Author: Harry Kirkham

Gordon Nicol took home a gold as part of a Scottish Craft Brewers clean sweep of the Strong Belgian and Monastic Ales table at the 2023 Scottish Nationals. His Saison went onto to get an Honourable Mention at the Best of Show. He’s kindly shared his recipe below.

The Saison

25B Saison

Grist

• 71% Lager Malt
• 18% Wheat Malt
• 11% Rye Malt

Hops

• 60min: Hallertau Hersbrucker to 18.4 IBU
• 10min: Hallertau Hersbruker to 5.9 IBU
• 5min: Motueka to 5.7 IBU
• 5min: Hallertau Black to 4.5 IBU

Yeast

• Bootleg Biology Saison Parfait

James Muir scored Bronze on the American Hazy and Speciality IPA table at the 2023 Scottish Nationals with his Hazy IPA. He’s kindly shared the recipe below.

7 Going on 70

21C Hazy IPA

• ABV 6.9%
• OG 1.068
• FG 1.015
• IBU 9
• Mash 67C

Grist

• 57% Simpsons Golden Promise
• 15% Flaked Oats
• 7% Flaked Wheat
• 7% Simpsons Golden Naked Oats
• 6% Dextrose
• 4% Rice Hulls
• 4% Crips Flaked Torrified Maize

Hops

• 60min: Magnum to 9 IBU
• 20min: Simcoe to 5 IBU
• 10min: Simcoe to 3 IBU
• Whirlpool: 3.8g/L Citra, 2.8g/L Nelson Sauvin and 1.4g/L Mosaic at 75C for 20 minutes
• Dry Hop: 3 Days with 8.5g/L Citra, 6.7g/L Nelson Sauvin and 3.3g/L Mosaic

Yeast

• Imperial A38 Juice

Water

• Ca 100
• Mg 0
• Na 50
• Cl 230
• SO 14
• HCO 0

Method

• Mash for 60 minutes at 67C
• Sparge at 76C
• Ferment at 19C
• At c.10 points to FG raise to 22C for diacetyl rest
• Drop to 15C for Dry Hop

Sam Thakker-Jones from Homebrew Collab (Bristol) took first place on the American Hazy and Speciality IPA table at the 2023 Scottish Nationals with his Hazy IPA. He’s kindly shared the recipe below.

Virtual Aerobics

21C Hazy IPA

• ABV 6.2%
• OG 1.066
• FG 1.019
• IBU 18.5
• Mash 65C

Grist

• 83% Bohemian Floor Malter Pilsner
• 13% Malted Oats
• 3% Malted Wheat
• 1% Spelt

Hops

• 90min: Simcoe to 10.5 IBU
• 20min: Simcoe to 5 IBU
• 10min: Simcoe to 3 IBU
• Whirlpool: 3.4g/L Simcoe at 85C for 10 minutes
• Dry Hop: 3 Days with 10.5g/L Citra, 4.2g/L Motueka and 1g/L Simcoe

Other

• Flameout: Sea Salt

Yeast

• Wyeast 1318 London Ale III

Method

• Use a soft water profile; 2.5:1 chloride to sulphate ratio
• Mash for 75 minutes at 65C
• Boil for 90 minutes
• Addition of sea salt at the end of the boil will boost mouthfeel.
• Dry hop once fermentation is complete at 15C for 24 hours before cold crashing.
• Due to large dry hop, bottle conditioning should be avoided to prevent oxygen ingress.

Martin Taylor and co-brewer Charlie Griffiths scored a Bronze on the American IPA table at the 2023 Scottish National Homebrew Competition. They’ve kindly shared their recipe below.

Simcoe Simpatico

21A American IPA

• ABV 5.25%
• OG 1.050
• FG 1.1010
• IBU 55
• Mash 66C

Grist

• 93% Golden Promise
• 7% Simpsons Crystal T50

Hops

• 60min: Magnum to 55IBU
• Whirlpool: 2.6g/L Simcoe at 80C for 30 minutes
• Dry Hop: 2.6g/L Simcoe for 3 Days

Yeast

• Mangrove Jacks M12 Kveik

Method

• Mash for 60 minutes at 66C

Kieren Huddy took home a Gold for his American Porter on the American Amber, Brown, Porter and Stout table at the 2023 Scottish National Homebrew Competition. He’s kindly shared the recipe below.

Chinook Porter

20A American Porter

• OG 1.065
• IBU 80
• Mash 66C

Grist

• 74% Pale Ale Malt
• 8% Wheat Malt
• 6% Chocolate Malt
• 6% Special B
• 6% Carapils

Hops

• 60min: Chinook to 62 IBU
• 5min: Chinook to 18 IBU
• Flameout: 2.8g/L Chinook
• Dry Hop: 3.7g/L Chinook for 3 Days

Yeast

• Crossmyloof Clipper

Method

• Mash for 120 minutes at 66C

James Pettifor from Anglian Craft Brewers took an Honourable Mention on the Old Ales and Barleywine table for his American Barleywine. He’s kindly shared his recipe with a reiterated mash below:

