Scotching a Beer

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 8 poured into small mason jars with an oak spiral.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 8 poured into small mason jars with an oak spiral.

After brewing the Big Fat Phony, which is a modified clone of +Oskar Blues‘ Old Chub Scotch Ale, we decided to give it a kick with some really peaty scotch.  My friend +Brian Freeman offered up his excellent Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 8 for inclusion in the experiment which was no surprise given his devotion to Old Chub.  I took a medium toast oak spiral I got from Farmhouse Brewing Supply a while back and snapped it into two small lengths that fit inside my pint mason jars.  I poured enough scotch to cover the spirals…. and a sample for myself.

Medium Toast Oak spiral soaking in PC8 Scotch

Medium Toast Oak spiral soaking in PC8 Scotch

These samples sat in the pantry for about 2 weeks while the beer was fermenting and then I pitched both oak spirals and one jar of scotch into the beer to age another two weeks.

Oak spiral and PC8 Scotch soaking in the closet.

Oak spiral and PC8 Scotch soaking in the closet.

Yesterday I racked the Big Fat Phony into a keg that had the remaining jar of oak-infused peaty scotch.  The beer is still quite young, but it has a unique peaty aroma from the scotch, a bit of vanilla sweetness from the oak, some husky tannins from the wood, and a sweet, boozy flavor from the 9% ABV and the malt-heavy recipe.  In a word: amazing!

It needs another month or two lagering to really bring out the malts, but as-is, I’m extremely pleased with the result.

1 thought on “Scotching a Beer

  1. Pingback: Bluebonnet 2013 Results | Woxford Brewing Co.

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