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NW Red Partial Mash Recipe

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hbear

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Apr 17, 2012
Messages
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Location
Eugene
Hello, Brew Friends,

I recently brewed an extract Irish Red from a kit, (only because I had a gift certificate to use,) but upped the gravity and hops considerably. I was hoping for something along the lines of Green Flash Hop Head Red. The recipe is posted below:

Specialty Grains:
12oz caramel 40L
2oz special B
2oz roasted barley

Extract:
9.3lb Gold liquid malt extract

Hop Additions:
1oz chinook (60 min)
1oz centennial (60 min)

1oz centennial (20 min)

1oz centennial (10 min)
1oz cascade (10 min)

1oz cascade (1 min)

1oz cascade (dry hop)
1oz Amarillo (dry hop)

Yeast:
1056 Wyeast

But here's the deal: I'm not satisfied with this beer. Not at all. The toasted red flavor I was hoping for is far too subtle, the malt flavor has a frustrating taste that I would say is extract "twang," but most importantly, the hop flavor is lacking. I wanted a huge hop aroma, but the beer ended up bitter without much else. The bitter is fine, but I want the taste and smell.

My plan is to attempt my first partial mash to get this recipe where I want it. I've upped the hops, replaced a good deal of extract with grain, and upped the Special B to try and get more raisiny flavor like Hop Head Red has. Here is my revised recipe:

Grains:
5 lb Pale Two Row
2 lb Munich
8 oz Special B
4 oz Crystal 120L
4 oz Roasted Barley

Extract:
4 lb Light LME

Hop Additions:
.5 oz Centennial (60 min)

.5 oz Centennial (40 min)

1 oz Fuggles (20 min)

2 oz Cascade (10 Min)
2 oz Centennial (10 min)

2 oz Cascade (0 Min)

2 oz Amarillo (Dry Hop)
2 oz Cascade (Dry Hop)

In addition, I'm going to try my first 90 minute boil, and do a late extract addition to try and eliminate the dreaded "twang."

So, suggestions? Comments? Criticisms? ANYTHING to help me? Does the grain bill look alright? Are the hops overkill? Too many late hop additions? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I want this one to come out right.
 
For a Red you may want to replace the 4 oz crystal 120 with 8 oz crystal 80. If you do a late addition, consider your hop utilization with the thinner wort. The DME should be fine to add early in the boil without risking any bad flavors, twang. This then will take away some of your bitterness. My two cents and just my opinion.
 
I don't think this is a recipe problem as much as it is procedural / a problem with the ingredients. 2oz of dry hop should give you a nice hop aroma in the original recipe. Perhaps the hops were old?
 
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