Red Ale feedback

[Ron_Blackhurst]

I'm starting my second batch ever this weekend and would like to get some feedback on my recipe. Thanks in advance for any help.

Steeping grains:
1 lb crystal 40
1/2 lb crystal 20
2 oz roasted barley

Boil:
60 min
3 lbs briess light LME
1 oz challenger

15 min
1 oz Kent Golding

5 min
3 lbs briess light LME

Flame out:
1 oz cluster.

Yeast US-04



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[homebrewmike]

Why are you splitting up your LME?

 

[homebrewindonegal]

I'd drop the 1/2lb crystal malt and double the roast.
Traditionally (Irish Red, aye?) you wouldn't have the last hop addition. This is a malty beer.

HomebrewMike is right about splitting the extract too. You aren't going to need to worry about darkening the malt by a few degrees in a dark ale.

Just my 2c worth. I've some red ale credentials.
Try Nottingham yeast or WLP004 Irish Ale for a better result, then reuse it in a nice dry stout!

 

[homebrewmike]

When I do an extract of my Irish Red these are my steeping grains.
1 lb 20L Crystal
.5 lb Munich
.5 lb roasted barley

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

I wouldn't say I'm going for traditional. I'm just modifying a recipe my LHBS recommended. Will the last hop addition be a little much?

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[homebrewmike]

Mine is a bitter Irish Red. I throw 1 oz Northern Brewer @ 60, 1 oz Northern Brewer @ 30 and 1 oz Fuggles @ 15. It is surprisingly balanced despite those two Norhern Brewer additions. It is all up to your taste. Are you making it so you can drink it and share with friends or are you sending it to competitions?

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

Well being my second batch ever it may just depend on how it turns out.

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[Ron_Blackhurst]

For now just a beer to enjoy.

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[Ron_Blackhurst]

How do you think adding 2 lbs Munich DME would affect the outcome? I'm not familiar with Munich yet.

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[homebrewmike]

2 lbs seems like a lot, it would increase the overall fermentables in your beer and give an increased OG.

 

[pumpkinman2012]

This is basically what the Brewers Best Red Ale kit is, I made several of these and loved them before moving over to All Grain.

6.6 lb. Light LME
8 oz. Caramel 120L
1 oz. Chocolate
HOPS
1 oz. UK Golding
1 oz. UK Fuggle
Whirlfloc -1 Tablet.

Steep grains in 2.5 gal water (I preferred a full boil, adding the full 5 gallons instead of the 2.5) between 150º - 165º F for approx 20 mins, do not exceed 170°.
Bring your wort to a gentle, rolling boil. Add all of the included LME to the boiling and stir to avoid the LME sticking and burning to the bottom of the kettle.
Add Golding at 55 mins
Add Fuggle at 10 min
Add Whirlfloc at 15 min
Irish Ale (Wyeast Labs #1084) or Danstar Nottingham yeast.

Cool to 60°, ferment with either Irish Ale (Wyeast Labs #1084) or Danstar Nottingham yeast.

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

2 lbs seems like a lot, it would increase the overall fermentables in your beer and give an increased OG.

So it would raise my abv? Possibly lowering my IBU?

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[Ron_Blackhurst]

How would it affect the overall taste?

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[homebrewmike]

Yes it would shift the balance of the malt vs hops. As for the taste I can't really help you there, I've never used Munich in those quantities. But brewing is about experimenting and find out what tastes the best to you.

 

[homebrewindonegal]

You'll make a lovely beer, no doubt, but swaying off the Irish Red style.
Munich gives a bready/toasty flavour, which isn't a million miles away, but you're heading into Oktoberfest territory.

Pumpkinman, your 1oz of chocolate will make a nice beer, no doubt, but you'll miss out on the roast bite and dryness in a traditional Irish Red.

Again, I'm only offering style advice, not flavour advice. So long as your recipe is well thought out (not too much of one thing) and there are no fermentation flaws you are going to have a nice beer. And an Irish Red is a nice base style to try things out on.

