Style: Wee Heavy
All StylesStyle Profile based on 209 recipes
BU:GU
0.29
Hops
3.5 g/L
Mash pH
5.50
Description
Rich, malty, dextrinous, and usually caramel-sweet, these beers can give an impression that is suggestive of a dessert. Complex secondary malt and alcohol flavors prevent a one-dimensional quality. Strength and maltiness can vary, but should not be cloying or syrupy. History: More related to historical brews than modern lower-strength Scottish ales, these beers have their roots in the strong ales of the 1700s and 1800s, although formulations and methods have changed. A premium product, often produced for export. Modern versions have lower starting and finishing gravities than their historical ancestors. Style Comparison: Somewhat similar to an English Barleywine.
Examples: Belhaven Wee Heavy, Gordon Highland Scotch Ale, Inveralmond Blackfriar, McEwan's Scotch Ale, Orkney Skull Splitter, Traquair House Ale
- 95% Pale (84%)
- 80% Crystal (7%)
- 65% Roast (2%)
- 59% Toast (10%)
% of Wee Heavy recipes using each malt category (addition % in brackets)
g/L · median with IQR range
- 46% East Kent Goldings
- 20% Fuggles
- 8% Magnum (GR)
- 5% Southern Brewer
- 5% Willamette
- 4% Challenger
- 3% Northern Brewer (GR)
- 3% Nugget
- 3% Target
- 3% Warrior
% of Wee Heavy recipes using each hop
g/L · median with IQR range
dated Wee Heavy recipes with at least one dry-hop addition
- 16% Pale Malt, Maris Otter
- 14% Roasted Barley
- 11% United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale
- 9% United Kingdom - Golden Promise
- 8% Chocolate Malt
- 7% Special B Malt
- 7% Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L
- 7% Honey Malt
- 6% Pale Malt (2 Row) US
- 5% Aromatic Malt
Colour = malt category · bar = % of recipes
- 19% Scottish Ale (1728) Wyeast Labs
- 17% Edinburgh Ale (WLP028) White Labs
- 8% Safale American (US-05) Fermentis
- 6% SafAle English Ale (S-04) Fermentis
- 4% LalBrew Nottingham Lallemand
- 4% Tartan (A31) Imperial Yeast
- 3% Empire Ale (M15) Mangrove Jack
- 3% California Ale Yeast (WLP001) White Labs
% of Wee Heavy recipes using each strain
- 75% Single Infusion
- 13% Step Mash
- 13% Decoction
32 recipes with mash data
- 100 ppm Ca²⁺
- 18 ppm Mg²⁺
- 20 ppm Na⁺
- 45 ppm Cl⁻
- 105 ppm SO₄²⁻
- 235 ppm HCO₃⁻
median across recipes with a declared water profile
Similar Styles
Ranked by similarity across OG, IBU, ABV, hop rate, and grist composition.