Red ale

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McGrath Brewery

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I know this sounds like a completely stupid question to all you super brewers out there :D but what is a red ale? Oh and also i was wondering if i could add extra hops to an already hopped extract to give it a better flavour... :confused:
 
Red ale in my mind is something smoother and drier in taste than a typical lager, not particularly sweet (but maybe sweeter than pilsner/lager), and not particularly hoppy (compared to a typical pale ale, say). I think the beast comes in many forms - Kilkenny from Ireland qualifies as a red ale, IMHO, and that's the smooth creamy end of the red spectrum. There are plenty of other more lager-ish variants, Rickard's Red being a very popular one (around here, anyhow).

The "Brewhouse" kits have a really good red ale, if you want to explore the thing with no fuss. Red is probably my favorite every day beer - I never seem to get sick of smooth, flavorful, malty goodness.

To make a red, I think a certain amount of roasted barley is added to a pale malt base, but I think there are about a million ways to concoct these things.

You can add as much hops as you want, until you get beer so bitter it's undrinkable. Go nuts.
 
The 2004 BJCP has a subcategory for Red as:

9D. Irish Red Ale
Aroma: Low to moderate malt aroma, generally caramel-like but occasionally toasty or toffee-like in nature. May have a light buttery character (although this is not required). Hop aroma is low to none (usually not present). Quite clean.
Appearance: Amber to deep reddish copper color (most examples have a deep reddish hue). Clear. Low off-white to tan colored head.
Flavor: Moderate caramel malt flavor and sweetness, occasionally with a buttered toast or toffee-like quality. Finishes with a light taste of roasted grain, which lends a characteristic dryness to the finish. Generally no flavor hops, although some examples may have a light English hop flavor. Medium-low hop bitterness, although light use of roasted grains may increase the perception of bitterness to the medium range. Medium-dry to dry finish. Clean and smooth (lager versions can be very smooth). No esters.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body, although examples containing low levels of diacetyl may have a slightly slick mouthfeel. Moderate carbonation. Smooth. Moderately attenuated (more so than Scottish ales). May have a slight alcohol warmth in stronger versions.
Overall Impression: An easy-drinking pint. Malt-focused with an initial sweetness and a roasted dryness in the finish.
Comments: Sometimes brewed as a lager (if so, generally will not exhibit a diacetyl character). When served too cold, the roasted character and bitterness may seem more elevated.
Ingredients: May contain some adjuncts (corn, rice, or sugar), although excessive adjunct use will harm the character of the beer. Generally has a bit of roasted barley to provide reddish color and dry roasted finish. UK/Irish malts, hops, yeast.
Vital Statistics:
OG: 1.044 - 1.060
FG: 1.010 - 1.014
IBU: 17 - 28
SRM: 9 - 18
ABV: 4.0 - 6.0%
Commercial Examples: Moling's Irish Red Ale, Smithwick's Irish Ale, Kilkenny Irish Beer, Beamish Red Ale, Caffrey's Irish Ale, Goose Island Kilgubbin Red Ale, Murphy's Irish Red (lager), Boulevard Irish Ale, Harpoon Hibernian Ale

Wild
 

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