Irish Red: Critiques please

Thinking about getting this one going. My LHBS pulled it up when I asked for an Irish red - I want a Killian's Red, but fuller and better! I added an extra lb of DME (that I have lying around) to bump up the malt flavour (and alcohol ) So I also changed it to late extract addition to make sure I get some hops in there. I want to keep the balance tipped to the side of malt though, so should I just add all the extract at once? Is the safale S-04 best for this?

Thanks in advance!


LHBS Irish Red
Irish Red Ale

Type: Extract
Date: 1/20/2009
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Richard
Boil Size: 2.43 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (3 Gallon)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: -
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
1 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 11.98 %
3 lbs 4.8 oz Briess Malt Extract Gold (4.0 SRM) Extract 39.52 %
3 lbs 4.8 oz Briess Malt Extract Gold [Boil for 15 min] Extract 39.52 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2.99 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2.99 %
4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 2.99 %
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [6.50 %] (60 min) Hops 12.7 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.31 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 20.2 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 15.3 SRM Color: Color

yeah US-04 will work, what that Actully by vol .65% all about?

BrewinJack said:

yeah US-04 will work, what that Actully by vol .65% all about?

Click to expand...

That's just waiting for the real numbers...AFAICT Beersmith puts in 1.010 and 1.005 for ACTUAL OG and FG by default, giving ABV of 0.65.

S-04 would be ok but you really want to reduce esters in an Irish Red. For a dry yeast I'd lean more towards Nottingham or even US-05 and ferment cool - 63*F - 65*F.

Otherwise, that's pretty much the Irish Red Recipe from Jamil Z's Brewing Classic Styles. Makes a very tasty Red.

I have a pack of Nottingham I could use. I'll look into that. Fermentation will probably be around 65 to 67, as that is what my last batch has been doing.

Do you have any idea on the late addition vs all at once in the boil?

BioBeing said:

I have a pack of Nottingham I could use. I'll look into that. Fermentation will probably be around 65 to 67, as that is what my last batch has been doing.

Do you have any idea on the late addition vs all at once in the boil?

Click to expand...

Referring to extract or hops?

If it's full volume it shouldn't matter. If you do partial boil I'd do a late extract addition to be able to manage your IBUs better.

Hops. I can't do a full boil yet, so I was planning on adding half the extract with 15 min left on the boil. Don't want to over hop it though! Guess I'll just give it a go, and see what happens...

BioBeing said:

Hops. I can't do a full boil yet, so I was planning on adding half the extract with 15 min left on the boil. Don't want to over hop it though! Guess I'll just give it a go, and see what happens...

Click to expand...

If you stick with what you have in your recipe, you should get around 25 IBU. If you just toss the extract in at the beginning, it looks to come out to 21 IBU. If you add the DME and half the LME at 15 minutes you get about 27 IBU.

That's using a 3 gallon pot in BeerSmith with Rager formula for bitterness. Chances are I would do the late addition to get better utilization of the hop and to help control the color. Either way is still within style guidelines.

Looks fine to me. Got an irish red going right now myself.

I'd agree on the notty instead of s-04.

I think it's a fine recipe! The roasted barley might be a bit too much; I find 2 oz gives a lovely color, but 4 oz gives a roasted flavor I don't want in a malty-sweet beer.

Other than that, you're set.

Oh, and +1 on the Nottingham or S-05 suggestion.

Cheers!

Bob

Grains are all mixed up together, so I can't take them out! Thanks for all the comments though!

Finally get to drink this! Took six and a half weeks in the bottle, but it is now ready!



It had a very bitter - astringent, I would say - taste at first. I was afraid it was fusel alcohol and would not go away. But I relaxed, I drank a homebrew, then a commercial brew, as my pipeline isn't going yet, and waited patiently. It is a bit too dark, I think, and a bit too "roasty". 2 oz of the roasted might well have been enough. Still, at least it is drinkable, so I am very happy right now!