Scottish Shilling Ales in 1909

In the early decades of the 19th century, most of the beer produced in Scotland consisted of Ales. The relative strength was indicated by a shilling value, which originally indicated the wholesale price of a 54 gallon hogshead.

Often referred to as Scotch Ale or Edinburgh Ale, these beers came in a variety of strengths though the most renowned were the strongest. By the early 20th century Shilling Ales were going out of fashion, being displaced by English-style Mild Ales and Burton-style Strong Ales.

Before 1880, Shilling Ales were 100% pale malt, but after the Free Mash Tun Act of 1880, also included sugar and sometimes maize. They were hopped with a combination of American and Kent hops.

Boiling times varied greatly over time. Up until 1850, they were pretty short, usually just over an hour. By the 1890’s, three hours or more was common. This is an overview of Younger’s boiling times:

Youngers 140/- boil times
year	boil time (hours)
1831	1
1847	0.83
1851	1.17
1858	1.25
1868	1.5
1879	1.33
1885	2.5
1898	3
1913	2.25

Throughout the course of the 19th century Scottish brewers gradually raised fermentation temperatures. By 1900 they were much the same as in England. Pitching temperatures varied depending on gravity. The strongest were pitched at 58º F, the weakest at 61º F. Raised fermentation temperatures had reduced fermentation times considerably. In “Scottish Ale Brewer” (by WH Roberts, published in 1847) a pitching temperature of 51-52º F and a fermentation time of two weeks is given as typical. As you can see from the table below, by 1898 it was less than a week:

Younger 1898 160/- fermentation schedule
		temp	gravity
Pitch		56	1111
day 1	Morning	63	1095
	Evening	65.5	1086
day 1	Morning	69.5	1065
	Evening	72.5	1060
day 3	Morning	73	1045
	Evening	64.5	1042
day 4	Morning	62	1042

With brewers like Younger increasingly concentrating on their numbered Scotch Ales (No.1 and No. 2), Shilling Ales gradually faded away in the interwar period.

100/-
OG: 1070 - 1080º
FG: 1030 - 1035º
ABV: 4.5 - 5%
Apparent attenuation: 50 - 60%
EBC:
lbs hops per barrel 1.5 - 2
IBU:
Grist: Scottish pale malt, middle-eastern pale malt, Danish pale malt, Indian pale malt, maize, sugar.
Hops: Kent, Worcester, California, Oregon.


120/-
OG: 1080 - 1090º
FG: 1035 - 1040º
ABV: 6 - 7%
Apparent attenuation: 50 - 60%
EBC:
lbs hops per barrel 3 – 3.5
IBU:
Grist: Scottish pale malt, middle-eastern pale malt, Danish pale malt, Indian pale malt, maize, sugar.
Hops: Kent, Worcester, California, Oregon.


140/-
OG: 1090 - 1100º
FG: 1035 - 1040º
ABV: 8 – 8.5%
Apparent attenuation: 60 - 65%
EBC:
lbs hops per barrel 3.5 – 4.5
IBU:
Grist: Scottish pale malt, middle-eastern pale malt, Danish pale malt, Indian pale malt, maize, sugar.
Hops: Kent, Worcester, California, Oregon.


160/-
OG: 1100 - 1110º
FG: 1040 - 1045º
ABV: 9 - 10%
Apparent attenuation: 60 - 65%
EBC:
lbs hops per barrel 4.5 - 5
IBU:
Grist: Scottish pale malt, middle-eastern pale malt, Danish pale malt, Indian pale malt, maize, sugar.
Hops: Kent, Worcester, California, Oregon.




Example beers

Thomas Usher 1912 100/-
OG	1064
FG	1027
ABV	4.90%
Apparent attenuation	57.81%
Malt
Gaza pale malt	18%
Danish pale malt	29%
Calcutta pale malt	18%
maize	7%
DL sugar	8%
cane sugar	20%
Hops*	100%
Kent yearling hops	33%
American yearling hops	33%
Kent hops	33%
* my guess

Younger 1898 140/-
OG	1101
FG	1039
ABV	8.20%
Apparent attenuation	61.39%
Malt
Foreign pale malt	32%
Scottish 2-row pale malt	60%
dextrose	5%
glucose	3%
Hops	100%
Kent yearling hops	18%
Californian yearling hops	26%
American yearling hops	43%
Kent hops	13%

Younger 1898 160/-
OG	1111
FG	1042
ABV	9.13
Apparent attenuation	62.16%
Malt
Foreign pale malt	32%
Scottish 2-row pale malt	60%
dextrose	5%
glucose	3%
Hops	100%
Kent yearling hops	18%
Californian yearling hops	26%
American yearling hops	43%
Kent hops	13%