Theodore’s Scottish Stout Project

So much going on that I am only now able to come back to this project.  With the new press getting installed, and transitions at work, and trying to get my armor in a functional state, I admit that I have way too much going on.  But, I promised this to Teddy and he did such beautiful work on the Horn of Hospitality.

So I went-a-looking for some clues as to a recipe for the closest thing to a ‘Belhaven Scottish Stout’, as Teddy puts it.  Having never heard of it, I have performed a few Google searches but didn’t come up with much other than some pictures and excited utterances of how good this draught is.  But last night I did some deeper digging and I think I finally got my first clue as to the origins and a malt bill for this beer.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/belhaven-scottish-stout-clone-170179/

Someone on this brewing forum claims to have contacted a trainee brewer at the Belhaven Brewery.  The conversation gleans the following information:

“The Stout is brewed using crystal malt (1%), chocolate malt (5%), roast
barley (4%) and white malt (90%).

It is not overly hopped for a stout which gives a good balance and
drinkability.

The brewery mash tun is about 100 years old; we brew with water from our
own borehole and use our own yeast strain. These three combined
contribute to a whole load of flavour! (These are the only secrets in
the process).”

This is great because I can start calculating a grain bill for the project…now I just need to come up with the hops and the yeast.  Some helpful clues for this are located further down the thread.  Someone suggested Whitbred Golding hops, and in another post someone suggests (for a similar brew) 24 IBU’s @ 60 minutes in a 1060 OG wort.  They use a “Scottish Heavy” yeast to kick it off.  This will at least give me a starting point, but I can keep looking.

I am still working on it Teddy!