Irish Red - lack of Crystal 40

[jasonclick]

I'm brewing an Irish Red this Sunday I'm using the following recipe: http://byo.com/mead/item/1868-irish-red-ale-style-profile

I went to my LHBS yesterday and all they had was 1 oz of crystal 40. I got that 1 oz. I also have on hand plenty of Crystal 20 and Crystal 120. What should I sub for the missing 5 oz of crystal 40?

Recipe
Irish Red Ale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.053 (13.2 °P) FG = 1.014 (3.5 °P) IBU = 25 SRM = 18 ABV = 5.2%

Ingredients
9.9 lbs. (4.5 kg) Crisp British pale ale malt or similar British pale ale malt
6.0 oz. (170 g) Great Western crystal malt (40 °L)
6.0 oz. (170 g) Great Western crystal malt (120 °L)
5.0 oz. (142 g) roasted barley (300 °L)
5.25 AAU Kent Golding pellet hops, (1.05 oz./30 g at 5% alpha acid) (60 min.)
White Labs WLP004 (Irish Ale), Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale) or Fermentis Safale US-05 yeast

 

[MrE_the_Great]

Layering crystal malts can be a really good idea for adding complexity to a beer. You could use the 40L that you have on hand and the 20L together and arrive at a great beer.

As you roast the grain darker the flavor it contributes will change as well so you can't just use 1/2 the amount of 120L and call it the correct amount of 60L. Did that make sense?

I'd use the 1 ounce of 40L and add the remaining 5 oz of 20L. For an irish red, the sweetness of the 20L should be fine.

At least that's my take.

 

[ericbw]

I would use 5 oz of the Crystal 20 to make up the difference. The taste might be slightly different, but overall close. Your color might be a little different, but the color comes mostly from the roasted barley. It should be a perfectly good Irish Red!

(I split the hops and do 2/3 of them at 60, and the remaining 1/3 at 15 minutes. But that's just personal choice.)

 

[jasonclick]

I appreciate everyones help.