[madscientist]

So i'm making an irish red ale for my brother in law and need some feedback.  I've done a lot of reading and research and think I have a good idea for a recipe, but I don't want to go overboard on specialty malts.  The recipe is a partial mash with a 3gal boil.

2 lb UK Pale Malt (Maybe marris otter)
8 oz Cara Pils/Dextrine
8 oz Crystal 40
2.1 oz Roasted barley
2.1 oz Chocolate Malt
3.3 lb Pale LME

0.80 oz Kent Goldings @ 60min
1 lb light DME (30 min addition)

1.0 oz Willamette @ 15min
0.50 oz Kent Goldings @ 15min

I will probably mash at 1.5qt/lb @154 for 60min.  This recipe gives me about 25 IBU, 15 SRM and an OG of 1049.

Thoughts, suggestions?  Thanks!

[gmac]

What yeast are you planning to use?

[madscientist]

What yeast are you planning to use?

Irish Ale Yeast from East Coast Yeast.  ECY26 Dublin Ale.

[evandy]

So i'm making an irish red ale for my brother in law and need some feedback.

Thoughts, suggestions?  Thanks!

You say you are using "LME" and "DME."  I would, of course, recommend that you get british extract.  Personally, I use 100% DME, but if you like trying to scrape the cans of LME out, that's pretty much user preference, as long as the LME is fresh.

I would consider Pale chocolate, instead of chocolate.  This is pretty close to what I remember the BCS version of Irish red is, and while that's a great beer, it's very dark.  And it uses pale chocolate (200L), not the full-up 400-500L stuff.  Be prepared for a dark beer.

Also, I would consider swapping in some British crystal.  I have recently used some simpsons crystal, and it's great stuff.  The downside is they are all a range of degL, but that really shouldn't batter too much.  The Medium is 60-70L, which should fit well.

I don't have the style guidelines in front of me, but I believe this is supposed to be a hop-restrained beer (I might be wrong, so check!).  Your flavor/aroma hop additions may drown out some of the malty character that is what I, personally, really love about this style.

[madscientist]

So i'm making an irish red ale for my brother in law and need some feedback.

Thoughts, suggestions?  Thanks!

You say you are using "LME" and "DME."  I would, of course, recommend that you get british extract.  Personally, I use 100% DME, but if you like trying to scrape the cans of LME out, that's pretty much user preference, as long as the LME is fresh.

I would consider Pale chocolate, instead of chocolate.  This is pretty close to what I remember the BCS version of Irish red is, and while that's a great beer, it's very dark.  And it uses pale chocolate (200L), not the full-up 400-500L stuff.  Be prepared for a dark beer.

Also, I would consider swapping in some British crystal.  I have recently used some simpsons crystal, and it's great stuff.  The downside is they are all a range of degL, but that really shouldn't batter too much.  The Medium is 60-70L, which should fit well.

I don't have the style guidelines in front of me, but I believe this is supposed to be a hop-restrained beer (I might be wrong, so check!).  Your flavor/aroma hop additions may drown out some of the malty character that is what I, personally, really love about this style.

Thanks.  Yea, the LME was a carryover from another recipe.  I had some extra Munich LME which I was planning on using, but I'm afraid that would be too much malty base with the Crystal, Chocolate and roasted barley.  I can use DME, and actually I typically do.  I cut the crystal down to 6oz (I will see if I can get some british), and I cut out the 15 min EKG addition and just made it Willamette. 

[evandy]

Thanks.  Yea, the LME was a carryover from another recipe.  I had some extra Munich LME which I was planning on using, but I'm afraid that would be too much malty base with the Crystal, Chocolate and roasted barley.  I can use DME, and actually I typically do.  I cut the crystal down to 6oz (I will see if I can get some british), and I cut out the 15 min EKG addition and just made it Willamette.

I think you'll like the British Crystal, if you can get it.  Beyond that, do what you like... you asked for thoughts, so I put some out there.

Remember: It's just beer.  Whatever you brew will be better than most store-bought stuff.  Even if it's "out of style" it can be delicious.  Don't over-analyze.

[madscientist]

Thanks.  Yea, the LME was a carryover from another recipe.  I had some extra Munich LME which I was planning on using, but I'm afraid that would be too much malty base with the Crystal, Chocolate and roasted barley.  I can use DME, and actually I typically do.  I cut the crystal down to 6oz (I will see if I can get some british), and I cut out the 15 min EKG addition and just made it Willamette.

I think you'll like the British Crystal, if you can get it.  Beyond that, do what you like... you asked for thoughts, so I put some out there.

Remember: It's just beer.  Whatever you brew will be better than most store-bought stuff.  Even if it's "out of style" it can be delicious.  Don't over-analyze.

Thanks for the support and feedback.  I appreciate it, in fact all the feedback I've recieved on this forum has been very useful.  Unfortunately I constantly over analyze my beers and the process that goes into making them.  I guess it comes from being a real scientist, but some of it comes from wanting to know I'm giving my friends and relatives a quality beer, that I did the best possible job brewing it.

[evandy]

Thanks for the support and feedback.  I appreciate it, in fact all the feedback I've recieved on this forum has been very useful.  Unfortunately I constantly over analyze my beers and the process that goes into making them.  I guess it comes from being a real scientist, but some of it comes from wanting to know I'm giving my friends and relatives a quality beer, that I did the best possible job brewing it.

You think over-analyzing is an issue as a scientist?  I'm an engineer.  Trust me, at /LEAST/ as bad.  Probably worse. 

Enjoy.

[madscientist]

So I took my first gravity reading last night, and I have to say this one came out awesome.  The yeast has some cleaning up to do, but the flavor I get from the malts seems to be exactly what I would expect from an irish red ale.  I ended up using the Birtish Crystal