14B - Scottish Heavy

ABV: 3.3-3.9%
OG/FG: 1.035-1.04/1.01-1.015
SRM: 12-20
IBU: 10-20

Overall Impression

A lower-alcohol, maltybeer with lightcaramel, toast, toffee, and fruity flavors. A slight roast dryness offsets the residual sweetness in the finish, with the bitterness perceived only to keep the beer from being cloying.

Appearance

Pale copper to brown. Clear. Low to moderate, creamy off-white.

Aroma

Medium-low to medium maltiness with caramel and toffee notes, and light toasty and sugary qualities that might be reminiscent of toasted breadcrumbs, ladyfingers, English biscuits, graham crackers, or butterscotch. Light pome fruitiness and light English hop aroma (earthy, floral, orange-citrus, spicy, etc.) allowable.

Flavor

Medium toasty-bready malt with caramel and toffee overtones, finishing with a slightly roasty dryness. A wide range of caramelized sugar and toasted bread type of flavors are possible, using similar descriptors as the aroma. Clean maltiness and fermentation profile. Light esters and hop flavor allowable (similar descriptors as aroma). Sufficient bitterness to not be cloying, but with a malty balance and aftertaste.

Mouthfeel

Medium-low to medium body. Low to moderate carbonation. Maybe be moderately creamy.

Style Comparison

See category introduction. Similar to other Scottish Ales in flavor profile, lighter in color and stronger than a Scottish Light. Similar in strength to Ordinary Bitter, but with a different flavor profile and balance.

Ingredients

At its simplest, pale ale malt and colored malt, but can also use sugars, corn, wheat, crystal malts, colorants, and a variety of other grains. Clean yeast. Soft water. No peat-smoked malt.

History

See category introduction. The Shilling ale names were used for mild (unaged) beer before World War I, but the styles took modern form only after World War II.

Comments

See category introduction for detailed comments. May not seem as bitter as specifications indicate due to higher finishing gravity and residual sweetness.Do not mis-perceive the light roasty dryness as smoke; smoke is not present in these beers.

Commercial Examples

McEwan’s 70/-, Orkney Raven Ale