Two Sparkling Ales

July 1, 2000 By Randy Mosher

Scottish Sparkling Ale

5 gallons at 1080, 50 IBU

11 pounds pale ale malt (English or Belgian preferred)
1 pound German sour malt
1.5 pounds partially-refined sugar: demerara, turbinado, piloncillo, jaggery

1.5 ounces Kent goldings hops, 1.5 hours 28
2 ounces Kent goldings hops, 0.5 hours 22

Mash slightly high, 154 to 155 degrees F, for an hour. Raise to mash-out, 170 to 175 degrees F, then sparge. Add sugar to kettle. Boil 1.5 hours. Ferment with cold-tolerant yeast at 58 to 65 degrees F for primary, slightly lower for secondary, if possible. Try to age this beer for three months before consuming. If you want to be authentic, you might add a package of mixed lambic culture once the primary is completed, and allow three to six months for it to make itself felt.

American Sparkling Ale

5 gallons at 1057, 54 IBU

9 pounds US 6-row pils malt
.5 pound pale crystal malt .002
2.5 pounds flaked corn (in mash) or 1.5 pounds corn sugar (added to kettle)

Cluster hops would have been used in the old days (same quantities as below). If you dislike them as much as I do, use this mix instead:

1 ounces Northern brewer, 1 hour
.5 ounces Willamette, 1 hour
.5 ounces Northern brewer, 20 minutes
.5 ounces Willamette, 20 minutes

Mash in at 122 degrees F, hold for 1/2 hour; raise to 154, hold for 1/2 hour, raise to 162, hold for 30 minutes, then sparge. Boil 1 hour. Ferment with lager yeast, primary at 44 degrees F, then lager for two to three months at 39 degrees F. Bottle with a slightly higher than normal amount of corn sugar (3/4 cup per 5 gallons).