[homebrewdad7]

Hey folks.

I've decided to go completely back to the drawing board on my Irish red recipe.  I got too far into the weeds with my iterations and had something that not only wasn't exactly what I wanted, but also wasn't really an Irish red, either.

So I've gone all the way back to a starting point of a super "authentic" recipe with just a little twist to it (a bit of rye malt).  So far, so good.

I'm figuring that I'll use the amber malty water profile in Bru'n Water as my target, but I'm curious if anyone has any knowledge at all about actual Irish water profiles, and if I should even bother going that direction.  Yes, I am well aware that it's not a great idea to try to copy a given region's water profile outright, as the local brewers likely treat the water...but even so, I'm curious as to how that might look. 

[BrewBama]

That’s a great question. I have an Irish Red upcoming as well and haven’t decide on a water profile either. I was thinking Amber Balanced. I am interested in what others say about this.

My recipe = base + ~3% each 40 and 120 as well as ~1% Roasted Barley. EKG all at 60 and S-04.


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[homebrewdad7]

I'm using Malting Company of Ireland's ale malt as my base this time around.  5% each of Simpsons dark crystal, light crystal, and rye.  3 ounces of black malt, and WLP004.  EKG hops.

[mabrungard]

Ireland is more than big enough to have very different water profiles. It’s impossible to say that any can be attached to this style. I’m leaning to the Amber Balanced profile as being adequate.

[homebrewdad7]

A reply from the master himself! 

I hear you re: the variance in Irish water.  I suppose that I should have rephrased that to ask if there were any known Irish brewing profiles, not necessarily "the" Irish water profile.

But thank you!

[Bob357]

After traveling from Dublin, west to Donegal and then south to Co Kerry with several stays along the way, I can tell you that all of the water in the areas we hit was quite soft. I'd compare it to that of the PNW. We sampled a variety of beers during our travels and I didn't find any indication that any had traits I'd associate with much in the line of mineralization. My guess would be that any adjustments were done primarily to supplement low Calcium levels. much like brewers do in Bend,OR.

[homebrewdad7]

After traveling from Dublin, west to Donegal and then south to Co Kerry with several stays along the way, I can tell you that all of the water in the areas we hit was quite soft. I'd compare it to that of the PNW. We sampled a variety of beers during our travels and I didn't find any indication that any had traits I'd associate with much in the line of mineralization. My guess would be that any adjustments were done primarily to supplement low Calcium levels. much like brewers do in Bend,OR.

This is exactly the sort of information I'm looking for.  Thanks! 

I'm building from RO water.  I'm throwing a little gypsum and calcium carbonate in to get the calcium, chloride, and sulfate up a bit, then calling it good.

[mabrungard]

After traveling from Dublin, west to Donegal and then south to Co Kerry with several stays along the way, I can tell you that all of the water in the areas we hit was quite soft.

That is true in some areas, but there are other areas with liquid concrete running through the pipes. Heck, even in Dublin there is HUGE difference in water quality. Some of the south parts of Dublin are fed from Wicklow Mountains and that water is pilsen-like. But much of the north and west of the city are hard and alkaline. 

The same applies across the country. Areas with igneous geology have little hardness, while areas with carbonate geology are hard and alkaline.  We can't generalize.

[homebrewdad7]

Thanks again for the feedback and discussion. 

I'm going with the amber malty profile, with a little more Ca to get me almost to 100 PPM.  Targeting a mash pH of 5.41.