Why did one beer come out red and one amber?

[HB2 HughBHomeBrew]

I brewed two similar beers and one came out red, the other a light golden. Unfortunately, 2 things changed in the recipes, but here goes (same tap water):

Beer 1:

- 10 pounds 6-row malt
- 1 pound 20L Briess Crystal malt
- 2 ounces Cascade pellets - 63 minutes
- 1 ounce Cascade pellets - 18 minutes
- Wyeast 1056 American Ale (smack pack)
OG 1.040 FG 1.008
Color: Red

Beer 2

- 11 pounds 6-row malt
- 1 pound 20L Crystal malt - Maker? I got from Adventures in Homebrewing - doesn't say more about it on the site
- 1 ounce Cascade pellets - 60 minutes
- 1 ounce Cascade pellets - 8 minutes
- Wyeast 1098 British Ale (smack pack)
OG 1.041 FG 1.007
Color: Yellow/Amber

 

[kh54s10]

From the malts used I would not have expected red at all. I would have expected the lighter one.

Same water amounts? Same volume into the fermenters? Same boil time? Changes it these would make some difference in color.

 

[HB2 HughBHomeBrew]

From the malts used I would not have expected red at all. I would have expected the lighter one.

Same water amounts? Same volume into the fermenters? Same boil time? Changes it these would make some difference in color.

Very close to same on all counts. BIAB with same strike water temp and volume. Pre and post boil volumes and duration were 7.25g/5.25g/105 minutes vs 7.1/5.75/93 minutes

 

[Bobby_M]

The red one likely was not crystal 20 buy more like 60l

 

[postalbunny]

I would email AH and see if they can figure it out... looks like c60, or c80... I have never pulled a red color from c20.

I have an amber I brew with a combo of c80 + c120 that has a nice red color to it. I thought most of the red actually came from the 120. This came out *very* red, i'd be curious what you got... as I was trying to a red color on purpose without using any roasted barley like a typical red ale would use.

 

[day_trippr]

Carared malt, maybe? It comes in between 15 and 20 Lovibond so not obviously different from C20 dry...

Cheers!

 

[HB2 HughBHomeBrew]

I would email AH and see if they can figure it out... looks like c60, or c80... I have never pulled a red color from c20.

I have an amber I brew with a combo of c80 + c120 that has a nice red color to it. I thought most of the red actually came from the 120. This came out *very* red, i'd be curious what you got... as I was trying to a red color on purpose without using any roasted barley like a typical red ale would use.

I just looked again. Both were actually from AIH and both orders say the same Crystal Malt 20L but clearly the first one must have had something else - like Crystal 60L as you and another poster thought.

 

[brewfrog]

You'll want recipe one except swap 10 pounds to just under ten pounds,
and 1.2 pounds crystal. I suspect your over-wheating recipe two causing a light-dark brown tint.