Irish Red Ale Irish Red (1st place HBT comp)

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Saccharomyces

Be good to your yeast...
HBT Supporter
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
5,438
Reaction score
166
Location
Pflugerville, Texas
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
Wyeast 1272
Yeast Starter
1.25L x2
Batch Size (Gallons)
10.5
Original Gravity
1.051
Final Gravity
1.011
Boiling Time (Minutes)
60
IBU
21
Color
Ruby red
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
10 @65*F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
14 @72*F
Tasting Notes
Roasty, malt forward but dry finish. Modeled after Smithwicks, the \"gold standard\"
My house Irish Red ale. It is best after 4 months of aging, so I brew 10 gallon batches and re-brew when the first keg kicks. The key to this style is malt forward but with a roasty, dry finish. Hop flavor is barely noticeable and there is no hop aroma. If you can lager, even better, use a clean lager yeast (eg. WLP840, WLP833). I only do ales though so I pitch Wyeast 1272, and ferment on the low end of the range to suppress ester production. Wyeast 1272 American Ale II is a nice, clean ale yeast that accentuates malt character. WLP051 is an exact sub for this yeast (it is the Anchor Liberty strain). If you use dry yeast, Nottingham or US-05 will work fine for this style, but if using the dry I recommend increasing the mash temp to 152*F.

This style should be crystal clear in the glass and shine ruby red when held up to a light. If you bottle condition, I recommend a two week secondary followed by pitching some English yeast like a half package of S-04 in the bottling bucket so the beer finishes nice and clear in the bottle.

Malt Bill for 10 gallons:

12# Maris Otter (70%)
4# Vienna (24%)
12oz British Roasted Barley 500L (4%)
6oz Crystal 120L (2%)

Mash 150*F for 75 min.

Hop Bill for 10 gallons:

2oz 4.5% AA Fuggles (75 min)
1oz 5.0% AA Goldings (15 min)

Extract Version (for 5 gal):

4# Light DME
2# Munich LME
5oz Roasted Barley, steeped 20 min @155*F
2.5oz C120L, steeped 20 min @155*F
 
just want to clarify something. 60 minute boil but 75 min first hop addition? Are you first wort hopping or boiling longer than the 60 min listed?
 
That is what i figured, but stranger things have happened.

Also, is this a smithwicks clone or was that just the inspiration for the recipe? Lots of people seem to want a clone, so i just want to make sure it's clear. Why does it need so long to age by the way? I need to brew an Irish Red soon for my neighbor, but 4 months might be a touch long to let it age for my purposes.
 
Also, is this a smithwicks clone or was that just the inspiration for the recipe? Lots of people seem to want a clone, so i just want to make sure it's clear. Why does it need so long to age by the way? I need to brew an Irish Red soon for my neighbor, but 4 months might be a touch long to let it age for my purposes.

It isn't a clone, I just used Smithwicks as my model. Mine is fuller bodied and a bit roastier than Smithwicks. If you lagered my recipe and dropped the gravity to 1.044 or so it would be almost a dead on clone.

It's certainly good after 2 months of aging but the roasty flavors don't really meld with the rest of the brew until it's about 3+ months of age. That seems to be true of other styles I make with lots of dark malts as well (eg stout, porter, imperial porter, imperial stout). That said, I would not be ashamed to serve this after two months, it's still a very good beer, especially if you give it enough time to cold condition.
 
Im about to do 10g of Irish Red for me and my BIL. If we lagered half, which White Labs lager yeast would you think be appropriate?

WLP840, the Budweiser yeast, I would try first, but Irish Red is similar to Oktoberfest/Maerzen in style so any yeast suited to an Oktoberfest would work well I think. If you try it please let me know how it works out!
 
I use Fawcett roasted barley which is ~500L. It gives a nice stout-like roast taste.

This beer is definitely on the dark end of the style but is quite tasty as it is. If you want it lighter, you could drop the RB down a bit. I haven't tried US RB, but I suspect it won't work as well since a lot of the flavor comes from the black roast barley.
 
Thanks for getting back to me. My LHBS only carries the Crisp Roasted Barley which is 700L. I tried making a red ale before and it came out brown.
 
Thanks for getting back to me. My LHBS only carries the Crisp Roasted Barley which is 700L. I tried making a red ale before and it came out brown.

This beer is pretty dark, definitely on the dark end of the style.

For an extract I would use mostly light dry extract and 1-2# of Munich LME, then steep the roast barley and crystal malts. You will want to cut back on the roast barley a bit for extract since it will be fairly dark already from the LME.
 
Cant find the 500L British roasted barley, how will using black patent 500L affect this. Also i plan on using WLP002 english ale yeast since thats all i could find. Planning on this tomorrow.
 
Cant find the 500L British roasted barley, how will using black patent 500L affect this. Also i plan on using WLP002 english ale yeast since thats all i could find. Planning on this tomorrow.

