Imperial Red Ale

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zaprozdower

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So I just bottled my pumpkin porter and have my fermentor empty. I've been thinking about a good recipe that will take awhile to mellow out while I'm home for winter break. I really, really like Lagunitas Imperial Red especially for someone who doesn't usually care for more hoppy beers. So I came up with this recipe on beer calculus and hope it might come somewhat close, let me know what you guys think...

pounds oz
3 3 Light/Pale Malt Extract Syrup
3 0 Amber Dry Malt Extract
1 0 Light Dry Malt Extract
1 0 Weyermann CaraRed
1 0 American Crystal 60L

Time oz
60 1.0 Warrior
30 0.5 Cascade
0-5 0.5 Cascade
0-5 0.5 Spalt Spalter

So according to Beer Calculus that puts me at about 48 IBU and 6.4 ABV. For this recipe I'm really trying to get the color right since my first 2 brew's colors were off (hazy brown Belgian wit and dark brown porter). This recipe says its at 14 SRM, or copper to red which sounds perfect!
 
A couple of thoughts. I'm assuming a 5 gallon batch. Per my readings on Beersmith, you would have a 1.061 OG (and about 5.9% ABV), which if you are trying to clone Lagunitas Imperial Red, is a little low. That beer is listed at 7.6% ABV. So you may have to up the malt extract. Also, if you are really concerned with color, that can be difficult to duplicate with an extract batch. I've found that to be expecially true with LME, my guess is that it will come out darker than you expect.

Cheers :tank:
Mark
 
Thanks for the input! According to beer calculus it would be 6.4%, which is high enough for me! (although I might throw another pound of light dry). Do the hop types seem right, was thinking of adding simcoe instead possibly? Anyone have any ideas for good yeast for this kind of beer, WLP001 is starting to bore me.

I'll look out for the extract making it too dark, maybe add the amber extract in later in the boil?
 
Here is a recipe from the Maltose Falcons that was inspired by Lagunitas Impy Red. Sorry if is for 26 gal and all grain. Hope it helps.

IMPERIAL AUGUST RED ALE
Kent stepped up at the last minute to fill the kettles with a malty and West Coast hoppy beer inspired by Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale.
Style: Imperial Red Ale / Strong Ale
Brewed by: Kent Fletcher
Brewed at: The Shop
Batch Size: 26 Gallons
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Estimated OG: 1.077
Actual OG: 1.076
Est IBU: 33.7
Est SRM: 16.6
Efficency: 79%
Recipe Index | Promash File

Grains, Extracts, Sugars
Malt Name Maltster Amount Percentage
2-Row Great Western 50.00 lbs 70.4%
Munich Malt Weyermann 12.00 lbs 16.9%
Crystal 80L 6.0 lbs 8.5%
Munich Malt 100 2.0 lbs 2.8%
Special B Malt 1.0 lbs 1.4%

Hops
Name Form Alpha Amount Time
Warrior Pellet 16.0% 2.0 oz First Wort
Amarillo Pellet 9.4% 1.4 oz 30
Colombus Pellet 16.7% 0.60 oz 30
Cascade Pellet 5.0% 1.40 oz 5
Colombus Pellet 16.7% 0.60 oz 5

Yeast
Man. Code Name Type Amount (Starter)
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Ale

Mash Schedule
Step Rest Temp Rest Time Heat Water
Sacchrification Rest 153°F 90
 
Thanks for the help, but I already found that recipe. I'm really just not set up for all-grain yet and probably dont have enough experience.
 
yeah, but if you calculate out and sub in light DME and munich DME(I think they make it right?) for the 2-row and munich grains and use the same specialty grains (but scale everythign back for 5 gal)...you should be golden!
 
yeah, but if you calculate out and sub in light DME and munich DME(I think they make it right?) for the 2-row and munich grains and use the same specialty grains (but scale everythign back for 5 gal)...you should be golden!

Can't find any munich DME, seems like it might be a good idea to use the CaraRed if possible.
 
Okay, I plugged this into ProMash and thought about it.