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

I think if I stick with my original recipe this time it will help me with some modifications for my next brew

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[pumpkinman2012]

Pumpkinman, your 1oz of chocolate will make a nice beer, no doubt, but you'll miss out on the roast bite and dryness in a traditional Irish Red.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

Well its official. This brew turned out to have something I'm not fond of but I'm not sure how to describe it. I'm wondering if it was the cluster addition.

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[Ron_Blackhurst]

Possibly the s-04 yeast?

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[buzzerj]

Oh God you used Cluster hops? For aroma? Bad move Ron. No it's not your yeast. How do you spell cat piss? I spell it Cluster hops. Live and learn. Here is my tried and true Irish Red ale recipe. This one is devine. I've used this grain bill for multiple beers and it works out really well.

weight type boil time color ppg points
38% 3.00 lbs Golden Promise 60 min 2°L 37.0 16.65
9% 12.00 oz Belgian Biscuit Malt 60 min 23°L 36.0 4.05
9% 12.00 oz British Crystal 50/60 60 min 55°L 34.0 3.83
3% 4.00 oz Belgian Special B 60 min 220°L 30.0 1.13
40% 3.15 lbs Northern Brewer Liquid Maris Otter Extract 5°L 36.0 22.68

weight type form phase alpha acid time aau ibu
1.00 oz US Willamette Leaf Boil 4.5% 60 min 3.83 18
1.00 oz US Sterling Leaf Boil 7.0% 15 min 5.95 14
1.00 oz US Willamette Leaf Boil 4.5% 5 min 3.83 4

weight type phase
0.17 oz Irish Moss 20 min. Boil

You can use Goldings hops instead if you choose. This will give you a OG of 1.048, and F.G of 1.012 for a 4.7%ABV. A nice 14 SRM and 36 IBU. I use Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale yeast. I mash with 6 quarts of water at 153 degrees F for 60 minutes. Primary for 7 days at 68 degrees F and secondary for 7 days at 68 degrees F then bottle or keg.

Try this, you will enjoy it.

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

Basically I should never listen to the fat guy at my lhbs! I'm a little irritated with all of this!

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[Ron_Blackhurst]

Oh God you used Cluster hops? For aroma? Bad move Ron. No it's not your yeast. How do you spell cat piss? I spell it Cluster hops. Live and learn. Here is my tried and true Irish Red ale recipe. This one is devine. I've used this grain bill for multiple beers and it works out really well.

weighttypeboil timecolorppgpoints
38%3.00 lbsGolden Promise60 min2°L37.016.65
9%12.00 ozBelgian Biscuit Malt60 min23°L36.04.05
9%12.00 ozBritish Crystal 50/6060 min55°L34.03.83
3%4.00 ozBelgian Special B60 min220°L30.01.13
40%3.15 lbsNorthern Brewer Liquid Maris Otter Extract5°L36.022.68

weighttypeformphasealpha acidtimeaauibu
1.00 ozUS WillametteLeafBoil4.5%60 min3.8318
1.00 ozUS SterlingLeafBoil7.0%15 min5.9514
1.00 ozUS WillametteLeafBoil4.5%5 min3.834

weighttypephase
0.17 ozIrish Moss 20 min.Boil

You can use Goldings hops instead if you choose. This will give you a OG of 1.048, and F.G of 1.012 for a 4.7%ABV. A nice 14 SRM and 36 IBU. I use Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale yeast. I mash with 6 quarts of water at 153 degrees F for 60 minutes. Primary for 7 days at 68 degrees F and secondary for 7 days at 68 degrees F then bottle or keg.

Try this, you will enjoy it.

Is this an extract recipe?

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[Ron_Blackhurst]

I'm guessing partial mash. I wish I had the funds to purchase equipment to do so. I'm struggling to even pick up a kit right now.

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[buzzerj]

Yes it's partial mash but I can covert it to whatever you want, all grain or extract with grains. Let me know. Yeah if you have to use Cluster, don't and if you really have to use it do so as a bittering hop but then reconsider and don't. Cluster is a really old American hop and the newer varieties are now much much better.

 

[Ron_Blackhurst]

I guess the taste that comes to mind is dry. Like a very dry wine or champagne

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