First AG Batch and Recipe - Advice Appreciated

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Duncan

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Hullo fellow HBTs

I am destined to start my first AG BIAB batch, so naturally I thought I would start it off with my own recipe.

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Irish Red Ale (more inventive name to come if she be good)

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Irish Red Ale
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 25 liters
Boil Size: 28 liters
Efficiency: 70%

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.052
Final Gravity: 1.015
ABV (standard): 4.83%
IBU (tinseth): 27.08
SRM (morey): 17.15

FERMENTABLES:
5.5 kg - Pale Malt (88%)
0.3 kg - Caramel / Crystal 10L (4.8%)
0.3 kg - Carastan (30/37) (4.8%)
0.15 kg - Roasted Barley (2.4%)

HOPS:
28 g - Saaz (AA 4) for 90 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil
28 g - Centennial (AA 10) for 15 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil

MASH STEPS:
1) Temperature, Temp: 72 C, Time: 0 min, Amount: 28 L, Strike Temp
2) Temperature, Temp: 67 C, Time: 90 min, Amount: 28 L, Mash
3) Temperature, Temp: 77 C, Time: 10 min, Amount: 28 L, Mash-out

YEAST:
White Labs - British Ale Yeast WLP005
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 70.5%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temperature: 18.33 C - 21.11 C


Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/

Now considering I am doing a 90 min mash and 90 min boil, with a 4.48L/kg ratio (~2.1qt/lbs for those less metrically inclined). I am lead to believe with my research that an 80% efficiency isn't out of the question so I also had this:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Irish Red Ale

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Irish Red Ale
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 25 liters
Boil Size: 28 liters
Efficiency: 80%

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.060
Final Gravity: 1.018
ABV (standard): 5.52%
IBU (tinseth): 25.51
SRM (morey): 17.15

FERMENTABLES:
5.5 kg - Pale Malt (88%)
0.3 kg - Caramel / Crystal 10L (4.8%)
0.3 kg - Carastan (30/37) (4.8%)
0.15 kg - Roasted Barley (2.4%)

HOPS:
28 g - Saaz (AA 4) for 90 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil
28 g - Centennial (AA 10) for 15 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil

MASH STEPS:
1) Temperature, Temp: 72 C, Time: 0 min, Amount: 28 L, Strike Temp
2) Temperature, Temp: 67 C, Time: 90 min, Amount: 28 L, Mash
3) Temperature, Temp: 77 C, Time: 10 min, Amount: 28 L, Mash-out

YEAST:
White Labs - British Ale Yeast WLP005
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 70.5%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temperature: 18.33 C - 21.11 C

I have chosen these grains and hops because there is a LHB here that gives these (and a few others) away nearly (~$2.50/kg or ~$1.20/lbs).

I am hoping for a moderate toasty caramel aroma and taste, with a deep red copper colour. I am sure to get a tan head that lasts longer than the beer does with all the crystal and carastan I have in this recipe. I'm not sure what the hops will do but I'm thinking they aren't likely to give any aroma - just the IBUs I want so that is good for me. I will most likely force carb this at 2.4.

There it is - what do y'all think?
:mug:
 
I'd suggest swapping out the Caramel 10 with Caramel 80. It gives a deeper caramel flavor.

Also, i really like Maris Otter as the base grain in Irish Reds
 
Thanks SouthBay.

I was under the impression that Irish Red Ales had a toasty flavour, but not nutty. I know this is splitting hairs but that is the beauty of AG right? Also I would worry that adding the caramel 80 with the carastan and roasted barley would be more like a nut brown ale than and Irish red in color. Seeing as I am already splitting hairs might as well continue. Are those assumptions correct or am I picking hairs to precisely?

That said that would likely be a deadly nut brown, using the same numbers with an 80% eff brewersfriend.com is showing an ABV of ~6%, FG of ~1.018, and an IBU of ~25. Sounds dangerously quaffable! I have enjoyed extract but I am already seeing the dangers of AG :drunk:
 
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