Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 10:00:05 -0500
From: Jeff Renner <jeffrenner at comcast.net>
Subject: Alternative St. Patrick's Day brew
Brewers
It's about time to think about brewing a beer for a St. Paddy's Day
party. How about something different from the usual stout or green
beer, something with an American touch?
As I just commented in my CAP/CACA post, a cream ale is a great, easy
drinking beer, popular with brewers and megaswillers alike. A
variant is what I call an Irish-American Red Ale. It's become an
annual HBD tradition for me to suggest it every winter in time for
St. Patrick's Day. I've received good feedback from many happy
brewers from as far away as Australia.
This is my take on an Irish-American ale that I figure is similar to
what might have been served in Irish neighborhood taverns in the
Northeast 100 years ago, although I have no proof. Maybe like
McSorley's? It's sort of a red ale with corn, flaked barley, medium
crystal and a touch of chocolate.
It's a little stronger than a British session beer, a little less
than typical US beers (due to higher FG), and certainly less strong
than the authentic ales of a century ago, but they didn't have to
drive home then. This is popular with Killian's drinkers as well as
real ale fans as it has enough interest to hold them. Resist the
temptation to up the bitterness as it is inappropriate in this
style.
Below is a slightly updated version of a previously posted recipe.
Feel free to substitute ingredients or modify procedure, of course -
it's your beer. Don't worry about Cluster if you can't get it, it's
just the traditional American bittering hop. Other British-style
flavor/aroma hops (Fuggles, Willamette, etc.) are fine, too. I would
avoid the Cascade types as inauthentic, and not to my taste for this
style, besides.
You may need to adjust grain and hops amounts for your system.
Let me know how it turns out if you do brew it.
Jeff
-=-=-=-=-=-
McGinty's Irish-American Red Ale
5.25 gallons at 1.044/ FG 1.015
5.5 lbs 6-row (US 2-row will work, too)
1.75 lbs flaked maize
0.75 lbs flaked barley
0.5 lbs crystal 30-45L
2 oz. chocolate
Mash 154F/68C 60 minutes for a somewhat higher FG than usual.
Bittering hops - Cluster (I used 3/4 oz for 19 IBU)
Finishing hops - Goldings (Domestic would be fine) (I used 1/2 oz for
15 min. for 4 IBU and another 1/2 oz at knockout) (FWH might be nice
here)
Target 23 IBU
Irish moss (of course) last 15 minutes will help clarity, but it's
not usually a problem for me.
Irish Ale yeast or any ale yeast (I prefer more flavorful yeasts than 1056).
- --
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, JeffRenner at comcast.net
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943