WLP002 will work fine as long as you mash low and ferment around 65*F. I would avoid patent, domestic roasted barley will sub ok it's just a bit lighter.
 
WLP002 will work fine as long as you mash low and ferment around 65*F. I would avoid patent, domestic roasted barley will sub ok it's just a bit lighter.

Thanks, i mashed at 150 and its bubbling away now at 63 deg. went with the black patent however, still looks great though.
 
12 oz of roasted barley? That seems like a lot for a red!

But that is a 10 gallon batch. :)

I have decided when I re-brew this recipe I will use the WLP840 lager yeast.

I drank a lot of Killians in college, it was my first non-yellow-BMC beer. It will be nice to rotate this one out with my Helles for my easy drinking, swill like I don't have to work tomorrow even though I do, beer.
 
Sounds like a great award winning recipe. I'm doing a slightly different red without the Maris and Vienna (mainly due to ingredients on hand) but I'll add this one to the list! Thanks.

Feel free to redirect me to a beginner thread if it's out there, but can you please explain how pitching yeast in the bottling bucket helps clarify the beer for bottle conditioning? That sounds counter-intuitive to my newly developing brewmind.

Thanks!
 
Sounds like a great award winning recipe. I'm doing a slightly different red without the Maris and Vienna (mainly due to ingredients on hand) but I'll add this one to the list! Thanks.

Feel free to redirect me to a beginner thread if it's out there, but can you please explain how pitching yeast in the bottling bucket helps clarify the beer for bottle conditioning? That sounds counter-intuitive to my newly developing brewmind.

When you condition with the primary yeast, the yeast that are left to carbonate the beer are the least flocculant cells (and there aren't many of them) meaning your beer will take awhile to carb and will be difficult to clear. When you pitch fresh yeast you have more flocculant cells and more of them, so the beer carbs quickly and clears quickly. Most commercial breweries that bottle condition beers add yeast at bottling time for this reason.
 
Got around to brewing this one up yesterday, a partial mash version. Think I underestimated both my mash efficiency and how much weight of LME was in a 2L container from my LHBS, because my OG was 1.058. Also subbed Willamette for the Goldings. IBU's came in at 24 so that should balance the extra gravity nicely. I'm sure this one will still be delicious.

Thanks for the recipe!
 
Brewed this yesterday, also subbing willamettes in since I had them in the freezer. Is this normally a slow starter on fermentation? I was a little over 12 hours with no activity. I might be a few degrees high. I'll head home at lunch and move into the old mans wine cellar if it hasn't started
 
Do you reckon Sacc that honey could enter your recipe? It would be nice to have a scent of honey into a ruby red roasty ale..

And, as for roasted barley; do you mash with the other malts for the entire mash time? or do you just dip it into your mash during the last 15 min or so? maybe stupid question, i just have no clue..
 
Do you reckon Sacc that honey could enter your recipe? It would be nice to have a scent of honey into a ruby red roasty ale..

I don't think honey will do anything for this recipe, it's so subtle unless you use something like buckwheat or wildflower honey, it won't come through, and the more flavorful honey would clash with the flavors of the brew since it's mostly floral.

And, as for roasted barley; do you mash with the other malts for the entire mash time? or do you just dip it into your mash during the last 15 min or so? maybe stupid question, i just have no clue..

My water is rather alkaline so I include it throughout the full mash time. It is possible to add the dark malt at the end (essentially just steeping it in the mash) if your water is soft, that will help prevent the mash pH from dropping too low and is a technique I have used before (eg schwartzbier).
 
Thanks for quick reply Sacc! Another quickie: do you reckon munich malt is a good sub for vienna malt? unfortunately, my local dealer here in Stockholm doesnt distribute it..

and academically speaking, can you refer me to bibliography or literature explaining how mash temperature is related to type of yeast used in fermentation.. i quote what you mentioned 'If you use dry yeast, Nottingham or US-05 will work fine for this style, but if using the dry I recommend increasing the mash temp to 152*F.' i would love to find out the mechanics behind all this.. thanks!
 
Thanks for quick reply Sacc! Another quickie: do you reckon munich malt is a good sub for vienna malt? unfortunately, my local dealer here in Stockholm doesnt distribute it..

I would use less munich if you are subbing. Maybe half of what you would use for vienna. Or you could lightly toast some of the malt for a few minutes in the oven at a moderate temperature to try to sub for vienna (not the same but it adds complexity of flavor).

and academically speaking, can you refer me to bibliography or literature explaining how mash temperature is related to type of yeast used in fermentation.. i quote what you mentioned 'If you use dry yeast, Nottingham or US-05 will work fine for this style, but if using the dry I recommend increasing the mash temp to 152*F.' i would love to find out the mechanics behind all this.. thanks!

howtobrew.com has some info about mash temps. US-05 and nottingham are more attenuative than other yeasts (80%+ rather than the typical 75%) so you want more longer-chain dextrines left in the wort that the yeast won't ferment. Otherwise the beer will end up flat and lifeless.
 
