Scottish Ale

The Scottish heavy—also known as the 70-shilling ale—isn’t so heavy at all. Typically below 4 percent ABV, it punches well above its weight in flavor.

This extract-based wee heavy recipe offers the chance to try boiling down some wort in the kettle to develop caramelization and deeper malt flavor.

Sometimes known as “kettle caramelization,” the Maillard richness of a boil reduction can add deeper malt flavor to any beer you brew—even if it’s not Scottish.

From his Make Your Best series, here’s Josh Weikert’s recipe for a delicate yet flavorful Scottish-style light ale—including an extract version.

This recipe from Kelly Montgomery, Brink Brewing’s cofounder and head brewer, and his friend Mike Rodocker won a gold medal at the 2018 U.S. Open Beer Championships.

Here is a homebrew-scale recipe for Kilt Lifter, a versatile, ruby-amber, richly malted ale with notes of caramel, toffee, and just a whisper of peat smoke—and the top-seller at Pike Brewing in Seattle, Washington.

These four exemplary beers inspired by the Scottish ale tradition showcase malt complexity and spirited fermentation.

Overlooked and misunderstood, the ale a French scientist once called “the strongest and best beer made in Great Britain” deserves a closer look.