Red IPA recipe help.

Red is always a challenge. Personally, I would just make a regular IPA and add Carafa/Roast Barley to get the SRM I wanted...or go with 100% Red X and add a little caramel malt for sweetness.

 

“…some residual sweetness.”

Just a general comment that US-05 is typically a highly attenuating yeast for me. You may achieve some residual sweetness using US-05 but maybe a less attenuating yeast will achieve more of what you want here? If you are willing to consider a less attenuating yeast then I would suggest Danstar Windsor.

And achieving a good red hue can indeed be challenging. A while back I had a Stone beer that was brewed using Red-X malt (Stone Pataskala Red X IPA). I thought this beer had an attractive red hue but I didn’t personally enjoy the malt flavors of that particular beer. I am not inclined to homebrew with Red-X malt since I was not a fan of the flavor of this particular beer.

http://www.stonebrewing.com/beer/stone-seasonals/stone-pataskala-red-x-ipa

Cheers!

 

Should have said 95% Red X as the Caramel Malt in Stone's Pataskala is what gives it the unique sweetness (along with some candy-like hop notes...one of my favorite IPAs...looking forward to it's release shortly...thanks for reminding me Jack

 

Barry, that beer is 'all yours'.

I had one pint of that beer and that is enough for me.

Cheers!

 

In another homebrewing forum a homebrewer posted about using Red-X to brew his red IPA:

“It certainly lives up to its promise of fiery, reddish colored beer. If you want to get red color without the use of crystal or roasted malts, this does a great job. However, my only problem with it is that it has a rather malty flavor - almost like an aromatic malt - and doesn't do so well with beers where you want a lot of hop aroma/flavor. I found its inclusion in our red IPA to mostly be a distraction from the hops. Other than that, its neat stuff.”

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=458487

Cheers!

 

Different strokes for different folks...more Pataskala for me!
This was one of the first commercial beers to use a lot of Mosaic hops...maybe that was part of the problem for some people.

 

Well, I can report that Mosaic is not a “problem” for me. I have enjoyed the many beers that have featured Mosaic hops (both homebrewed and commercial).

The malt flavor(s) of Stone Pataskala Red X IPA was off-putting for me. The homebrewer I quoted described his Red IPA as having a flavor akin to aromatic malt. I have never brewed with aromatic malt so I am personally uncertain with this flavor description but assuming this is a reasonable description I do not have an interest in every brewing with this malt either.

Cheers!

 

Red X is ~ 12L, while aromatic is ~ 22-24L...Jack, I'm thinking you don't like bready flavors (kinda like your dislike of S-04).
I have a Melanoiden Malt aversion disorder myself...and they say it is comparable to aromatic malt...I don't think so, imho...Bigfoot almost gone cheers

 

I can see why you post this but I am not averse to bready flavors I perceive in Pilsners, Oktoberfest, Alt,... beers.

I am a BIG fan of Pilsner and Munich malts. As an example I have a Franconian Kellerbier that is lagering right now which is 65% Pilsner and 35% Munich malt and I greatly enjoy the bready malt flavors of that beer.

I am just not a fan of Red-X malt. And maybe I am not a fan of aromatic malt either?

The 'good news' as I posted previously: more Stone Pataskala Red X IPA for you!

Cheers!

P.S. Isn't it just great that we can smile at each other!?!

 

C120 at 1.4 % will not be noticed, almost the same with Honey at 3.5%. Do you really want a "biscuit" flavor (Amber Bairds)? I would ditch the Amber and boost C120/Honey to the 5 - 7% range. Choc Malt at 0.8% should not be chocolately, but if Carafa III was available I would suggest that. You did not mention FG, I would shoot for something around 1.014, maybe a touch higher.

Your Amarillo/Centennial at 25 will probably give zero flavor. Considering boosting your Magnum (FWH) and shift the A/C combo to 10/0 min. I count six varieties of flavor/aroma hops . . . and I thought I was a hop head . . . you can probably accomplish your goal with three.

 

The malt could be pretty heavy in your recipe. Consider replacing 1lb/450g of the Maris Otter with cane sugar to lighten it up a bit. You will still have the color and flavors you want but the body will be appropriately lighter.

Or leave as is... it's what you want it to be!

How are you getting those hops in Brazil???

 

I respectfully disagree and think those are good percentages given the style being brewed.

OP,

I've done 100% red x imperial ipa's in the past and enjoyed the malt profile. Definitely has a touch of aromatic malt quality but not too much imho. The color wasn't as bright and vivid as I was hoping for though. More of an amber red than a glowing red. The hops were vibrant on that beer. I also make a rye ipa commercially that uses some red x in combination with other specialty malts. Again a nice hop profile but the color tends to be more of a red tinged amber than that glowing red the Best Maltz website shows.

 

Yes, I don't think I've ever used Amber Malt in an American IPA...I think a lot of people confuse it with Amber extract which is 2 row, Munich, and C-60 usually.

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=7206.0

 

From the AHA link above:

"Amber malt (UK, Fawcett) is a more "strongly toasted, slightly roasted" form of pale malt, kilned at temperatures of 150-160 °C, resulting in 30-42 degrees Lovibond (22 SRM). and containing no (or very low) enzymes (must be mashed). Amber malt has an intense, bitter "roasty" or "dry toffee" flavor which mellows on aging. Helps to balance with crystal and caramel malts. Low grain bill percentages (2-5% max) recommended due to intensity and color contributions."

If your Amber Malt from Fawcett Malting Co.?

Cheers!

 

I have never brewed with Amber Malt from any Malting Co. so I am not in a good position to advise you here.

From the description: “The flavour is quite intense and caution in the use of this material is required."

I personally would use a light hand in using this malt. As to exactly how much you should use I am unsure.

Hopefully some other BA who has experience in using Bairds Amber Malt can provide better advice.

Cheers!