Last Updated on April 1, 2022 by cwl
Brew ingredients from More Beer Scottish Export 80 Extract Kit
Brew Date: February 22, 2022
Original Gravity: 1.051
Fermentation Temperature: 65 F to 68 F
Fermentation Time: 16 days
Final Gravity: 1.0106
ABV: 4.6%
Bottle Conditioning Time: 2 weeks
Notes:
I tried doing a full 5 gallon boil this time. Previously I boil 4 gallons and then top off the fermentation tank with cold water. Not ideal. But a 5 gallon boil takes a long time to cool down to yeast pitching temperature (around 70 F). I got impatient and pitched the yeast at around 80 F, which is not a really good idea for Scottish style ales. Fermentation started after about 4 hours, and continued for the next three days, so that’s good. Time will tell. Ultimately, I will have to figure the trade-offs between a full boil versus a long wort cool time. (The obvious solution is a wort chiller, but that uses up a boatload of precious Colorado aquifer water, so it’s not really a good environmental decision.)
Bottling was completed on March 9. Yield was 23 bottles (22 ounces). I used 4 ounces of corn sugar to induce carbonation in the bottle. I’m hoping that was not too much, since I’m trying for a carbonization level comparable to a CAMRA cask conditioned ale. The color was a bit lighter that expected, taste was good, with the malt flavor coming through and just a hint of hop flavor. Two weeks of conditioning in the bottle, and then it will be time for a taste test.
Historical Note: Family history on my mother’s side says that our ancestors were originally part of the Scottish Kerr Clan. The legend says that one of our ancestors saved the life of a nobleman’s son in some kind of hunting incident. When asked to name his reward, our hero requested his own clan designation, and the Kermath Clan was born. I can find no historical documentation to validate this tale, but it’s pretty cool nonetheless.