Gremlyn's Irish Red

Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 6.5 gal
Estimated OG: 1.055 SG
Estimated Color: 17 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amount - Item - Type - % or IBU
8.00 lb - Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) - Grain - 83.11 %
0.75 lb - British Crystal - (55-65 SRM) - Grain - 7.79 %
0.50 lb - Flaked Barley (23.0 SRM) - Grain - 5.19 %
0.375 lb - Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) - Grain - 3.90 % (6oz was VERY roasty, back off to 4oz unless you know you like it ROASTY!)
*.* oz - Northern Brewer (60 min) - Hops - Aim for 0.45 Bittering Ratio (IBU/GU)
1 Tab - Whirlfloc (10 min)
1 Starter - Burton Ale (White Labs #WLP023) - Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 9.63 lb
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Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
60 min Mash at 154.0 F

View attachment Irish Red.xml

I have made some changes to this recipe, because although it good, I wanted a more prominent roasted barley character. To keep the colour the same I had to drop out the 80L and subbed in some lower crystal. Initial tastes at kegging time were good, we'll see how it does after a few more weeks of aging and carbonating.

How did this turn out? trying to find a recipe I can make this weekend that can sit for about 5 weeks in Primary.

I've found that I prefer the roast flavour from a few oz of black patent to roast barley in Irish reds. Just keep the black patent to 2 or 3 oz tops, or it starts to dominate everything.

I suppose a one-two punch of 3oz of british black barley (500L) and 2oz of Black Patent (550L) might be nice, but you're already toward the 'brown ale/brown porter' side of the style, so tread carefully.

You can also compliment roasty character with (small) additions of very dark crystal malts, like special b - which can be 200L or more. Like with BP, keep the additions small, or the flavours start to dominate, and you're really looking to compliment relatively subtle roastiness.

I need to update the recipe actually. It's mostly the same, but I've played with the amounts of a few things. I've enjoyed all variations I've made so far. Let me see if I can get the recipe updated for you...

Edit: Updated to the latest variation, it was been the one I liked the most of the three times I've made this. I did 6oz of roasted barley; some might see it as too much, so I would recommend doing 4oz-6oz depending on your love for the roastyness.

Cool, would it make much difference if this recipe stayed on primary for about 5 weeks?

how did the wlp 023 work for an Irish red? I've got a vial in the fridge and want to brew an Irish red and don't want to fork over the money for Irish ale yeast if this will work well.

EricT said:

Cool, would it make much difference if this recipe stayed on primary for about 5 weeks?

Click to expand...

Kind of a late reply, but no it wouldn't matter.

1Mainebrew said:

how did the wlp 023 work for an Irish red? I've got a vial in the fridge and want to brew an Irish red and don't want to fork over the money for Irish ale yeast if this will work well.

Click to expand...

WLP023 is great in this. I love it in all malty English-based styles. I didn't get an overly fruity nose from it, I think the roasted barley helps to mellow it out a little.

I just brewed this one over the weekend. I did a half batch and went with 3 oz of roasted barley, I like roasty beers. Its bubbling like a mad man right now.

Great, report back how you like it