Scottish Ale
A malt-focused, lightly hopped ale with a rounded caramel character, from the cool brewing tradition of Scotland.
About the Scottish Ale style
Scottish ales are traditionally malt-forward and only lightly hopped, in part because hops did not grow in Scotland's climate and had to be imported. They were historically graded by the shilling, as 60, 70 and 80 shilling ales.
Fermented cooler than English ales, they finish cleaner and maltier, with a rounded caramel character and only a whisper of hop. They are comforting, sessionable beers built around malt.
Grain, hops and yeast
Malt and grain: Pale malt with crystal malt for a soft, caramel, lightly toasty malt backbone.
Hop character: Low hopping; the beer is defined by malt, not hops.
Yeast and fermentation: A Scottish ale yeast fermented cool, giving a clean, malty, slightly sweet profile with low ester.
A typical Scottish Ale runs 3.2 to 5% alcohol by volume, with a bitterness of about 10 to 20 IBU and a colour of 13 to 22 SRM. It is traditionally served in a nonic pint or thistle glass. These figures describe the usual range for the style; a given example may sit a little outside them.
Serving and carbonation
Serve a Scottish ale cool, around 10 to 13 degrees Celsius, with a soft, low carbonation, ideally from cask or a nitrogen-blend pour to match its gentle, malty character. It is a beer to sip slowly for its caramel malt.
Fermentation in brief
A Scottish ale yeast fermented cool, in the low to mid teens Celsius, gives the clean, malty, slightly sweet profile with restrained esters. The cooler ferment and a medium finish keep the caramel malt rounded and the beer comforting rather than dry.
Classic examples
Well-known commercial examples of the style include Belhaven Scottish Ale, Caledonian 80/- and Orkney Dark Island. Tasting a benchmark example is the best way to understand what a style should be before brewing your own.
| Vital statistic | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Origin | Scotland |
| Strength (ABV) | 3.2 to 5% |
| Bitterness (IBU) | 10 to 20 |
| Colour (SRM) | 13 to 22 |
| Traditional glass | Nonic pint or thistle glass |
Typical published ranges. Individual examples vary.
Set up your Scottish Ale on tap
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Sources: BJCP Beer Style Guidelines