American Red?

[rodwha]

Had a few bucks left to spend for brewing ingredients and came across Special B which I had tried in an old ale. At first it had a plum-like flavor but after many months it became a bit strange.

I just worked up a quick recipe that I'll just call an American red. I'm looking for any suggestions or insight as I'm not familiar with Special B or carared. This is what I have for a 5.5 gal batch:

7.5 lbs 2-row
0.75 lb special b
0.75 lb carared
0.5 lb carafoam
0.75 oz Willamette @70 mins
0.25 oz Willamette @14 mins
US-05

1.052/1.010
5.5% ABV
15 IBUs
14 SRM

Will ~8% carared make it red?

Will ~8% special b give me a solid plum-like flavor?

 

[frazier]

When I have used Special B, there was a definite raisiny flavor (which was the intent).

I am currently drinking my recent batch of Denny's Waldo Lake Amber, which includes 2# of Munich and 2# of CaraRed. It has a glorious mellow maltiness under the hops, and a nice reddish amber color as well. I don't see the recipe in HBT's database, but it is widely available by a quick google search.

Cheers!

 

[cormano]

That sounds like a lot of Special B to me. I think it will be awful dark and raisin-y for a red ale. I've never used carared.

 

[Yooper]

I didn't figure the percentages, but with 8% carared and 8% special B plus 7(?) % carafoam, it's too high in crystal/cara malts even for an American red.

I'd go with less Special B and consider ditching the carafoam (you don't need it in this beer). A well-hopped American red can use as much as 15% cara- malts but I'd consider that the absolute max.

Special B is nice in small amounts, so maybe consider 1 pound carared and .25 pound of Special B if you want to use both.

With an OG of 1.052 and 15% crystal malt, you definite would want to increase the IBUs to balance it.

 

[rodwha]

From what little I found last night seemed to say that 5% or less doesn't impart the plum/raisin-like flavors I am looking for.

I often have head retention issues, which is why I have the carafoam. I could swap it for flaked barley. I don't want a cloudy beer so I'm avoiding any wheat. The US-05 will make it as cloudy as I'd want.

Initially I had the red and B at about 5% each.

I used a default Willamette (5%) but see I have a 7.7% in my freezer. I'll swap that out and bring it closer to 20. Or would that still not be enough?

 

[rodwha]

With an SRM of just 14 I didn't think it would be a nice medium red, which is why I upped the carared to 3/4 lbs. But I have no clue as I've never used it.

 

[rodwha]

I see that flaked barley will cloud my beer. Is there anything else I can use to help that won't? Or should I just shrug it off and deal with it? I don't care so much but sometimes do try to make for a nice presentation.

 

[Yooper]

I see that flaked barley will cloud my beer. Is there anything else I can use to help that won't? Or should I just shrug it off and deal with it? I don't care so much but sometimes do try to make for a nice presentation.

When you have a boatload of crystal malt (and yes, that's a boatload), you don't need flaked barley, carapils, flaked wheat, etc for head retention. The crystal malt will give you tons of body and head and head retention.

After all, carafoam and carapils ARE crystal malts.

 

[rodwha]

I really wish I could nail down why I often have head retention issues. I often use 10%+ crystal malts and something helpful and it's just not great all the time.

I had revised my recipe to reduce the carared to 1/2 lb and swapped the carafoam for soft white wheat berries. I also used the 7.7% Willamette I have and get 24 IBUs.