Foolproof Irish Red recipe for St. Patrick's Day 2015

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by DVoors, Dec 1, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. DVoors

    DVoors Zealot (627) Jan 6, 2014 Indiana

    Let me start by saying, I unsuccessfully searched the forums for past posts about this.

    I am fairly new to homebrewing. I have maybe 5 APA/IPA extract/partial mash batches under my belt and one stout. Now, I'm interested in making a batch of Irish Red to take to my family's St. Patrick's day party in a few months.

    I have found a couple random Irish Red recipes online, but none that received overwhelmingly positive remarks or feedback. My question is: does anyone have any awesome, foolproof Irish Red recipe that has been brewed multiple times and has become a go-to beer or received great feedback? If so, would you be willing to share your recipe and any notes you might have? Thanks!!!
     
  2. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

  3. pointyskull

    pointyskull Zealot (675) Mar 17, 2010 Illinois
    Trader

  4. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    I've brewed the one in Brewing Classic Styles multiple times. Mine come out more like a brown ale. I ended up thinning the recipe out by about 10%. Keep the hops. It's excellent.

    FWIW, I've been scouring the net for a decent red ale recipe too. It looks like it's an MO for base malt, a smattering of crystal malt and chocolate/RB for color and a little flavor. I wouldn't use much RB, and I'd go easy on the chocolate, or you end up with something more of a brown ale.

    Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale Yeast is essential and a house yeast for me.
     
  5. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    No recipe; however ... allow me to suggest whatever you choose ... brew it no later than the first few days of JAN so it reaches peak flavor eight weeks later when 17-MAR rolls around.
     
  6. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,313) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah

    Irish Red is effectively just a bitter so a search of bitter recipes which use a touch of crystal or chocolate malt would be helpful.
    Here's an article from Beoir , the Irish beer craft beer website;
    http://www.beoir.org/index.php/articles-mainmenu-36/beoir-meets/175-the-irish-red-paradox
    Their conclusion was
    The second proven thesis from the evening's tippling is that Irish Red is not a real beer style. On the night, nobody was confident about which was Smithwick's and which was Bass, even though one is supposedly an Irish "red ale" and the other a British "keg bitter".
     
    billandsuz and inchrisin like this.
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    They proved this thesis by comparing one example of each. Just wow. I'm not saying the "thesis" is wrong, but the science was awful. Would have been more palatable without proven thesis in the words I think.
     
  8. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,313) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah

    That's true enough , I've argued the same when people think they can tell the difference between porter and stout but Irish Red really stems from mainstream UK brewers who set up in Ireland.It is more of a geographical term than a style. My post was to open up sources of recipes which , although giving similar end products , are listed as a different style.
     
  9. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

  10. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    And after the ninth beer of the night, nobody knew which one was the Bass and which was an Irish Red. Surprise! :slight_smile:
     
  11. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    not trying to be cantankerous here, but opinionated none the less.

    "Positive feedback" and "awesome" are two terms that do not get used often to describe the Irish Red beer. I believe it is a brand in need of a style. for marketing purposes.

    I would go with the making a bitter route, and use 1084 Irish yeast. some chocolate, maybe 3%, for color. and for heavens sake be sure to keep the OG below 1050 and the IBUs as non offensive as possible. 30.
    so, ok, a little cantankerous. it's my least favorite style after all.
    Cheers.
     
    inchrisin likes this.
  12. redmaw

    redmaw Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2013 Pennsylvania

    To the OP, if you haven't settled on anything yet, I brewed the morebeer.com kit using sa-05 (not entirely irish) and it turned out really well. I still have friends asking when I will brew that one again (not to surprising it was free beer). I will second making it sooner rather than later, it was really good around 8 weeks after bottling.
     
  13. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    As the thread's (d)evolution so clearly demonstrates ... there is no Foolproof Irish Red recipe for St. Patrick's Day 2015.
     
  14. makisupapolice14

    makisupapolice14 Pundit (799) Jun 5, 2005 New York

    Enough of the bs.....here is a great Irish red I did for st pats last year.

    HOME BREW RECIPE:
    Title: paddy reillys red
    Brew Method: Extract
    Style Name: Irish Red Ale
    Boil Time: 60 min
    Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
    Boil Size: 5.5 gallons
    Boil Gravity: 1.040
    Efficiency: 35% (steeping grains only)
    STATS:
    Original Gravity: 1.044
    Final Gravity: 1.012
    ABV (standard): 4.19%
    IBU (tinseth): 30.71
    SRM (morey): 9.51
    FERMENTABLES:
    5 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light (83.3%)
    STEEPING GRAINS:
    4 oz - German - Carapils (4.2%)
    4 oz - American - Special Roast (4.2%)
    2 oz - Belgian - Biscuit (2.1%)
    2 oz - American - Chocolate (2.1%)
    4 oz - American - Caramel / Crystal 10L (4.2%)
    HOPS:
    1 oz - East Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.2, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 29.85
    1 oz - willamette, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.8, Use: Aroma for 1 min, IBU: 0.86
    OTHER INGREDIENTS:
    4 oz - maltodexrine, Time: 10 min, Type: Other, Use: Boil
    YEAST:
    Fermentis / Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04
    Starter: No
    Form: Dry
    Attenuation (avg): 72%
    Flocculation: Medium
    Optimum Temp: 59 - 75 F
    Fermentation Temp: 60 F
    Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
    Date: 2014-12-03 04:42 UTC
    Recipe Last Updated: 2014-01-26 13:37 UTC
     
  15. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah


    Bummer. I always thought that American Ambers and Irish Reds were like table wine. They're hard to screw up and they're the first beer that I'd brew for a wedding. You're more of a Shilling man?
     
  16. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,313) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah

    Irish Red seems to have sprung from nowhere but frankly they are no different in any way from very many bitters we find on the bar in this country.From the top of my head ,Orkney Brewery have a Red MacGregor , Adnam's have Broadside and Gunhill all of which are distinctly red , they aren't offered as Scottish or English Red ales.Not a separate style at all.
     
    inchrisin likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.