First Red Ale and it needs body!

Hello all, I tried my first red ale recipe and after 3 weeks I'm starting to cold crash. I just took a gravity reading before I started crashing it and it seemed like it needed a bit more body. Anyone have any ideas on this recipe? I did a 60 min mash at 153, 1.0 Oz fuggles at 60 min and .50 Oz goldinngs at 20 min with a 90 minute boil. The SG was 1.057 and FG at 1.015. Thanks!

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I would reserve judgement until it's properly carbonated and ready to drink. It still may very well be that you desire more body after that, but a beer being carbonated and conditioned makes a big difference!

Lowtones hit the nail on the head! Wait 2 or 3 weeks!

Thanks for the replies, I will see how it is after its carbed up.

Just wait. Between the amounts of crystal malts you have and the lowish attenuation you should have plenty of chewables left in there. To me it sounds like a fairly malty and heavy beer!

JKaranka said:

Just wait. Between the amounts of crystal malts you have and the lowish attenuation you should have plenty of chewables left in there. To me it sounds like a fairly malty and heavy beer!

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Exactly what I was thinking. 153 mash, 1.015 FG should have good body. A few weeks of bottle conditioning and I have a feeling any fears will have been allayed.

Thanks a lot. I thought it would be on the heavy side but it felt a little watery and not as malty as I was expecting.

Don't know if anyone is still on here but I'm really pleased with the body. Head retention isn't quite there and just a tad darker than red but tastes quite nice.

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Looks good! Glad that it turned out well.

Why were you worried about the body? Just curious.

When I tried the gravity sample it felt pretty watery to me at the time.

Sounds like conditioning and carbonation did the trick. 1.015 is pretty heavy body. What yeast did you use?

ericbw said:

Sounds like conditioning and carbonation did the trick. 1.015 is pretty heavy body. What yeast did you use?

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I used Wyeast 1084

I think I'm going to lighten up on the black roasted barley, a bit, next time around.

I like strong roasted barley flavor in an Irish Red, but that's just my preference.

Most of my English and Irish-type recipes have a 1/2 lb of flaked oats in them for the body and smoothness.

SlickTX said:

Most of my English and Irish-type recipes have a 1/2 lb of flaked oats in them for the body and smoothness.

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Sounds good, I might have to try some next batch.

Seems like an absolutely wild percentage of crystal malts.... 23.5% total...... I would expect a lot of body and sweetness........ a pound and a half of CR60 should lend it a rather cloying sweetness.