Hoppy Red

[hbear]

Hello, World! I'm relatively new to brewing, (I'm currently working on my third extract/specialty grain batch,) and am hoping to get some help modifying a kit I'll soon be brewing. It's an Irish Red from Midwest Supply, but it's relatively low gravity and subtly hopped. The ingredients are as follows:

6 lb Gold liquid malt extract
12 oz caramel 40L
2 oz special B
2 oz Roasted Barley specialty grains
1 oz Cascade hops
1 oz Fuggle hops

I'd like to up the OG to around 1.060, and IBUs to 60-70. (I love a good hoppy red.) So, what would you suggest I do to raise the gravity, and what hops/how many/at what point should I add them (bitter, flavor, aroma, dry hop)? I recognize that much of this is a matter of personal opinion, but I really need some suggestions.

Thanks!

 

[hbear]

I know no one has responded to this yet, but I've come up with what I think is a decent variation on the recipe. I've upped the LME and dramatically increased the hops. I would love to get some feedback on the recipe... please... somebody... I'm so inexperienced...

9.5lb Gold liquid malt extract
12oz caramel 40L
2oz special B
2oz roasted barley
1oz Columbus (60 min)
1.5oz centennial (60 min)
1oz centennial (30 min)
1oz cascade (10 min)
.5oz cascade (5 min)
1oz cascade (1 min)
2oz Amarillo (dry hop)

I didn't make any changes to the steeping grains. Should I...?

 

[TimTrone]

I brewed a hoppy red last night. Grain bill looks fine. If you're going for a huge hop aroma I would drop the last cascade addition, and add that ounce to the dry hop with the Amarillo. That would be tasty

 

[TimTrone]

although centennial makes a mean dry hop too

 

[hbear]

Thanks for the hop suggestion. I was trying to go easy on the dry hopping to avoid a grassy flavor, but I think I'll go ahead and up the ante.

As for the grain bill, you don't think 9.5 pounds of a single type of extract is too much given the relatively few steeping grains? You wouldn't make any additions/replacements to balance it out?

 

[TimTrone]

If it was all grain, I would add about 1/2 pound of a darker crystal to add some body and color. However, with a extract brew your beer will finish at a slightly higher gravity anyways.

When you dry hop, leave the hops in for just 7 days. You get the grassy flavor when you leave the beer on the hops for extended periods.

 

[hbear]

Excellent! Thank you for the help!

 

[boxofjibboo]

I did a similar
7# light Dme
.66 # caramunich
.66 # crystal 20l
.25 # chocolate malt

60 min 2 oz CTZ
0 min 2 oz CTZ
0 min 2 oz falconers

Dry hop 2 oz CTZ


It came out pretty dark probably bc of the chocolate malt. Pale choc would have been better. Had an awesome aroma.

 

[hbear]

That looks and sounds DELICIOUS. I really like the color; that dark red hue makes it look rich. I notice you didn't add any hops after bittering and prior to the end of the boil. Any particular reason? I'm planning on doing a smattering of hops throughout the process. (You can see my recipe posted above.)

 

[boxofjibboo]

Trying to get some flavor and aroma.. It was 1 oz of each at 0 min and 10 after flameout. I got a great aroma and not sure if I should say it was because of the dry hop, or bc of those late additions

 

[TimTrone]

That looks and sounds DELICIOUS. I really like the color; that dark red hue makes it look rich. I notice you didn't add any hops after bittering and prior to the end of the boil. Any particular reason? I'm planning on doing a smattering of hops throughout the process. (You can see my recipe posted above.)

You can get substantial hop aroma and flavor from "hopbursting". I would highly suggest looking up that technique. I prefer to mix a small bittering addition, hopbursting, and snow dry hopping. I find that doing all 3 gets you a insane hop character to the beer.

 

[TimTrone]

"snow dry hopping"= SOME dry hopping. Damn phone