New Red Ale recipe

[moeron15]

Hi Guys,
I'm trying a red ale recipe using Melanoidin and Honey malts (I haven't used either yet). Trying to keep it simple and get a nice color/malty flavor. I tend to like smooth, malty British ales. What do you think? (AG, 5gal batch)

8lb 2-row Malt
1lb Honey Malt
2lb Melanoidin Malt

.75oz Brambling Cross 60min
1.0oz Fuggles 15min
.75oz East Kent Goldings 5min

Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale yeast

24.5 IBU, 1.057OG, 9.8 SRM according to BeerSmith.

 

[Malticulous]

I wouldn't use more that 8 oz of Melanoidin Malt. Well I have but never again.

 

[jtejedor]

Ditto for honey malt. I would at most go half pound on each and maybe not even that on the honey malt.

 

[moeron15]

Would you guys add some crystal malt and more two row to make up the difference in color and gravity?

 

[Malticulous]

I would add some dark English crystal. That's were you will find a good dose of English character with strong toffee flavors.

5% Weyermann melanoiden malt will give it a strong malt flavor. I used 10% once and though it was way too much.

I'm not really a fan of honey malt. I use light crystal (10L-20L) in it's place. I like Wyermann carahell. A light British carastan is probably more what you want.

 

[SkiNuke]

If you want an Irish Red Ale, put a few ounces (4ish) of Roasted Barely in. That should darken it up (and impart some red color). However, if you don't like the slight roasted flavor that roasted barley imparts, I have heard of people steeping the roasted barely to get the color with minimal flavor (or as Malticulous was saying, use dark crystals).

 

[moeron15]

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions. I've tweaked the grain bill as follows:

2oz Roasted Barley
4oz Honey Malt
8oz Melanoidin Malt
1lb Crystal 60
8lb Two Row

That gives the following results according to BeerSmith:
1.051OG, 25.8 IBU, 13.1 SRM

I'll stick with the original hop schedule. Hopefully it will come out well, I'll let you know what happens.

 

[jtejedor]

Sounds like it should be pretty good to me.

 

[Malticulous]

Looks tasty.

 

[moeron15]

This came out well. It's a dark ruby color and has a nice malty, dry flavor. Toe to toe with Sam it's darker.Flavor is similar but mine tastes a bit richer. Sam is a bit more carbed. Will do this one again for sure.