This is a “retooling” of the Gibbous recipe which everyone was calling Gebbeth, anyway…  The most radical change was to decrease the percentage of dark malts. The new recipe conforms with the BJCP style for a strong scotch ale.

In Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel, a Gebbeth is: “a person who has been consumed and taken over by a power”.

This is a strong, dark, Scottish ale that could easily possess you if you are not careful. It’s sweetness and robust hop/smoke flavor easily hide the 7.6% alcohol content. Be careful!

BJCP Style:

9E Strong Scotch Ale

Stats:

• OG: 1.075
• FG: 1.021
• ABV: 7.6%
• IBU: 32
• Color: 15SRM (Deep copper)
• Brew House Efficiency: 80%

Batch size:

6 gal (for 5gal bottled)

Grain:

• 14lb 2-row
• 0.4lb Peat Smoked
• 0.5lb Carapils
• 0.2lb Roast barely (500L)
• 0.5lb Flaked barely
• 0.2lb Chocolate

Water additions:

To match Edinburgh water profile (starting with Portland water)
Add per 5 gallon of water pre-boil: (10 gal pre-boil are needed)

• 1.5g baking soda
• 5g chalk
• 4.5 Epsom Salts
• 1g gypsum
• 1.25 table salt

Mash:

• Single infusion 152 (strike with 4.75gal at 172 if grain is 63)
• Mash 1 hour
• Batch/Fly Sparge
• Collect 7 gallons pre-boil

Boil Time:

• 90 min

Hops:

• Chinook: 0.33oz at 90min
• Chinook: 0.33oz at 60min
• Chinook: 0.33oz at 30 min
• Willamette: 1oz at 15min
• Willamette: 1oz at 0min

Ferment:

• WLP028 Edinburgh Ale Yeast
• Ferment 2+ weeks at 68+

Calculator:

Enter here:

^Gebbeth Strong Scotch^^39^32^6^90^9^4^80^100^8.8^0.3^0^0^0^0^70^70^14^74^74^0.4^22^22^0.5^9^9^0.2^7^7^0.5^40^40^0.2^0^0^0^0^0^0^14^14^8^0.33^90^1^2^8^0.33^60^1^2^8^0.33^30^1^2^42^1^15^1^2^42^1^0^1^2^0^0^0^0^1^2^63^152^1.2^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^12.5^12.5^12.5^5^5^0^0.2^

Brew Log:

This was the second 12 gallon batch made this day. We hit the numbers perfectly with the first one, but not with the scotch. Our OG was just above 1.067 – meaning a 70% eff rather then the expected 80%. Most likely, this was simply due to the massive grain bill. With all the grain, my cooler/tun could not fit the requisite amount of strike water. To compensate, I over heated the water and mashed at 156, but it didn’t completely help.

Still, this should produce a 6.9% scottish ale! Not too disappointed.