Hoppy Red Ale

[CrookedTail]

I'm trying to put together a hoppy red ale. Most American reds tend to be higher gravity beers, but I'd like to keep mine at session strength. Think Irish Red drinkability, with American Red hoppiness.

I've been thinking up a recipe. It's sort of all over the place, so bear with me.
Tell me what you think:

Fermentables
3.3lbs Amber LME
3.3lbs Extra Light LME
6oz Caramel 80L
3oz Special B malt
2oz Roasted Barley

Hops
1oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ 60 min
.5oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ 10 min
.5oz Centennial (10 AAU) @ 10 min
.5oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ flameout
.5oz Centennial (10 AAU) @ flameout
1oz Centennial (10 AAU) Dry Hop

Yeast
US-05

OG: 1.048
IBU: 29.8
SRM: 15

 

[luke2080]

What are you trying to get out of being hoppy? More bitterness or just Aroma?

The IBUs aren't on the hoppy end, which is why I ask. The two additions at 10 and 0 minutes would both add to the aroma end, but not bitterness. (I think it needs to be boiled for 20 minutes to release the bitterness of the alpha acids within the hops)

If this were me, brewing on extract (if this were AG I would say use a First Wort hops) get rid of your @ flameout hops, and add another hop addition at 45 minutes. This will increase your IBUs (by how much depending on what you use) Your Dry Hops will help add the aroma afterwards.

Depends what you are going for. If you want a more malty profile, and just the aroma, go with what you are doing.

FYI - I am still a bit new to the brewing world (but jumped into the deep end right away) and I'm not used to the Extract brewing, so can't comment too much on the recipe itself. Good luck!

 

[jfowler1]

If you are serious about hop flavor and aroma, you could consider flipping your hop additions

from:

1oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ 60 min
.5oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ 10 min
.5oz Centennial (10 AAU) @ 10 min
.5oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ flameout
.5oz Centennial (10 AAU) @ flameout
1oz Centennial (10 AAU) Dry Hop

to:

.5oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ 60 min
1oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ 10 min
1oz Centennial (10 AAU) @ 10 min
1oz Cascade (5.5 AAU) @ flameout
1oz Centennial (10 AAU) @ flameout
1oz Centennial (10 AAU) Dry Hop

I do not have a calculator to work it out, but the perceived bitterness will be similar, with a lot more hop flavor and aroma in hop bill #2.

If you want something more balanced, but leaning on the side of bitter, you original hop bill looks great. If you want more pronounced flavor and aroma, consider option 2.

I do not have experience with extract, but if you twisted my arm, I like would start with ~1/2 lb of medium crystal (maybe 40L), 1/4lb dark crystal (120L), and add a small amount (2-3 oz) of a toasted/roasted grain (I like the UK pale chocolate 200L because it gives lots of toast and color with a minimal roasted contribution to the grain bill). I would make the rest of the gravity up with a light DME (and forego the Amber). It should give you a SRM in the range of 13-14, with a layered caramel and a hint of toasted grain.

But your malt bill is already along those lines, so go with what sounds good to you.

Joe

 

[Yooper]

What are you trying to get out of being hoppy? More bitterness or just Aroma?

The IBUs aren't on the hoppy end, which is why I ask. The two additions at 10 and 0 minutes would both add to the aroma end, but not bitterness. (I think it needs to be boiled for 20 minutes to release the bitterness of the alpha acids within the hops)

If this were me, brewing on extract (if this were AG I would say use a First Wort hops) get rid of your @ flameout hops, and add another hop addition at 45 minutes. This will increase your IBUs (by how much depending on what you use) Your Dry Hops will help add the aroma afterwards.

Depends what you are going for. If you want a more malty profile, and just the aroma, go with what you are doing.

FYI - I am still a bit new to the brewing world (but jumped into the deep end right away) and I'm not used to the Extract brewing, so can't comment too much on the recipe itself. Good luck!

My feeling is just the opposite! Keep the bittering additions low-ish, just enough to provide enough bitterness, and hop UP the end, from 10 minutes or less! I use hops only at 60 minutes, and then at 15, 10, 5, 0, and dryhop for IPAs, APAs, and ambers. 45 minute hops are a waste, as you don't get full bittering from them and you don't get flavor or aroma from them.

Here's the hops schedule for my American red:

1.50 oz Williamette [4.80 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 26.8 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [4.80 %] (10 min) Hops 5.9 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (5 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (1 min) Hops 0.4 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [4.80 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)
1.00 oz Williamette [4.80 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Cascade (homegrown) [5.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -

 

[skibb]

that sounds delicious!

It looks nice and balanced - its got the build and bitterness of an Irish red but with a more pronounced hop flavor/aroma. I like that its not over the top in any way, but it seems these people really want you to make it either more bitter or more hoppy.

 

[CrookedTail]

that sounds delicious!

It looks nice and balanced - its got the build and bitterness of an Irish red but with a more pronounced hop flavor/aroma. I like that its not over the top in any way, but it seems these people really want you to make it either more bitter or more hoppy.

Yeah I guess by saying I wanted a "hoppy" red, people thought I wanted something over-the-top bitter. That's my fault, although I do appreciate everyone's input here.

The point is to build something sessionable, like an Irish Red. I want that deep red color, but with that American hop flavor and aroma.

I guess by saying that I want a hoppy session beer I could just brew an APA. But where's the fun in that?

 

[CrookedTail]

In case any of you are interested, I brewed the recipe from the OP. After 10 days I transferred it to the secondary fermenter. The gravity sample I took tasted awesome!

I'll give an update when it's ready to drink.

 

[CrookedTail]

So I finally tried this brew out. Overall it was quite good.

The beer is a nice garnet color. It has a frothy white head that lasted until I finished the pint. The aroma was not exceptionally pronounced, as it had only been in the keg (where I added dry-hops) for a few days. I'm guessing that will improve in another week. As for the taste, it was a bit dry initially. Not very bitter, but there's a good American hop flavor to it without being overdone. There is some maltiness, but the US-05 dried this beer out maybe a tad too much.

Think Smithwick's with American hops. I want to see what another week with the dry-hops in the keg does for this. The beer has a lot of potential. I think the malt/hop combination works, but I may try S-04 yeast next time to make it a little less dry and bring out the malt a tiny bit more.

I'm quite happy with this!