Red Plum Ale

[rodwha]

Having made a strong ale and noting the almost plum-like taste made me consider a milder strength beer. I’ve made this twice but am still falling a bit short on both red and plum-like. Suggestions?

This is the last recipe I created (5.25 gals):

7.5 lbs 2-row
1 lb Special B
0.75 lb carared
0.5 lb carafoam
0.375 lb white wheat

According to Castle Special B it’s a form of crystal malt so I’m afraid to increase the amount much more, and I’d assume carared is similar (MoreBeer and Weyermann’s don’t have info posted).

I’ve contemplated plum purée, but would prefer to use just grains. I find it odd that the old ale had a raisin/plum-like flavor with 3/4 lb of Spl B in a stronger beer further diluting the percentage.

 

[RM-MN]

Mostly guessing here but I'd probably take out the grains that don't help with the plum flavor or red color and replace them with ones that may. Your Special B is probably going to be the source of the plum flavor so keep that but white wheat, carafoam, and carared should probably go. Try some black patent malt for the red color. In too large of quantities it will make your beer more brown but small amounts add red. You could also get some red from roasted barley but use quite small quantities of that. I'd probably add some caramel 20 for a little sweetness.

Now I realize this isn't a recipe but it might be a starting point.

I just looked up the different malt names and their closest similar names. Carared is about the same as caramel 20. Carafoam and carapils are about equal too. Special B is approximately the same as caramel 120.

 

[rodwha]

If carared seems to be a type of crystal 20 wouldn’t it be a little better to continue to use it, maybe cutting back a little, over crystal 20 itself?

How much black patent would you start with assuming the wheat, carafoam, and 1/4 lb of the carared is pale ale malt instead (as well as the 2-row)?

Does another dark grain such as Midnight Wheat or Carafa appear a shade of red in tiny amounts?

 

[RM-MN]

Here's an example of an Irish Red that uses 4 oz of roasted barley and 4 oz of dark chocolate malt to get the red.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/riona-red.586335/

That should give you a starting point. Your Special B will give you some of the reddish hue.

 

[rodwha]

Thanks for the help!

 

[KB12]

You can also tweak the color in the secondary by adding some steeped dark grains liquid. I think Gordon Strong talks about doing this in his book on technique. Basically steep some dark grains (carafa III, black patent or such) in a quart of water or so. Boil to sanitize. You can add that super dark fluid to the secondary in small amounts to make color adjustments. As far as I know most 'black' grains will turn a beer red if used in very small amounts. Sorry I don't have a percentage for you, trying to figure this out myself.

 

[rodwha]

If it doesn’t turn out red I’ll just brew it again and try something else.

 

[Saunassa]

Here's an example of an Irish Red that uses 4 oz of roasted barley and 4 oz of dark chocolate malt to get the red.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/riona-red.586335/

That should give you a starting point. Your Special B will give you some of the reddish hue.

just noticed the recipe listed is for ten gallons. Almost a snafu when ordering grains myself.