First, you're using waaaaay too much crystal/caramel malt. Doesn't matter how high you hop it, body and sweetness - not maltiness, but sweetness - are going to be over the top. Omit the CaraRed - it's not a domestic ingredient anyway - and get your color from the one pound of Crystal. You can approach a pound and a half if you mix up your Crystals - I recommend a blend of 60L, 80-90L, and 120L.

Second, I'd adjust the hops schedule to reflect the following. If you conduct your steep in your main brewkettle, you can add the Warrior to the kettle before you apply the heat. This is a way for extract brewers to conduct First Wort Hopping, which provides a smoother bitterness and extracts significant amounts of hops flavor. This also allows you to add your aroma hops at the very end of the boil or at flameout. Omit the Spalt; you don't want European ingredients in an American ale. Substitute Chinook for the piney flavors reviewers have noted in Lagunitas's IRA.

Third, I think your IBU is a bit over the top, even taking away the IBUs imparted from the flavor additions, FWH and small boil volume. I wouldn't go over 40 IBU for this beer. Reviewers don't say much about bitterness. They do talk about hops and caramel-malt flavor and aroma.

Fourth, as an extract brewer you should be using the palest extract you can find and adding most of it at the end of the boil. So omit the Amber extract; the manufacturer has added specialty grains to it already, reducing your level of control on the brew. Replace it with pale DME. I'd conduct the boil with a couple of pounds of DME dissolved in the steep liquor (I used 2.5 gallons for my calculations), then add the rest of the extract with 10 minutes left to go in the boil. Search HBT for "late extract addition" to learn more.

Fifth, see my entry on American Amber Ale in the HBT Wiki.

That ought to be enough to keep you busy for a couple of minutes of thought. ;)

Bob
 
Okay, I plugged this into ProMash and thought about it.

First, you're using waaaaay too much crystal/caramel malt. Doesn't matter how high you hop it, body and sweetness - not maltiness, but sweetness - are going to be over the top. Omit the CaraRed - it's not a domestic ingredient anyway - and get your color from the one pound of Crystal. You can approach a pound and a half if you mix up your Crystals - I recommend a blend of 60L, 80-90L, and 120L.

Second, I'd adjust the hops schedule to reflect the following. If you conduct your steep in your main brewkettle, you can add the Warrior to the kettle before you apply the heat. This is a way for extract brewers to conduct First Wort Hopping, which provides a smoother bitterness and extracts significant amounts of hops flavor. This also allows you to add your aroma hops at the very end of the boil or at flameout. Omit the Spalt; you don't want European ingredients in an American ale. Substitute Chinook for the piney flavors reviewers have noted in Lagunitas's IRA.

Third, I think your IBU is a bit over the top, even taking away the IBUs imparted from the flavor additions, FWH and small boil volume. I wouldn't go over 40 IBU for this beer. Reviewers don't say much about bitterness. They do talk about hops and caramel-malt flavor and aroma.

Fourth, as an extract brewer you should be using the palest extract you can find and adding most of it at the end of the boil. So omit the Amber extract; the manufacturer has added specialty grains to it already, reducing your level of control on the brew. Replace it with pale DME. I'd conduct the boil with a couple of pounds of DME dissolved in the steep liquor (I used 2.5 gallons for my calculations), then add the rest of the extract with 10 minutes left to go in the boil. Search HBT for "late extract addition" to learn more.

Fifth, see my entry on American Amber Ale in the HBT Wiki.

That ought to be enough to keep you busy for a couple of minutes of thought. ;)

Bob

Wow, thanks for all the input...really helpful. Ok, so I took your advice on the new malt and hops and made a new recipe on beer calculus -

4 pounds light DME
3 Pounds light LME
1 Pound Crystal 60L
.5 Pounds Crystal 80L

1 oz Chinook 60 min
.5 oz Simcoe 30 min
.5 oz Simcoe 0-5 min

That puts it at 6.5% ABV, 44 IBU, and 15 SRM (might take a little of the 80L out to lighten it up a bit). Hopefully this recipe makes more sense, kinda wanted to use Simcoe, does it make sense in an Imperial Red? How about yeast...I was thinking Irish Ale or just plain California Ale?
 
