jescholler
Well-Known Member
I entered a Scottish 70/- in a competition a couple of weeks ago. I knew it was off and wanted to enter it to see if I could get any tips. It scored so low, I'm not even willing to admit the score. The main feedback, which is consistent with my thoughts was that it was thin and watery and lacked flavor. One of the judges recommended that I increase my base malt, but to some extent I'm limited by the style. Please take a look at my recipe and process and let me know what you think went wrong. Before you ask, I'm 99.9% certain of the following:
-Hydrometer was correct
-Thermometer was correct
-Mash temperature was correct
-Scale was correct
I've tried to include everything that I've noted. I have my ideas on what went wrong, but maybe you guys will find something I didn't think of. In advance, thanks for the help.
Summary
Style: Scottish 70/-
Type: All Grain
Size: 5.25 gallons
Color: 30 HCU (~15 SRM)
Bitterness: 15 IBU
OG: 1.037
FG: 1.014
Attenuation: 62%
Alcohol: 3.0% v/v (2.3% w/w)
Water
Mash Water Profile:
2.0 gallons total (90% distilled & 10% tap), 7/8 tsp. Chalk, 1/8 tsp. Calcium Chloride, and 1/8 tsp. Baking Soda
Calcium - 100ppm
Magnesium - 0ppm
Sodium - 40ppm
Chloride - 28ppm
Sulfate - 16ppm
RA (CaCO3) - 93
Estimated SRM: 13-18
Sparge with all distilled water then add salts to the boil.
Salts added to the boil (4.5 gallons total): 1 5/8 tsp. Chalk, 5/8 tsp. Calcium Chloride, 5/8 tsp. Epsom Salt, and 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
Total Water Profile:
Calcium - 91ppm
Magnesium - 10ppm
Sodium - 33ppm
Chloride - 45ppm
Sulfate - 44ppm
RA (CaCO3) - 74
Estimated SRM: 11-16
Grain
3 lb. 10 oz. Crisp Maris Otter 2.5L
0 lb. 8 oz. Briess Bonlander Munich 10L
1 lb. 0 oz. Briess crystal 40L
0 lb. 4 oz. Briess crystal 120L
0 lb. 2 oz. Briess chocolate 350L
0 lb. 8 oz. Gambrinus honey malt 25L
0 lb. 4 oz. Simpson's crystal 70-80L
Mash Efficiency: 85%
Mash at 157°F for 1 hour
Mash Thickness: 1.25qt/lb
Boil: 75 minutes
All water after mash is distilled water. Periodically add boiled distilled water to keep volume around 5.0 gallons. A couple of minutes before the end of the boil, add boiled distilled water to bring the volume above 5.25 gallons to minimize top-off water.
Add a Whirlfloc tablet with 10 minutes remaining in the boil.
Hops: 1 oz. Willamette (4.2% AA, 45 min.)
Yeast: Wyeast 1056 - American Ale
Used 2 Activator packs because they were fairly old (manufactured May 11, brew day August 8, 89 days old). Based on mrmalty.com, the packs were only 34% viable. 131 billion cells were needed, and I only used 68 billion. In hindsight, I should have made a 1.2 liter starter with the 2 packs and that would have given the proper pitching rate.
Log
Brew Day: 8/8/2009
Primary fermentation 9 days at 65-67°F in plastic bucket
SG after primary 1.014 adjusted for temperature
Rack to Secondary: 8/17/2009
Secondary fermentation 12 days at ~66°F in 5 gallon Better Bottle
Bottling Day: 8/29/2009
Bottle Carbonation
Target: 1.6 volumes
Corn Sugar: 1.78 oz. for 4.5 gallons @ 68°F
Carbonation volume calculations:
Estimated volume in secondary: 4.5 gallons
Predicted trub left in secondary: 0.0625 gallons
Predicted priming syrup: 0.0625 gallons (1 cup)
Predicted beer bottled: 4.5 - 0.0625 + 0.0625 = 4.5 gallons
48 Bottles (probably ended up with closer to 4.75)
Conditioned ~3 months @70-75F
Stored at 60F for ~3 months
Edit: The entire batch was very low in carbonation, much lower than another beer I carbonated to nearly the same level.
