Quote Originally Posted by kilted_brewer View Post
one of the keys to Scotch or Scottish ale is that it is very LOW in hops -- just enough to cut the sweetness at whatever level of the malt. I've heard from at least one Scottish brewer that the brewing tradition in Scotland has traditionally viewed hops as an English invention/intrusion, and so avoided their extensive use. So you could do an american version of a Scottish ale, but it would probably end up tasting more like a Brown Ale from Northern England (not that that's a bad thing, just not esp. like a Scottish ale). As to smoke flavors, I've also read that subtle smoke can come from the yeast used, and it's those that I appreciate more than the heavy smokiness of peated malt or smoked malt.
Glad to hear your input! I tasted a Scottish Ale from a local brewpub today that was VERY peaty. My buddy compared it to manure! I did spot some heather tips, but didn't pick them up. Glad to know they're out there for when I decide to be brave enough to try my Scottish-American Ale.