Scottish Ale

Category 14. SCOTTISH ALE

• Category intro: There are really only three traditional beer styles broadly available today in Scotland: the 70/- Scottish Heavy, the 80/- Scottish Export, and the Strong Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy, Style 17C). The 60/- Scottish Light is rare and often cask-only, but it does seem to be having a bit of a renaissance currently. All these styles took modern form after World War II, regardless of prior use of the same names. Currently, the 60/- is similar to a dark mild, the 70/- is similar to an ordinary bitter, and the 80/- similar to a best or strong bitter. The Scottish beers have a different balance and flavor profile, but fill a similar market position as those English beers.

14A. Scottish Light

Overall impression

• A low-alcohol, malty beer with light caramel, toast, toffee, and fruit flavors. A slight roast dryness offsets the residual sweetness in the finish, with the bitterness perceived only to keep the beer from being cloying.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: 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.
• Appearance: Deep copper to dark brown. Clear. Low to moderate, creamy off-white.
• 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. May be moderately creamy.

Context

• Comments: See category introduction for detailed comments. May not seem as bitter as specifications indicate due to higher finishing gravity and residual sweetness. Typically a draught product, but somewhat rare. Do not mis-perceive the light roasty dryness as smoke; smoke is not present in these beers.
• 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.
• Characteristic ingredients: At its simplest, pale ale malt, but can also use colored malt, sugars, corn, wheat, crystal malts, colorants, and a variety of other grains. Clean yeast. Soft water. No peat-smoked malt.
• Style comparison: See category introduction. Similar to other Scottish Ales but lower in alcohol, and darker in color. Similar in strength to the low end of Dark Mild, but with a different flavor profile and balance.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Belhaven Best, McEwan’s 60/-

Tags

• session-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, british-isles, traditional-style, amber-ale-family, malty

14B. Scottish Heavy

Overall impression

• A lower-alcohol, malty beer with light caramel, 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.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• 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.
• Appearance: Pale copper to brown. Clear. Low to moderate, creamy off-white.
• 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. May be moderately creamy.

Context

• 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.
• 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.
• Characteristic 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.
• 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.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• McEwan’s 70/-, Orkney Raven Ale

Tags

• session-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, british-isles, traditional-style, amber-ale-family, malty

14C. Scottish Export

Overall impression

• A moderate-strength, malty beer with light caramel, toast, toffee, and fruit flavors. A slight roast dryness offsets the residual sweetness in the finish, with the bitterness perceived only to keep the beer from being cloying.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: 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.
• Appearance: Pale copper to brown. Clear. Low to moderate, creamy off-white.
• 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 body. Medium-low to medium carbonation. May be moderately creamy.

Context

• 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. Americanized versions are often greater in strength (similar to American treatment of Irish Red Ales).
• 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.
• Characteristic 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.
• Style comparison: See category introduction. Stronger than other Scottish Ales, but with a similar flavor profile. Similar in strength to Best Bitter and Strong Bitter, but with a different flavor profile and balance.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Belhaven Scottish Ale, Broughton Wee Jock 80 Shilling, Caledonian Edinburgh Castle, McEwan’s 80/-, McEwan’s Export, Traquair Bear Ale

Tags

• standard-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, british-isles, traditional-style, amber-ale-family, malty