Friday, February 01, 2008

FEVER FOR THE FLAVOR FRIDAY

Fever For The Flavor Friday
(from BJCP)
9C. Scottish Export 80/-


Aroma:
Malt is evident; some expamles have a low level of hop aroma. Fruitiness is low to nonoe. A mild smoky and/or toasty/roasty character is sometimes present. May have some diacetyl.

Appearance: Amber to dark brown. Draught examples often have a creamy, long-lasting head.

Flavor: Malt-dominated flavor, with subdued esters and just enough hop bitterness to prevent the beer from being cloyingly sweet. A very slight toasty/roasty and/or chocolate-like character is sometimes present. Caramel flavor from frystal malt medium to none. May have some diacetyl.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, with low carbonation. Body is medium to medium-full.

Overall Impression: Cleanly malty, with perhaps a faint touch of smoke and few esters.

History: More recent commercial interpretations from Scotland have begun to drift towards English bitter in terms of bitterness, balance, attenuation, esters and dry-hopping. These guidelines don't account for these recent commercial examples which would more accurately be described as bitters. Traditionally, these beers were dispensed via pumps, which forced air into the headspace of the cask, thus forcing the beer out. These air-powered systems are referred to as "tall fonts".

Comments: Though similar in gravity to strong bitter, the malt-hop balance is decidedly to the malt side. Long, cool fermentation leads to clean malt character (which may include some faint peat or smoke character). Note that the smoky character can be due to the yeast as often as to smoked or peat-kilned malt. Strongly smoked beers should be entered in the Smoked Beer category instead. It is important to note that while the IBU's on some of these beers can be rather high, the low attenuation and solid maltiness results in a balance that is still even at best and more than likely towards malt.

Ingredients: Scottish or English pale malt with small proportions of roasted barley, crystal or chocolate malt, English hops. Clean, relatively un-attenuative ale yeast.

Vital Stats: OG: 1.040-1.050
IBU's: 15-36 FG: 1.013-1.017
SRM: 10-19 ABV: 3.9-4.9%

Commercial Examples: Orkney Dark island, Harviestown 80/-, Sherlock's Home Piper's Pride, Greenmantle 80/- Export, Arrol's 80/-, Highland Sever, Younger's No.3, McEwan's 80/- (despite the "IPA" on the label), Belhaven 80/- (Belhaven Scottish Ale in the US), Caledonian 80/- Export Ale (Caledonion Amber Ale in the US), Maclay Scotch Ale, Maclay 80/- Export (Maclay 80 Schilling Export Ale in the US)

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