First All Grain - IRA

[liamw]

Hi All,

I'm preparing to do my first all-grain batch, and am looking for some input on the recipe. I'd like to do a hopped up Irish Red Ale. So far here is what I've come up with:

8lb 2-row
1lb Brown malt
1lb Crystal 40L

Mash 60min @ 152f

1oz Hallertauer Tradition (7%AA) @60min
1oz Galaxy (14.9%AA) @10min
1oz Galaxy@ 5min
1oz Galaxy@ 0min

My questions are:

Is this too much Galaxy? I like the galaxy hop but will this schedule leave the beer one-dimensional?

I have some Sorachi Ace lying around, would these work in this recipe?

How does the malt bill look? Its based on a recipe kit that can be purchased at my LHBS, with mainly the hop schedule being different.

Should I do a dry hop?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[liamw]

Forgot to add, this will be a 5.25gal batch. My calculator calculates this at 60 IBU. OG 1.052, FG 1.013 SRM 12.72. I'll be using US-04 Dry yeast, and fermenting at ~68f for ~21 days.

 

[LLBeanJ]

How close to style are you trying to get? If you want to be close, I'd just have the bittering addition and ditch the rest. Also, you're going to want some roasted barley. About 4-5 oz.

Edit: I just re-read your post. Hopped up Irish red.

In that case, it looks pretty good.

 

[liamw]

I'm not looking to be style-specific at all. I've had a few India Red Ales at bars and I've really enjoyed them, so I'm looking to duplicate that style at home. Sort of an Irish Red/IPA cross.

 

[LLBeanJ]

See my edit on the last post. Looks like a nice brew.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I just put your recipe in BeerSmith. It's coming out with about 69 IBUs. That's the high side of the IPA category. Are you going for that much bitterness?

Maybe consider:
Moving the 10 minute addition to 5m, and move the 5m to flame out (2 oz total @ flameout). That will lower the bitterness, while still giving some nice hop flavor.

 

[liamw]

Thanks! Do you think its heavy on the galaxy? I know its all a mater of taste, but would it be better to toss an ounce of citra or something in at flameout to give it a bit more depth?

 

[liamw]

Perhaps I'll take the 10min addition out, and add another oz of something else (sorachi, citra) at 0min

 

[LLBeanJ]

I'm not familiar with Galaxy, but in reading the description for it, it sounds like a nice hop. I'd probably be inclined to keep it simple and go with just the Galaxy.

 

[chickypad]

Agree, if it's more of a red IPA you're going for that's not too much galaxy. It does seem like a lot of brown malt to me though. I know Irish reds have can have some roast character but 10% sounds like a lot - more like what I would use in a brown or porter. Personally if I was doing a red I'd leave out the brown malt and do a combo of medium and dark crystal, but then again I'm not a huge fan of too much roast in combo with fruity/citrusy hops. I do enjoy Firestone Wookey Jack when I'm in the mood but otherwise I'm not a big black IPA/CDA fan. A couple oz of dark roasted malt for color would be common though, as LL mentioned.

 

[armedcor]

That title mad me uncomfortable ha

 

[LLBeanJ]

That title mad me uncomfortable ha

I bet!

 

[liamw]

No political connotations or offense intended! India Red Ale is all that the title stood for.

 

[armedcor]

Haha none taken!

 

[Yooper]

In my experience, IRAs are India red ales. Instead of being dry in the finish like Irish reds, they tend to be like American Ambers (American reds). Instead of roasted barley I would use some darker crystal malt and some lighter Crystal malt to get red color and then hop it up. I am on my phone right now, and don't have access to my favorite IRA but it is nothing like an Irish red.