-Hydrometer was correct
-Thermometer was correct
-Mash temperature was correct
-Scale was correct
I've tried to include everything that I've noted. I have my ideas on what went wrong, but maybe you guys will find something I didn't think of. In advance, thanks for the help.
Summary
Style: Scottish 70/-
Type: All Grain
Size: 5.25 gallons
Color: 30 HCU (~15 SRM)
Bitterness: 15 IBU
OG: 1.037
FG: 1.014
Attenuation: 62%
Alcohol: 3.0% v/v (2.3% w/w)
Water
Mash Water Profile:
2.0 gallons total (90% distilled & 10% tap), 7/8 tsp. Chalk, 1/8 tsp. Calcium Chloride, and 1/8 tsp. Baking Soda
Calcium - 100ppm
Magnesium - 0ppm
Sodium - 40ppm
Chloride - 28ppm
Sulfate - 16ppm
RA (CaCO3) - 93
Estimated SRM: 13-18
Sparge with all distilled water then add salts to the boil.
Salts added to the boil (4.5 gallons total): 1 5/8 tsp. Chalk, 5/8 tsp. Calcium Chloride, 5/8 tsp. Epsom Salt, and 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
Total Water Profile:
Calcium - 91ppm
Magnesium - 10ppm
Sodium - 33ppm
Chloride - 45ppm
Sulfate - 44ppm
RA (CaCO3) - 74
Estimated SRM: 11-16
Grain
3 lb. 10 oz. Crisp Maris Otter 2.5L
0 lb. 8 oz. Briess Bonlander Munich 10L
1 lb. 0 oz. Briess crystal 40L
0 lb. 4 oz. Briess crystal 120L
0 lb. 2 oz. Briess chocolate 350L
0 lb. 8 oz. Gambrinus honey malt 25L
0 lb. 4 oz. Simpson's crystal 70-80L
Mash Efficiency: 85%
Mash at 157°F for 1 hour
Mash Thickness: 1.25qt/lb
Boil: 75 minutes
All water after mash is distilled water. Periodically add boiled distilled water to keep volume around 5.0 gallons. A couple of minutes before the end of the boil, add boiled distilled water to bring the volume above 5.25 gallons to minimize top-off water.
Add a Whirlfloc tablet with 10 minutes remaining in the boil.
Hops: 1 oz. Willamette (4.2% AA, 45 min.)
Yeast: Wyeast 1056 - American Ale
Used 2 Activator packs because they were fairly old (manufactured May 11, brew day August 8, 89 days old). Based on mrmalty.com, the packs were only 34% viable. 131 billion cells were needed, and I only used 68 billion. In hindsight, I should have made a 1.2 liter starter with the 2 packs and that would have given the proper pitching rate.
Log
Brew Day: 8/8/2009
Primary fermentation 9 days at 65-67°F in plastic bucket
SG after primary 1.014 adjusted for temperature
Rack to Secondary: 8/17/2009
Secondary fermentation 12 days at ~66°F in 5 gallon Better Bottle
Bottling Day: 8/29/2009
Bottle Carbonation
Target: 1.6 volumes
Corn Sugar: 1.78 oz. for 4.5 gallons @ 68°F
Carbonation volume calculations:
Estimated volume in secondary: 4.5 gallons
Predicted trub left in secondary: 0.0625 gallons
Predicted priming syrup: 0.0625 gallons (1 cup)
Predicted beer bottled: 4.5 - 0.0625 + 0.0625 = 4.5 gallons
48 Bottles (probably ended up with closer to 4.75)
Conditioned ~3 months @70-75F
Stored at 60F for ~3 months
Edit: The entire batch was very low in carbonation, much lower than another beer I carbonated to nearly the same level.