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Author Topic: First Recipe: Imperial Red Ale  (Read 2160 times)

Offline butterblum

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First Recipe: Imperial Red Ale
« on: January 28, 2015, 07:52:48 pm »
I just completed my first batch of homebrew; I made an IPA using a Brewer’s Best kit. Now that I have successfully completed it, I would like a bit more of a challenge.
I am a college student, constantly on the move, so I don’t have room for a good setup (for all-grain), but I would like to create my own recipe. So I would like to make an Imperial Red Ale using extract. Here are the grains and hops I would like to try, as well as final goals:

9.2% Alcohol
92 IBU
Medium to Dark Red
Caramel Flavor, Citrus Aroma

1.090 SG
Base Malt (extract)
Weyermann CaraRed (20°L)
Briess Crystal 60°L
Briess Crystal 120°L
Briess Roasted Barley
Cascade - Bittering
Centennial – Bittering
Amarillo - Bittering
Amarillo – Aroma
Amarillo – Dry Hop
1056 American Ale Yeast

I know how to do the math, I just have questions on proportions. How much grain should be used, how much extract should be used, and in what proportions (individual grains as well) for a typical red ale (imperial)? I have no idea what types of flavors these grains produce either. How much LME should be used and how much DME should be used? I would just like a medium red color, with lots of bitterness.
Any recommendations/suggestions for this recipe?

Offline majorvices

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Re: First Recipe: Imperial Red Ale
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2015, 08:41:55 pm »
welcome to the forum! I can tell you that, from my stand point, you are asking the wrong questions. You have a 1.090 beer but don't seem to be concerned at all about yeast. How much do you intend to pitch? Dry yeast? How many packs? Liquid? How big is your starter? Do you have a slurry source? You will need a lot of yeast to ferment a batch this big. And aeration - you will need to aerate properly to be sure the cells can divide enough to complete this fermentation. Fermentation is the most important part of brewing, and without a proper pitch of yeast a beer this big is headed for failure.

Offline 69franx

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Re: First Recipe: Imperial Red Ale
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2015, 09:42:04 pm »
Check out "articles" at mrmalty.com. at the bottom of the article is his imperial red ale. Very popular and tasty recipe. Not huge, 1.066 OG, but if you need to, you could bump it up. IBUs  are on the lower side due to all the hops being late additions, but I think you'll love it. It's not an Irish red, and it's not really a true IPA based on numbers but has great attributes from both IMHO as a noob who made it as my third extract batch. Good luck
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: First Recipe: Imperial Red Ale
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2015, 10:15:10 am »
I would go with maybe a pound total of crystal 60 and 120 combined and just enough roasted barley to get the color where you want it. You may also want to consider up to 10% table sugar to help with the fermentability due to the large amount of extract.
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: First Recipe: Imperial Red Ale
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2015, 10:46:49 am »
I would go with maybe a pound total of crystal 60 and 120 combined and just enough roasted barley to get the color where you want it. You may also want to consider up to 10% table sugar to help with the fermentability due to the large amount of extract.

+1.  Good advice on the crystal and sugar as well.  Probably 2 oz roast barley gets it there.
Jon H.