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Styles · Scottish Light

Beer style · BJCP 2021 14A

Scottish Light

Scottish Ale

Published ranges These are the ranges the BJCP 2021 guidelines publish for this style.

Original gravity
1.030–1.035
Final gravity
1.010–1.013
Bitterness
10–20 IBU
Color
17–22 SRM (33–43 EBC)
Alcohol
2.5–3.2 % ABV

What it is

The smallest of the Scottish ales: low in alcohol, deep amber to brown, and defined by a soft caramel malt sweetness. Hops are a background note and the fermentation character is clean, leaving a gentle, easy pint.

Flavor

What a Scottish Light should taste like, on the three wheels the studio scores every recipe against. The shaded ring is the style’s range on each axis, from 0 at the center to 5 at the edge.

Hops

Hops stay in the background: none of their character belongs.

Malt

Grainy, caramel and sweet/honey, with room for bready/biscuit, toasty, dark fruit or coffee/roast.

Fermentation

Clean, with room for fruity esters.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What Scottish Light has classically been brewed with.

Nothing else on character: the hops here are there for bitterness and balance, and any variety whose aroma you would notice is out of place.

Yeasts that suit it

Strains the lab made for beers like this one, whose fermentation character sits inside the style’s wheel. A strain sold by several labs is listed once; its page names the others.

And 28 more yeasts whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Style numbers, names and vital statistics are from the BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines, where you will find the official descriptions. The descriptions and flavor wheels here are Beerwright’s own. Beerwright is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BJCP.