Simcoe is reputed to have aromas of pine and passionfruit; I think it's a fine choice for flavor and aroma.

As for yeast, I'd use the Cali ale or White Labs Cal V - a yeast I used as a house yeast for some time while brewing at a brewpub in Northeast PA. Cal V is more estery than Cali Ale (WLP002?), making a more complex beer.

Bob
 
Er...yeah. You're a homebrewer and can do whatever you like! ;)

Seriously, Rye Whisky is an American drink. I see no reason why American Ale can't have some rye in it. It's not in keeping with how AAA began, but that's why they call it "evolution".

Good luck!

Bob
 
Alright so I'm stopping by Greensboro tomorrow to pick up my ingredients, this is what i decided on after looking around for ideas...

4 pounds Light DME
3.3 pounds Light LME
1 pounds Crystal 60
.6 pounds Crystal 80

1 oz Amarillo 60 min
.5 oz Simcoe 40 min
.5 oz Simcoe 20 min
(plan to put some of each for dry hopping, if not simcoe at 30 and 10 min)

White Labs Calfornia V yeast or Wyeast Northwest Ale yeast

Puts me at 14 SRM, 6.4%ABV, and about 40 IBU.
Look good?
 
Ok so I've got the ingredients, ended up with an oz of Amarillo and an oz of cascade (didnt have any simcoe). Anyone have any suggestions for the hop schedule? Right now I'm at 39 IBU, which seems a little low for this style. Should I get some more hops, and if so which would be best?
 
Any feedback would be helpful, this will be my first made up recipe so I dont really know what im doing!
 
More hops! You need a more intense hops character than two ounces of hops will provide. Get another ounce of Cascades. That will let you do a more-or-less continuous hops addition:

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 20.4 60 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade Whole 5.75 10.5 45 min.
0.50 oz. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.00 10.4 30 min.
0.50 oz. Cascade Whole 5.75 3.1 15 min.
1.00 oz. Cascade Whole 5.75 0.0 0 min.

That'll give you about 45 IBU (given the AA% above) and a whole raft of flavor and aroma.

Cheers,

Bob
 
Yeah I had a feeling I should have bought more hops. Alas there are no LHBS in Boone, NC, and I dont think anything I order online would come before Friday. Stupid of me, guess I'll have to make do with a weak IPA...
 
Ok I found a LHBS in the area and have some Simcoe Plugs and Magnum whole flowers in the mail. How does my new hopping schedule look?

60 0.75 Amarillo pellet 7.0
60 0.25 Simcoe plug 13.0
40 0.5 Cascade pellet 6.6
30 0.25 Amarillo pellet 7.0
20 0.5 Simcoe plug 13.0
0-5 0.5 Cascade pellet 6.6
0-5 0.25 Simcoe plug 13.0

In beer calculus, IBUs come out to about 40...a little low for the style but so is my ABV, so hopefully it will be more balanced. Should I change it at all or incorporate the magnum as well? Let me know what you think please!
 
I'd leave it as is. Magnum is a variety I like to use for bittering only. (What's the name of that shop?) You flavor profile should be lovely.

Cheers!
 
I'd leave it as is. Magnum is a variety I like to use for bittering only. (What's the name of that shop?) You flavor profile should be lovely.

Cheers!

Thanks man! Yeah I read that Amarillo and Simcoe works pretty well together, and Cascade is always nice for aroma. I'm a fan of more balanced IPAs like Weyerbacher's DIPA, so should turn out nicely for me.

The store I got my last minute Simcoe from is Hops and Vines in Asheville, NC. Apparently it's one of the best stores around!
 
Because I am obsessed over this batch as my first made up recipe, I have one more question for you guys.

I feel like I should dry hop a bit for this beer, any suggestions on what to take out of that schedule for dry hopping? I was thinking of taking out some of the cascade for a dry hop. And is it ok to dry hop for several weeks?

And I think my water is a bit soft, should I add some gypsum to harden it up a bit so the hop qualities come out more?
 
Hopefully going to start the brewing in a few hours, so last chance to give me your input which I know you're dying to do... :)
 
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