All-Grain - Irish Red (1st place HBT comp)

**Saccharomyces** · 10-11-2009, 07:40 PM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Wyeast 1272
Yeast Starter: 1.25L x2
Batch Size (Gallons): 10.5
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.011
IBU: 21
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: Ruby red
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 @65*F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 @72*F
Tasting Notes: Roasty, malt forward but dry finish. Modeled after Smithwicks, the "gold standard"

My house Irish Red ale. It is best after 4 months of aging, so I brew 10 gallon batches and re-brew when the first keg kicks. The key to this style is malt forward but with a roasty, dry finish. Hop flavor is barely noticeable and there is no hop aroma. If you can lager, even better, use a clean lager yeast (eg. WLP840, WLP833). I only do ales though so I pitch Wyeast 1272, and ferment on the low end of the range to suppress ester production. Wyeast 1272 American Ale II is a nice, clean ale yeast that accentuates malt character. WLP051 is an exact sub for this yeast (it is the Anchor Liberty strain). If you use dry yeast, Nottingham or US-05 will work fine for this style, but if using the dry I recommend increasing the mash temp to 152*F.

This style should be crystal clear in the glass and shine ruby red when held up to a light. If you bottle condition, I recommend a two week secondary followed by pitching some English yeast like a half package of S-04 in the bottling bucket so the beer finishes nice and clear in the bottle.

Malt Bill:

12# Maris Otter (70%)
4# Vienna (24%)
12oz British Roasted Barley 500L (4%)
6oz Crystal 120L (2%)

Mash 150*F for 75 min.

Hop Bill:

2oz 4.5% AA Fuggles (75 min)
1oz 5.0% AA Goldings (15 min)

**Donner** · 10-11-2009, 10:14 PM

just want to clarify something. 60 minute boil but 75 min first hop addition? Are you first wort hopping or boiling longer than the 60 min listed?

**Saccharomyces** · 10-11-2009, 10:18 PM

Oops forgot to adjust in the form seems I can't edit it. Boil time was 75 minutes, but 60 would work fine too, it won't matter much. I was just going from my notes.

**Donner** · 10-11-2009, 10:23 PM

That is what i figured, but stranger things have happened.

Also, is this a smithwicks clone or was that just the inspiration for the recipe? Lots of people seem to want a clone, so i just want to make sure it's clear. Why does it need so long to age by the way? I need to brew an Irish Red soon for my neighbor, but 4 months might be a touch long to let it age for my purposes.

**Saccharomyces** · 10-11-2009, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donner

Also, is this a smithwicks clone or was that just the inspiration for the recipe? Lots of people seem to want a clone, so i just want to make sure it's clear. Why does it need so long to age by the way? I need to brew an Irish Red soon for my neighbor, but 4 months might be a touch long to let it age for my purposes.

It isn't a clone, I just used Smithwicks as my model. Mine is fuller bodied and a bit roastier than Smithwicks. If you lagered my recipe and dropped the gravity to 1.044 or so it would be almost a dead on clone.

It's certainly good after 2 months of aging but the roasty flavors don't really meld with the rest of the brew until it's about 3+ months of age. That seems to be true of other styles I make with lots of dark malts as well (eg stout, porter, imperial porter, imperial stout). That said, I would not be ashamed to serve this after two months, it's still a very good beer, especially if you give it enough time to cold condition.

mklawz · 10-11-2009, 11:29 PM

Im about to do 10g of Irish Red for me and my BIL. If we lagered half, which White Labs lager yeast would you think be appropriate?

**Saccharomyces** · 10-11-2009, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mklawz

Im about to do 10g of Irish Red for me and my BIL. If we lagered half, which White Labs lager yeast would you think be appropriate?

WLP840, the Budweiser yeast, I would try first, but Irish Red is similar to Oktoberfest/Maerzen in style so any yeast suited to an Oktoberfest would work well I think. If you try it please let me know how it works out!

Joshua618 · 10-16-2009, 03:59 AM

How dark was the Roasted Barley (degree Lovibond) that you used?

**Saccharomyces** · 10-16-2009, 03:31 PM

I use Fawcett roasted barley which is ~500L. It gives a nice stout-like roast taste.

This beer is definitely on the dark end of the style but is quite tasty as it is. If you want it lighter, you could drop the RB down a bit. I haven't tried US RB, but I suspect it won't work as well since a lot of the flavor comes from the black roast barley.

Joshua618 · 10-16-2009, 10:41 PM

Thanks for getting back to me. My LHBS only carries the Crisp Roasted Barley which is 700L. I tried making a red ale before and it came out brown.

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