Wee Bit O Coal – Wee Heavy
Gordon Nicol’s Wee Heavy took gold in the Scottish category at the 2020 Competition, going on to come second in Best In Show. He’s kindly shared his recipe below.
23L Batch
OG 1.078
FG 1.018
IBU 30
7.91% ABV
Fermentables
85.4% Pale Two Row
3.7% Melanoidin
3.7% Aromatic
3.7% Pale Chocolate
3.7% Dark Crystal 80L
Hops
80g Fuggles (4.5% AA) @60min
Yeast
Nottingham Ale Yeast
Method
Mash at 65C for 75 minutes
Boil time 60 minutes
English IPA – EIPA
Harry Kirkham’s English IPA took gold in the English category at the 2020 Competition, going on to win Best In Show. He’s kindly shared his recipe below.
19L Batch
OG 1.059
FG 1.015
IBU 60
5.75% ABV
Fermentables
45% Simpsons Golden Promise Finest Pale Ale Malt
44.5% Simpsons Best Pale Ale Malt
3.5% Simpsons Caramalt
3.5% Simpsons Light Crystal Malt
3.5% Simpsons Dextrin Malt
Hops
25g Challenger (8.5% AA) @60min
25g Bramling Cross (6.5% AA) @15 min
25g Challenger (8.5% AA) 30 min Whirlpool@ 75C
50g Bramling Cross (6.5% AA) 30 min Whirlpool@ 75C
30g First Gold (7.5% AA) 30 min Whirlpool@ 75C
35g Challenger (8.5% AA) Dry Hop 5 Days
25g Bramling Cross (6.5% AA) Dry Hop 5 Days
20g First Gold (7.5% AA) Dry Hop 5 Days
Target Water Profile
Ca Mg Na Cl SO HCO
75 5 10 50 150 0
Yeast
Omega OYL-016 British Ale VIII Yeast
Method
Mash at 67C for 60 minutes
Boil time 60 minutes
Fermented for 14 days @ 19C
American Porter – Mountaineer Porter
Paul Willis’ American Porter took gold in the Dark Beer category at the 2020 Competition. He’s kindly shared his recipe below.
23L Batch
OG 1.058
FG 1.022
IBU 38
4.8% ABV
Fermentables
88% Maris Otter (6 EBC)
5% Carared (45 EBC)
4.5% Black Malt (1300 EBC)
2.5% Chocolate Malt (1000 EBC)
Hops
20g Aurora (8.3% AAU) @60min
20g Aurora (8.3% AAU) @30 min
20g Aurora (8.3% AAU) @15 min
40g Aurora (8.3% AAU) @Whirlpool
Yeast
SafAle s-04
Method
Mash at 68 degrees C for 60 minutes
Boil time 60 minutes
Add Whirlfloc @ 15 min
Fermented for 7-10 days
Main Judging – Bellfield Brewery Taproom
The results are in!
We had 35 entries in 6 categories from across Scotland and beyond, and the judges tasted some fantastic beers over the weekend. Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to all the winners!
Thanks also goes to the Bellfield Brewery Taproom in Abbeyhill for hosting the main judging, the Campervan Brewery Taproom for hosting the People’s Choice and Prizegiving event, and all the judges who helped out over the weekend.
Finally, a special thanks to SCB President James Collin for once again organising a great competition.
Individual scores for your entries can be viewed online at the competition site, and judges comments are now available. Contact Competition@scottishcraftbrewers.com if you have any queries.
Harry Kirkham – Best In Show
BEST IN SHOW
Best in Show is judged between the first placed entries from categories 1-5
1st: Harry Kirkham, Scottish Craft Brewers, EIPA (12C English IPA)
2nd: Gordon Nicol, Scottish Craft Brewers, Wee Bit O’ Coal (17C Wee Heavy)
3rd: Mark Sanderson, London Amateur Brewers, One Be, Or Not One Be (2A International Pale Lager)
1. English
12C English IPA
1st: Harry Kirkham, EIPA (Scottish Craft Brewers)
2nd: Paul Willis, Opus IPA
3rd: Tom Gardner, IPA (Scottish Craft Brewers)
2. American
18B American Pale Ale
1st: Mark Watson, Number 1 APA (Scottish Craft Brewers)
2nd: Ian Cosier, Freshly Squeezed (London Amateur Brewers)
3rd: John Livingstone, American Pale Ale ( Scottish Craft Brewers )
Honourable Mention: Callum Bracher, Hoppily Ever Aftert
3. Scottish
17C Wee Heavy
1st: Gordon Nicol, Wee Bit O Coal (Scottish Craft Brewers)
2nd: Malcolm Cruickshank, Wee Heavy (Scottish Craft Brewers) 3
4. Dark
20A American Porter
1st: Paul Willis, Mountaineer Porter
2nd: Gordon Nicol, Muddy Creek Porter (Scottish Craft Brewers)
3rd: John Livingstone, American Porter (Scottish Craft Brewers)
5. European
2A International Pale Lager
1st: Mark Sanderson, One Be, Or Not One Be (London Amateur Brewers)
2nd: Gordon Nicol, Lager 02 (Scottish Craft Brewers)
3rd: Thomas Corry, Ks15 – Lager
People’s Choice Judging – Campervan Brewery Taproom
6. People’s Choice
22A Double IPA
1st: Bryan Spence, Bens Fumin V1
2nd: Stuart Betts, Co-Brewer: Jamie Skitt, Big Beard DIPA (Black Country Brew Club)
3rd: Harry Kirkham, Dua DIPA (Scottish Craft Brewers)
Registration is now live for the annual Scottish Craft Brewers Competition, taking place over the weekend of 25th-26th January 2020.
https://www.scottishcraftbrewers.org/Competition/
This year we have six categories, with the People’s Choice having been chosen by public vote on our Facebook Group.
