Imperial Irish Red Christmas Ale??

[jstuts2260]

So here's what I'm thinking: I'm planning on making a BIG Irish red this weekend and I've been reading up on ginger snap ales. I think the combination could be awesome.

So basically it would be a carmelly Irish ale with hints of ginger, cinnamon and cloves coming in at a nice 9% abv or so.

LB OZ
10 8 American Two-row Pale
2 0 Munich Malt - 10L
1 0 Oats, Flaked
1 0 British Crystal 70-80L
0 4 Chocolate Malt (UK)
0 4 Black Patent Malt
Hops:
1 oz Chinook - 60 minutes
1 oz Willamette - 10 minutes

Spices:
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 - 1/2 cup molasses

Yeast: San Diego Super

I can't decide when to add the spices. My pumpkin ale I added them at 60 & 10 minutes and it turned out awesome.

Has anyone done anything like this? I'd like to make this one a Christmas gift to friends so I hope it doesn't suck ass.

Let me know your thoughts!

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

im not sure on the spices myself i am brewing a holliday this weekend, but from what ive read the late hop additions will mask your spice flavors. I am brewing with only 60 min hops and putting the spices in the secondary... but ive not done it before just a trial for me.. let me know how it turns out!

 

[permo]

It looks great, but I think with 8 oz of dark roasted malt you are going to be in the brown porter color sprectrum possibly. I would ditch the black patent and go with the 4 oz of chocolate alone. Also, I would be sure to mash rather high, maybe 154, so that you don't get a very dry beer. I find the residual sweetness helps accentuate the spices.

 

[jstuts2260]

I was wondering about the Black patent myself. I based the Irish recipe off of a Rogue Imperial Irish Red clone I found. I was planning on mashing in at 153 actually, so I completely agree.

I don't think the spices will be too overwhelming, but I also don't want them to be too subtle. It's supposed to have some bite to it (similar to a ginger snap).

 

[fdrsqer]

Did you ever brew this recipe? How was it? I was thinking of doing one like this.

 

[jstuts2260]

The beer turned out great actually. I've used cinnamon a few times in beers and once the bitterness mellows out (about 2 months of aging) it's quite nice. I bottled them in bombers and used wax on the top over the cap and it looked awesome.

I actually have a few bottles let over that I'm cellaring till next year.