
MoreBeer! Smoked Scotch Ale
5.5 gal 9.2% 29.52 1.089 1.019
extract 135
#XX Old Jock
10.5 L 7.09% 27.71 1.073 1.019
BIAB 78
Barrel Aged Wee Heavy
6 gal 6.85% 26.3 1.075 1.022
All Grain 108
Wee Heavy
2.75 gal 10.25% 38.1 1.104 1.026
All Grain 89
Heavy Week
550 L 7.07% 23.97 1.080 1.026
All Grain 90
Scotch Ale
350 L 6.95% 12.47 1.069 1.016
All Grain 379
Kilt Lifter
5.5 gal 8.22% 44.42 1.078 1.016
All Grain 357

Fermentables Used In Wee Heavy Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale 158 United Kingdom Grain base malt 3.75°L
38 68% 7% - 97%
United Kingdom - Golden Promise 104 United Kingdom Grain base malt 3°L
37 76% 12% - 99%
American - Roasted Barley 85 American Grain roasted malt 300°L
33 2% 0% - 8%
American - Caramel / Crystal 120L 70 American Grain crystal malt 120°L
33 3% 1% - 10%
United Kingdom - Roasted Barley 59 United Kingdom Grain roasted malt 550°L
29 1% 0% - 5%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 56 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 6% 2% - 18%
US - Pale 2-Row 51 US Grain base malt 1.8°L
37 70% 13% - 100%
American - Caramel / Crystal 40L 49 American Grain crystal malt 40°L
34 5% 1% - 23%
Munich - Light 10L 44 Grain specialty malt 10°L
33 7% 1% - 23%
Special B 43 Grain crystal malt 115°L
34 3% 1% - 8%

Hops Used In Wee Heavy Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Average AA Avg. Usage Usage Range
East Kent Goldings 216 5 54% 10% - 100%
Fuggles 105 4.5 48% 11% - 100%
Northern Brewer 32 7.8 61% 12% - 100%
Challenger 27 8.5 50% 16% - 100%
Willamette 25 4.5 48% 2% - 100%
Magnum 25 15 56% 17% - 100%
Kent Goldings 24 5 51% 17% - 100%
Nugget 20 14 76% 13% - 100%
Cascade 12 7 37% 11% - 63%
Centennial 12 10 41% 8% - 75%

Steeping Grains Used In Wee Heavy Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
American - Roasted Barley 6 American Grain roasted malt 300°L
33 16% 3% - 50%
American - Chocolate 5 American Grain roasted malt 350°L
29 13% 3% - 25%
American - Caramel / Crystal 40L 4 American Grain crystal malt 40°L
34 39% 4% - 75%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 4 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 12% 3% - 25%
Special B 4 Grain crystal malt 115°L
34 28% 13% - 38%
American - Caramel / Crystal 120L 3 American Grain crystal malt 120°L
33 6% 1% - 11%
Belgian - Caramel Pils 3 Belgian Grain crystal malt 8°L
34 33% 19% - 50%
Honey Malt 3 Grain crystal malt 25°L
37 17% 2% - 25%
United Kingdom - Chocolate 3 United Kingdom Grain roasted malt 425°L
34 8% 4% - 14%
Thomas Fawcett - Golden Promise Pale Ale Malt 2 GB Grain base malt 2.65°L
36.8 47% 42% - 52%

Yeasts Used In Wee Heavy Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Laboratory Type Alcohol Tolerance Flocculation Attenuation Min. Temp Max. Temp
White Labs - Edinburgh Scottish Ale Yeast WLP028 111 White Labs Ale Med-High Medium 72.5% 65°F 70°F
Wyeast - Scottish Ale 1728 109 Wyeast Ale 0.12 High 71% 55°F 75°F
Fermentis - Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04 56 Fermentis / Safale Ale .0975 High 75% 54°F 77°F
Fermentis - Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05 39 Fermentis / Safale Ales Low Medium 81% 54°F 77°F
Mangrove Jack - Empire Ale M15 22 Mangrove Jack Ale n/a Med-High 72.5% 70°F 75°F
Imperial Yeast - A31 Tartan 21 Imperial Yeast Ale Medium 72.5% 65°F 70°F
Lallemand - LALBREW® NOTTINGHAM HIGH PERFORMANCE ALE YEAST 14 Lallemand Ales Medium High 80% 50°F 72°F
Danstar - Nottingham Ale Yeast 13 Danstar Ale Med-High High 77% 57°F 70°F
Omega Yeast Labs - Scottish Ale OYL-015 8 Omega Yeast Labs British Ales 0.1 Medium 75% 65°F 70°F
Wyeast - Irish Ale 1084 7 Wyeast Ale 0.1 Medium 73% 62°F 72°F

Other Ingredients Used In Wee Heavy Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Type Use Avg. Usage Usage Range
Gypsum 105 Water Agt Mash 18% 0% - 100%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 64 Water Agt Other 16% 0% - 77%
Epsom Salt 55 Water Agt Mash 8% 0% - 67%
Lactic acid 47 Water Agt Mash 81% 10% - 100%
Irish Moss 39 Fining Boil 57% 0% - 100%
Whirlfloc 38 Fining Boil 64% 0% - 100%
Baking Soda 36 Water Agt Mash 7% 0% - 48%
Chalk 32 Water Agt Mash 13% 0% - 52%
Calcium Chloride (anhydrous) 26 Water Agt Mash 14% 0% - 56%
Yeast Nutrient 23 Other Boil 35% 0% - 100%

Photos