Putting the red into an amber ale

[Onthebrew]

I have brewed MoreBeer’s Irish Red many times and have made it my house red ale. Here are the specialty grains they use in a 5 gallon recipe.
1 lb crystal 120°
8 oz Abbey
8 oz Caramunich 3
2 oz 500 °L roasted barley
2 oz Special B

It looks like this
View attachment 762134

That is pretty much bang on the colour I’m after!

 

[bwible]

I have brewed MoreBeer’s Irish Red many times and have made it my house red ale. Here are the specialty grains they use in a 5 gallon recipe.
1 lb crystal 120°
8 oz Abbey
8 oz Caramunich 3
2 oz 500 °L roasted barley
2 oz Special B

It looks like this
View attachment 762134

What is “Abbey” malt?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

GE - Abbey Malt
https://www.morebeer.com/products/malt-weyermann-abbey.html

 

[bwible]

GE - Abbey Malt
https://www.morebeer.com/products/malt-weyermann-abbey.html

Thats a new one by me. Maybe because I can’t stand Belgians and I don’t brew them.

 

[bwible]

I just listed the specialty grains… their recipe sheet simply says “10 lbs 2-row”

Did you ever put this in software and get an approximate SRM number? Just curious. 16, 17?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

with what he stated I get 17.93 srm that's pretty dark

 

[bwible]

with what he stated I get 17.93 srm that's pretty dark

Thanks!

 

[camonick]

Did you ever put this in software and get an approximate SRM number? Just curious. 16, 17?

I think my last batch was listed at 19.6 SRM. It doesn’t really fit the parameters of a true Irish Red according to the sliders in BeerSmith, but it’s a very good, malty amber. Lighting when photos are taken is the key. My new batch I’m drinking now looks like this when held to the light, otherwise it does look quite dark.

 

[bwible]

I think my last batch was listed at 19.6 SRM. It doesn’t really fit the parameters of a true Irish Red according to the sliders in BeerSmith, but it’s a very good, malty amber. Lighting when photos are taken is the key. My new batch I’m drinking now looks like this when held to the light, otherwise it does look quite dark.
View attachment 762184

Thats still a pretty color

 

[Elric]

Lighting really is the key! Here is my scotch ale, it's a dark chestnut brown.

BUT, hold it up to a light and it is a gorgeous shade of red.

 

[AlexKay]

I just made an Irish red that I colored with chocolate rye and Simpsons DRC. (I♥DRC.) No roast astringency, very nice taste, 5 stars, would brew again.

 

[Onthebrew]

I just made an Irish red that I colored with chocolate rye and Simpsons DRC. (I♥DRC.) No roast astringency, very nice taste, 5 stars, would brew again.

How does DRC compare with special B?

 

[AlexKay]

How does DRC compare with special B?

It’s got some of the same plum/raisin notes. It is roasted, so you get some burnt sugar goodness, but it’s not roasted enough to go bitter or astringent the way black barleys can be. I personally find Special B a little overpowering, and think that DRC shows more restraint. But that’s me.

 

[Broothru]

I just made an Irish red that I colored with chocolate rye and Simpsons DRC. (I♥DRC.) No roast astringency, very nice taste, 5 stars, would brew again.

I've got 7~8 lbs Red-X laying around in the leftovers bin, as well as some Fuggles and EKG with a year or two in the freezer, unopened. Thinking I'll do a ragout adjusting gravity with M.O. or Golden Promise. I can't remember how much diastatic power Red-X has, if it will self-convert itself and a little carared (also a bit past it's due date). At least the color should be pretty. Anybody got some good suggestions?

 

[AlexKay]

According to their web page, red X is about 60 degrees Lintner, so self conversion and then some. Kind of like a light Munich.

 

[Miraculix]

I've got 7~8 lbs Red-X laying around in the leftovers bin, as well as some Fuggles and EKG with a year or two in the freezer, unopened. Thinking I'll do a ragout adjusting gravity with M.O. or Golden Promise. I can't remember how much diastatic power Red-X has, if it will self-convert itself and a little carared (also a bit past it's due date). At least the color should be pretty. Anybody got some good suggestions?

Yes, it will convert, probably also some adjuncts or crystal as well.

I wouldn't add crystal though, as red X is quite rich, sweet on it's own already. If anything, I would add pale malt if I would want to upp the gravity above 1.05 because above that, the colour tends to shift into a brown when using red X only.

 

[AlexKay]

Yes, it will convert, probably also some adjuncts or crystal as well.

I wouldn't add crystal though, as red X is quite rich, sweet on it's own already. If anything, I would add pale malt if I would want to upp the gravity above 1.05 because above that, the colour tends to shift into a brown when using red X only.

White wheat is good for this too.

 

[AlexKay]

Here’s 92% English pale, and 4% each chocolate rye and DRC. K97 yeast. Very happy with how it turned out (though maybe a little dark on color.)

 

[gaviga]

3% enough or should i swap a bit more Munich out for it?

I usually use a pound or less in a 10 gallon batch for an orangy/reddish hue, so probably 8 oz in 5 gallons. You don’t want too much of the sweetness there.

 

[Jag75]

I've used active red and really like it.