Brew Day, Batch 345: Wee Heavy

We're packaging the porter from Beer Camp #2, and I didn't want to waste such a nice fresh yeast slurry. Said slurry had to dictate what sort of beer, though, (more than usual, I mean,) as the porter contains a small bit of smoked malt. There are a few flavors that will hitch a ride on yeast, including bitterness and smoke, so today's beer had to be one that a potential smokey nuance would not ruin. While I am somewhat annoyed by the common American misconception that strong Scottish beers should have smoked malt in them, the intense malt, caramel, and smoke flavors will be nice together, and while I greatly respect tradition, and draw inspiration from it often, I am not its prison bitch. Thus, an ale made from Marris Otter malt to a gravity of around 1.075 or so, with 1% black malt. High mash temp, around 155F, and vigorously boiled wort from the time the bottom of the kettle is covered. All very Scottishy. 26 BU from one kettle addition of Northern Brewer, and we should be in good shape. The aforementioned yeast is Wyeast 1098, which we will run in the low-mid 60s. Och, laddie, 't'wull be a bonny bree....

Update: Make that OG 1.086. Whoo!