1. English
12C English IPA
2. American
18B American Pale Ale
3. Scottish
17C Wee Heavy
4. Dark
20A American Porter
5. Continental
2A International Pale Lager
6. People’s Choice
22A Double IPA
Style guidelines can be found here:
https://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf
Categories 1 – 5 will be judged by the panel on the Saturday. The winning entries in each of these categories will go forward to the final judging for the Best in Show award.
People’s Choice entries are judged at an open judging session on Sunday, followed by the prize giving ceremony. All are welcome to attend and join in with the judging. Venues and times for the Sunday session will be confirmed soon!
Please register you account and entries early so we have an idea of numbers, and good luck!
Any queries please use the contact forms on the Competition Website. Good luck!
Gordon King’s 80/- “Wee Dancer” took first place in the Scottish Category at the 2019 Competition. He’s shared his recipe below.
80/- Wee Dancer
4.8%
OG 1.049
FG 1.012
23.15 IBU
Fermentables
89.7% Crisp Clear Choice Ale Malt
4.9% Crisp Light Crystal
3.9% Crisp Dark Crystal
1.6% Carafa Special III
Hops
23.15 IBU East Kent Goldings @70 mins
Yeast
Crossmyloof Real Ale Yeast
Method
Single infusion mash at 66C for 60 mins
Boil for 70 mins
Ferment at 18C
Carbonated to 2 volumes
Harry Kirkham’s Catharina Sour with Pink Guava was the winner of the 2019 People’s Choice. The recipe is below.
Pink Guava Catharina Sour
6.00%
OG 1.052 (before fruit addition)
FG 1.008
IBU 0
Fermentables
50% Simpsons Pilsner Malt
50% Simpsons Wheat Malt
2kg Pink Guava Puree (in Fermenter)
Hops
20g Magnum Dry Hop 7 Days
Boil Additions
0.5 Protofloc Tablets @10mins
Yeast
White Labs WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast
6no. Swansons L.Plantarum Tablets, crushed and added to warm water.
Water Profile
Ca 65, Mg 8, Na 50, CL 96, SO4 15
Method
This is a fermenter soured beer. Other souring methods should work too!
Mash at 67C for 90 mins
Boil for 60 mins. Do NOT add any hops to the wort
Co-pitch the Yeast and L.Plantarum tablets into the fermenter.
Ferment at 20C
Monitor the pH until it reaches circa 4.00 or your preferred level of sourness. This should take around 7-10 days – you can add more tablets or up the temperature by a few degrees if it seems to have stalled.
Once the desired pH is reached, dry hop to kill off the L.Plantarum and stop further souring. Add the fruit puree to the fermenter.
Allow the fruit puree to ferment out, c.5 days, and package to 3.0 vol.
Tom Gardner’s Ordinary Bitter took first place in the English Category at the 2019 Competition. He’s shared his recipe below.
Ordinary Bitter
3.5%
OG 1.040
FG 1.013
30.2 IBU
Fermentables
91% Maris Otter Pale Malt
6% Medium Crystal Malt (118 EBC)
3% Amber Malt (43 EBC)
Hops
10.9IBU Fuggles @60 mins
13.6IBU East Kent Goldings @60 mins
5.3IBU East Kent Goldings @20 mins
0.4IBU East Kent Goldings @0 mins
Yeast
White Labs WLP002 English Ale
Method
Mash at 67C for 90 mins
Boil for 60 mins
Ferment at 18C
Jordan Sadler’s American IPA with six hop varieties took first place in the American category, going on to secure third place in Best in Show. He’s shared his recipe below.
American IPA – Rebel Rebel
6.69%
OG 1.065
FG 1.014
IBU 49.3
Fermentables
76% Pale Malt
17% Vienna Malt
7% Carared
Hops
For a 10L Batch
1.33g each of Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Chinook, Warrior and Simcoe @75mins
1.33g each of Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Chinook, Warrior and Simcoe @45mins
1.33g each of Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Chinook, Warrior and Simcoe @15mins
1.33g each of Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Chinook, Warrior and Simcoe @5mins
1.33g each of Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Chinook, Warrior and Simcoe @0mins
13.35g each of Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Chinook, Warrior and Simcoe – Dry Hop for 5 days
Yeast
Fermentis Safale US-05
Boil Additions
For a 10L Batch
3g Fermax Yeast Nutrient @10mins
0.4g Irish Moss @10mins
Water Profile
Ca 76mg/l, Mg 10 mg/l, Na 27mg/l, Cl 52mg/l, SO4 144mg/l
Method
Mash at 65C for 60 minutes
Mash out at 77C for 10 minutes
Boil for 75 minutes
Ferment at 17C
