Want to add something to my red ale - suggestions?

[Jenna610]

I just racked my second brew, an Irish red ale from a kit and I want to start toying around with adding extra ingredients during the fermentation period. I'm thinking about adding a small amount of cascade hops and some dried orange peel for a few days before bottling. Any suggestions for alternative ingredients that might work well, or for best techniques in using these ingredients?

 

[brewkinger]

My advice would be to skip adding anything to the red ale.
The kit is designed to give you a consistently good brew.
You risk adding a flavor that might not blend well.

Instead i would visit the recipe forum and start with a simple blonde ale or pale ale with good malt/hop balance that you can experiment with.

Just my .02



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[akillys]

You could try dry hopping with bacon if you are feeling adventurous. You would want to use about a half pound of bacon and bake the bacon in the oven. You do not want it burnt just well cooked. Pat the bacon dry with a paper towel to make sure you absorb as much of the grease as possible. Then you would dry hop like normal. It sounds crazy but Northern Brewer sells a smoked red ale bacon kit for 50 bucks this is one way of making your own. Just a thought.

 

[OzMobrew]

I have dry hopped a red with fuggles. Turned out good. I've got one dry hopping with bodicea right now. Fiddle with it however you like. Just keep good notes so when it turns out good you can do it again.

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[how1]

I love the bacon idea! How about some sausage and eggs! I'm sorry. Am I being obnoxious?

 

[akillys]

Nope not at all. You could add a smoked sausage flavor by smoking the sausage over your grains and letting the juices drip on to them. Brew dogs did it with beef to get a steak flavor. Eggs however, might be more tricky. I'm sure there is an extract for that

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