Conestoga

22A American Barleywine

• ABV 8.4%
• OG 1.084
• FG 1.020
• IBU 172
• Mash 66C

First Mash Grist

• 91% Muntons Craft Pale
• 5% Crisp Crystal 150
• 2% Crisp Amber
• 2% Crisp Naked Oat Malt

Reiterated Mash Grist

• 77% Muntons Craft Pale
• 4% Crisp Crystal 150
• 2% Crisp Amber
• 2% Crisp Naked Oat Malt
• 15% Invert Sugar No.1 (Late Addition)

Hops

• First Wort: Nugget to 107 IBU
• 10min: Amarillo to 23 IBU
• 5min: Chinook to 24 IBU
• Whirlpool: 2.2g/L Amarillo @77C for 30 minutes
• Whirlpool: 2.2g/L Chinook @77C for 30 minutes

Yeast

• White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Water

• Ca 175
• Mg 7
• Na 31
• Cl 187
• SO 188
• HCO 50

Method

• First mash at 65C for 60 minutes
• Mash out at 75C for 10 minutes
• Use wort from first mash as strike water for reiterated mash
• Reiterated mash at 66C for 75 minutes
• Mash out at 75C for 10 minutes
• Ferment at 20C

Keith Bailey from Norwich Amateur Brewers took Bronze on the British and Irish Porter and Stout table with his English Porter featuring home grown hops. He’s kindly shared the recipe below.

1909 Porter

13C English Porter

• ABV 4.9%
• OG 1.050
• FG 1.013
• IBU 34
• Mash 64C

Grist

• 63.5% Maris Otter
• 24% Munich II
• 4.2% Brown Malt
• 4.2% Chocolate Malt
• 4.2% Dark Crystal Malt 250 EBC

Hops

• 60min: Hallertau Zuchstamm to 26 IBU
• 15min: Cobb Goldings (Homegrown) to 6 IBU
• 5min: Cobb Goldings (Homegrown) to 2 IBU

Yeast

• Crossmyloof Pia

Method

• Strike at 71.5C
• Mash at 64C for 45 minutes
• Mash Out at 72C for 30 minutes
• Ferment at 20C

Russell Sim from Aberdeen Homebrew Club took Silver on the British and Irish Porter and Stout table at the 2023 Scottish Nationals with his English Porter. He’s kindly shared the recipe below.

Imitation of Life

13C English Porter

• ABV 5%
• OG 1.050
• FG 1.012
• IBU 25.2
• Mash 70C

Grist

• 78% Extra Pale Maris Otter
• 10% Light Crystal
• 7% Brown Malt
• 3% Chocolate Malt
• 2% Low Colour Chocolate Malt

Hops

• 60min: Fuggles to 22.2 IBU
• 10min: Fuggles to 3 IBU

Yeast

• Lallemand Windsor Ale Yeast

Method

• Mash at 70C
• Mash out at 77C
• Ferment at 19C

Steven Thompson took Silver on the Pale Commonwealth Beer table at the 2023 Scottish Nationals with his English IPA. He’s kindly shared the recipe below.

Radical Jack IPA

12C English IPA

• ABV 5.4%
• OG 1.056
• FG 1.015
• IBU 37
• Mash 65C

Grist

• 74% Floor Malted Maris Otter
• 16% Crisp Finest Maris Otter
• 7% Bestmalz Carahell
• 3% Caramunich

Hops

• 30min: Harlequin to 14 IBU and Jester to 11.5 IBU
• 15min: Jester to 4.5 IBU and Olicana to 7 IBU
• Whirlpool 30 minutes at 75C: 1g/l each of Harlequin, Jester and Olicana
• Dry Hop 4 Days: 1.3g/l each of Harlequin and Olicana

Yeast

• Wyeast 1318 – London Ale III

Water

• Ca 110
• Mg 18
• Na 16
• Cl 50
• SO 275
• HCO 33

Method

• Mash for 60 minutes at 65C
• Mash out for 10 minutes at 75C
• Boil for 30 minutes
• Add protofloc and yeast nutrient with 15 mins remaining in the boil.

David Mutch scored his second Gold of the competition on the Pale Commonwealth Beer table at the 2023 Scottish Nationals. Co-brewer Rhona Henderson suggested he brew an aromatic Golden Ale and “helped stir the mash”. He’s kindly shared the recipe below.

Beginner’s Luck

12A British Golden Ale

• ABV 5.6%
• OG 1.056
• FG 1.013
• IBU 57
• Mash 65C

Grist

• 58% Simpsons Golden Promise Malt
• 14% Simpsons Golden Promise Malt; Home Roasted
• 7% Simpsons Munich Malt
• 7% Simpsons Wheat Malt
• 7% Simpsons Caramalt
• 7% Flaked Maize

Hops

• 60min: Northdown to 30 IBU
• 15min: Phoenix to 17 IBU
• 5min: Azacca to 10 IBU
• 0min: 0.75g/l Northdown and 0.65g/l Azacca

Yeast

• Wyeast 1469 – Yorkshire Ale

Method

• Strike at 73C to hit a mash temp of 65C.
• Mash for 60 minutes
• Mash out at 73C for 10 minutes.
• Add protofloc and yeast nutrient with 10 mins remaining in the boil.
• David adds Clarityferm to the fermenter to help with his gluten intolerance.