Robin Shepard
The Scotch ale can be a malt lover’s dream beer, with its smooth sweetness and body. There aren’t many local examples to choose from when looking for the style. Lake Louie’s Reserve Scotch Ale and its more readily available sibling, Warped Speed, and the Great Dane’s Stone of Scone are on the top of my list of favorites. However, Next Door Brewing is releasing a version that’s worth taking note of, called Plumptuous.
What is it? Plumptuous from Next Door Brewing.
Style: The Scotch ale, also called a “wee heavy,” is known for a rich, malty sweetness and strength (6%-8% ABV). The Scotch ale is made with a long boil time that caramelizes the wort and produces sweeter, full-bodied flavor with copper to brown color. Recipes may include peat-smoked malt, which can lend smoky, earthy tones to the aroma and flavor.
Background: Plumptuous has been on the drawing board for over a year. Regulars may remember an early version called “Way Heavy.” However its recipe goes back much further as one of Bryan Kreiter’s homebrews. “This is the only beer to completely come from my homebrewing; everything else I’ve developed in the Next Door brew house,” Kreiter says.
Plumptuous delivers on the promise of being a malt-forward beer; it’s a showcase for Golden Promise malt, a Scottish grain known for being sweet and clean, and a staple in Scotch ale grist. There’s also a touch of de-bittered black malt that adds to the rich bronze color.
What may go unnoticed in the beer is Kreiter’s selection of Bramling Cross hops. These hops have become a subtle signature of Kreiter’s. He loves to use them in a handful of his beers for their herbal and fruity contributions. Bramling Cross is an understated hop, a rather old variety, first released in the late 1920s. It’s considered a dual-use hop, lending both aroma and flavor.
Plumptuous isn’t a hoppy beer by any stretch at just 27 IBUs, but the Bramling Cross adds bitterness for balance and a hint of fruitiness with tones of black current and plum. All that complements the sweetness of the Golden Promise malt. As Next Door begins to bottle this beer, the availability of Bramling Cross hops could prove somewhat problematic for consistent production. However, they are a great choice in this beer.
For the brewing botanist, here’s another bit of trivia: Bramling Cross hops come from male hops plants, a contrast to nearly all other commercially grown hops, which come from only female plants. Male plants are usually treated like weeds and removed from fields as soon as they’re found.
Plumptuous finishes strong at 9.5% ABV. It sells in the brewpub for $6/goblet. When it debuts in bottles in early December, it’s expected to sell for around $11-$12/six-pack.
Next Door’s venture into bottling is new. Three different beers are expected to be out in six-packs by early December. Along with Plumptuous, Kreiter is releasing Luminous IPA and Kaleidospoke Pale Ale. Those bottled beers will be produced under Kreiter’s watch at the Potosi Brewery. Bottling is a big step up for Next Door, which makes beer in-house in three-barrel batches. At Potosi, Kreiter and Potosi brewmaster Steve McCoy brew in 40-barrel batches. Kreiter has already brewed more beer there, in his first few sessions this November, than he does at Next Door.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: Smooth, inviting bready and caramel tones of malt with a hint of plum.
Appearance: Dark bronze color; a thick bubbly tan head.
Texture: Full-bodied, round, some softness.
Taste: Rich malt and hints of caramel and chocolate. Some soft bready-earthiness too. The plum and black cherry accent the background.
Finish/Aftertaste: Those dark stone fruits continue into the finish. The firm malty core never leaves either. There’s warmth from the 9.5% ABV.
Glassware: Next Door serves Plumptuous in a 10-ounce goblet. At home, I’m a fan of the heavy, dimpled glass mug that just seems right for big-bodied Scotch ales.
Pairs well with: This beer is good with a main dish that offers a slight sweetness of its own, such as a stew or even wild game. From the Next Door menu, the white bean burger with basil mayo is a good companion.
The Verdict: With its fruity-maltiness, this is a solid Scotch ale. I like the smooth, soft, full-bodied sweetness of the Golden Promise malt, a pleasant blend with the Bramling Cross hops. Don’t be afraid to allow this beer to warm slightly while drinking, to bring out more of the plum and black cherry.