Just bought the ingredients for this and I'm extra stoked since I found this recipe a while back.

I'll be using Nottingham and I am very aware of it's relatively high attenuation. I figure I'll keep the mash ~152-154* to make sure the notty doesn't strip everything away that will make it great.

Also, due to not knowing what lovibond my LHBS's domestic roast is, I opted instead for Carafa Special II 400L. I figured it will be alright and may actually be ready faster than the 4 months you mentioned due to not having to wait for the roast to mellow. Also, in the list of specifications for the beer, for color you put "Ruby red." Do you happen to have the actual estimated SRM so I might compare?

This will also be the first brew in which I do water adjustments with salts. Going for a slightly malty profile which I'm sure will let everything shine through that should. Slightly higher calcium concentration to simulate many famous UK brewing cities.

Hopefully will be brewing this one on Monday... so I'm just going to be obsessively planning it in my head for the next two days! I'll be sure to post what changes were made in the end and how it turned out! :rockin:
 
I brewed this recipe back in February, but I forgot to post. The recipe is pretty similar to my IRA, so I decided to try a lager yeast with this one. I used WLP840 in a 5gal batch. Some notes from my journal.

"Very nice beer. Great malt flavor. Has a bit more roast character then mine, roast balances well and is more inviting than anticipated. Nice dry finish. Should have done 10gal."

I filled a couple bottles from the keg so I could compare it to mine when I re-brew it using WLP840. I managed to advance my IRA recipe to the 2nd round of NHC last year. But I think I like Sacc's better. This recipe is a keeper for certain.
 
Awesome, thanks for the great feedback. I was hoping the lager yeast would really help the malt character to pop. I tried to keep the esters as low as possible but I think this will be the way to go when I re-brew.
 
My house Irish Red ale. It is best after 4 months of aging, so I brew 10 gallon batches and re-brew when the first keg kicks. The key to this style is malt forward but with a roasty, dry finish. Hop flavor is barely noticeable and there is no hop aroma. If you can lager, even better, use a clean lager yeast (eg. WLP840, WLP833). I only do ales though so I pitch Wyeast 1272, and ferment on the low end of the range to suppress ester production. Wyeast 1272 American Ale II is a nice, clean ale yeast that accentuates malt character. WLP051 is an exact sub for this yeast (it is the Anchor Liberty strain). If you use dry yeast, Nottingham or US-05 will work fine for this style, but if using the dry I recommend increasing the mash temp to 152*F.

This style should be crystal clear in the glass and shine ruby red when held up to a light. If you bottle condition, I recommend a two week secondary followed by pitching some English yeast like a half package of S-04 in the bottling bucket so the beer finishes nice and clear in the bottle.

Malt Bill:

12# Maris Otter (70%)
4# Vienna (24%)
12oz British Roasted Barley 500L (4%)
6oz Crystal 120L (2%)

Mash 150*F for 75 min.

Hop Bill:

2oz 4.5% AA Fuggles (75 min)
1oz 5.0% AA Goldings (15 min)


can someone scale down to 5G? i don't have any software. thanks!!!
 
just brewed it exactly as you mentioned in recipe. nailed the OG on the spot, etc. except one thing, it doesnt look too red to me... :( it is more amber like than red..you reckon it'll open up after fermentation?
i even went from 4% to 3% of roasted barley (i'm not sure its British roasted barley, but I did buy it in England!). mmm.. These red ales are tricky! second time i try and it turns brown..
 
Hi,

I'd like to brew this beer but my SWMBO doesn't like burnt (roasty) flavors in her beer. Should I keep the roasted barley out altogether or just cut it down to half (6oz)?

I'm concerned that if I leave the roasted barley out it will change the beer too much but knowing my SWMBO she'd like the beer better with none. Appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks.
 
Just pulled my first couple pints of this bad boy. Nice beer. I would make it again. Forgot to put roasted malt on my shopping list so I nixed it from my recipe. Also I'm kind of new to brewing and my attenuation wasn't as high as i'd like (aeration problem I think), so mines a little sweeter than it should be.

Thanks for the the recipe Saccharomyces. And thanks for having saccharomyces as your name. It has made me remember how to spell

P.S. doing this again and probably will be using a lager yeast. Wanna make a couple lagers will it's winter time
 
So I brewed this up a month ago and forgot to post. I split the batch into 5 gallons lager, and 5 ale. After two weeks I moved the ale into a secondary and the initial taste was a really good beer. I'm interested to see how it will turn out in 2 more months. Thanks for the recipe!
 
Brewing this tomorrow as a 5 gallon batch. My local store had 650l roasted barley so I cut it back using beersmith to get around 16 srm. I'll let ya know how it comes out.
 
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