What is the difference between Scotch Ale and Scottish ale?

Scotch Ales, or Wee Heavys, tend to be higher in ABV, above 6% at least, with a higher final gravity that makes them a touch sweeter. Scottish Ales on the other hand essentially refer to the lower ABV equivalent of an English Pale Ale, clocking in at around 3-5% ABV.

Is Scottish ale less bitter?

Scotch ale, or wee heavy, is a style of beer originating in Scotland that is fermented with ale yeast. Generally low in bitterness with rich malt sweetness, the caramel-colored beer often uses a pale malt base backed by darker malts. Though it can vary, many are comparable to English barley wine.

Which ale is the best?

The 21 Best Beers You Can Buy Online

  • Firestone Walker Pivo Hoppy Pils. drizly.com.
  • Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager. Great Lakes Brewing Co.
  • Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale. Oskar Blues totalwine.com.
  • Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
  • Bell’s Two Hearted Ale IPA.
  • Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
  • Lagunitas DayTime IPA.
  • Orval Trappist Ale.

What are scotch ales called in Scotland?

Wee Heavy
Scotch (Wee Heavy) Ale… The big boy of Scottish ales is inarguably the strong Scotch ale or “wee heavy.” I love this style for its over-the-top, extremely malty, caramel and alcoholic, flavors.

What beer do the Scottish drink?

Tennent’s Lager remains the biggest player in the Scottish market, followed by Italian brand Peroni, Carling and Stella Artois.

What is a pint of heavy in Scotland?

And, confusingly, “heavy” in Scottish ale terms can refer to any beer between 3.5% and 4.0% ABV, which equates roughly with the relatively light “ordinary bitter,” that of most English ales. As a general rule, a wee heavy is strong, dark, and malty with little hop character and moderate carbonation.

What’s the difference between ale and bitter?

Bitter is a pale ale and the more pronounced taste of hops distinguishes it from more mild ales—hence the name. Bitter as a kind of ale is not to be confused with bitters, the aromatic distilled liquor used in mixed drinks.

Why is Scottish beer called heavy?

The “wee heavy” (named because it was typically sold in bottles in “nips” of 6 fluid ounces) has become the standard Scottish-style brew in the United States, and many brewers are now using peated malts in the recipes.

Where does Scotch Ale and Wee Heavy come from?

As a freelance writer, lecturer, and homebrewer, Bryce Eddings has been writing about beer and brewing for online and print publications since 2005. Scotch ale, or wee heavy, is a style of beer originating in Scotland that is fermented with ale yeast.

What kind of malt is in Scotch Ale?

Scotch ale, or wee heavy, is a style of beer originating in Scotland that is fermented with ale yeast. Generally low in bitterness with rich malt sweetness, the caramel-colored beer often uses a pale malt base backed by darker malts.

Which is the strongest Scotch Ale in the world?

Some Scotch ales are called “wee heavy” or 90-shilling. This is generally the strongest and maltiest ale with a deep caramel color and malty sweetness, though there is a great variance from one beer to another. American brewers tend to bring more of the whiskey-ness into Scotch ale.

How much is a shilling of Scotch Ale?

Scotch ale, also sometimes called wee heavy, is sometimes called 90 shilling. However, that does not always make sense because there is so much variance from on Scotch ale to another. It is accepted that ales over 80 shillings are the most classic versions of this style.