History: Brewing a 'Scotch Ale' in 1837 - More Questions Than Answers?

I came across this today in the library and felt it was postworthy...

'SCOTCH ALE - I would also say a few words on the method of brewing beer, lately introduced from Scotland, which English farmers may find it convenient to adopt. The wort is made and also boiled with the hops, in the usual manner, adding three fourths of an ounce of ising-glass to every hogshead of wort; but instead of cooling it, and adding the yeast to produce fermentation, the hot liquor is put immediately into the cask, and in some days it cools, and then ferments in a peculiar manner, without the addition of any ferment, and in the usual time is found to be converted into an excellent liquor, quite fine and mellow. I am told it generally turns out to be superior to beer brewed in the usual way, at the same time there is a saving of one-fourth part of the malt, three bushels producing as good a cask of beer as four by the old method. - Correspondent of the Buck's Gazette'

[Carlow Sentinel – 1837 via Carlow Library Local Studies Room]


Notwithstanding the fact that I am a not-very-successful homebrewer with a poor understanding of fermentation, I have a few issues with this piece...


Would the near-boiling heat of the wort not kill off any yeast - or other fermentation bacteria - in the barrel and therefore produce a sterile environment? Could yeast re-enter the barrell somehow?

Would this be a Brett, Pedio or Lacto strain?

How would this method actually reduce the quantity of malt required?


Allowing that this is a repost, of a repost, of possible hearsay, from 1837 perhaps something got lost along the way. I'm also aware that this is not the 'normal' definition of a Scotch Ale and I assume here it just means an ale from Scotland ...

I'd be interested in any comments anyone might have on the process and how it could work.

Liam