Scottish-American Ale?

[NewEnglander]

Right. I love the various Scottish ales, from a 60/- up to a "Scotch Ale" and I've brewed a couple myself.
What I'm talking about is taking a Scottish Ale and adding an American twist, not just by brewing it here in the States, but my somehow adding more hops to it. I don't think I'd want to lose the malty character or make it too bitter, but rather but more aroma hops in it.
Any of the other kilted homebrewers see what I'm talking about or have any suggestions?

[ForresterModern]

Right. I love the various Scottish ales, from a 60/- up to a "Scotch Ale" and I've brewed a couple myself.
What I'm talking about is taking a Scottish Ale and adding an American twist, not just by brewing it here in the States, but my somehow adding more hops to it. I don't think I'd want to lose the malty character or make it too bitter, but rather but more aroma hops in it.
Any of the other kilted homebrewers see what I'm talking about or have any suggestions?

The best way would be to double hop your wort, adding typical bittering hops early, then adding a very floral hop either late in the wort cooking or even after removing the wort from the heat and letting it cool covered after the second hopping. The floral esters tend to boil off if the flavoring hops are added early or left to cook too long, leaving only the bittering part remaining---typical for pale ales. For a more robust boquet add the flavoring hops very late so those esters are released by the hops but not boiled off. An example of a nicely hopped very floral beer would be New Belgium's Fat Tire Ale. Now the job is to find what flavoring hops you want to add----shop the homebrew supply shops for somebody who has samples of their hops for smelling. Just like flowers give off aromas that can be captured in perfume, hops are flowers that give off an aroma similar to what the favor will be that they add to the beer, as long as you don't cook them too long after adding. A lack or less floral hop is used early for bittering, then the floral hop later as to taste.
Enjoy, and let us know how it turns out.

[Old Hippie]

What I'm talking about is taking a Scottish Ale and adding an American twist, not just by brewing it here in the States, but my somehow adding more hops to it. I don't think I'd want to lose the malty character or make it too bitter, but rather but more aroma hops in it.
Any of the other kilted homebrewers see what I'm talking about or have any suggestions?

Sounds like you'd want a moderately floral aroma hop in small amounts to spice up the attack just enough to be noticeable, while letting that warm sweet maltiness shine through to the finish. Just enough to make the drinker say, "What? Lemme try another sip of that..."

Some one of the traditional British ale hops. You want it to fit the beer. Or you could go totally Left Coast and just toss in a few cones of Cascade before you chill it into your fermenter. Maybe go with a "gruit" or herb mixture other than hops, such as a few sprigs of heather?

Depends on how "true to style" you want to be. Nothing wrong with "fusion" and innovation, of course.

[NewEnglander]

Sounds like you'd want a moderately floral aroma hop in small amounts to spice up the attack just enough to be noticeable, while letting that warm sweet maltiness shine through to the finish. Just enough to make the drinker say, "What? Lemme try another sip of that..."

Some one of the traditional British ale hops. You want it to fit the beer. Or you could go totally Left Coast and just toss in a few cones of Cascade before you chill it into your fermenter. Maybe go with a "gruit" or herb mixture other than hops, such as a few sprigs of heather?

Depends on how "true to style" you want to be. Nothing wrong with "fusion" and innovation, of course.

Thank you, sir! That's the kind of input I was hoping for. I tried a heather beer once and really enjoyed it. Hmmm. Now you've got me thinking!

[jkane]

Thank you, sir! That's the kind of input I was hoping for. I tried a heather beer once and really enjoyed it. Hmmm. Now you've got me thinking!

I used 4 ounces of heather tips in 10 gallons at the end of the boil for about 5 minutes for aroma and flavor. It was overwhelming in both categories. I would cut that in half, at least, next time.

[NewEnglander]

I used 4 ounces of heather tips in 10 gallons at the end of the boil for about 5 minutes for aroma and flavor. It was overwhelming in both categories. I would cut that in half, at least, next time.

What style of beer were you brewing? If you've got a recipe you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd love to give it a go myself.
I just (as in seconds ago) cracked open the first bottle of my latest batch of homebrew...and I can honestly say this is my best one yet. I'm heading to the local hombrew store's open house tomorrow so I'll see if they have heather tips.