BeerBorg

Haven't brewed an Irish Red yet, but it is a style that I like a lot. I intended to brew this past weekend, but ran out of time. This weekend I'm carving out time to make sure I get it done. Here's the recipe I came up with. Appreciate any feedback.

Recipe: CHB Irish Red 1.0
Brewer: gwcr
Asst Brewer:
Style: Irish Red Ale
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 14.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 23.2 IBUs
Estimated ABV: 5.1%
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
8 lbs 8.0 oz Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM) Grain 1 83.9 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.9 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.9 %
2.0 oz Roasted Barley (Briess) (300.0 SRM) Grain 4 1.3 %
1.25 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 5 17.2 IBUs
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 Hop 7 6.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 8 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 2.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 12.65 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.55gal, 3.50gal) of 168.0 F water

This will also be the first batch that I keg instead of bottle. I'm a bit nervous about it, but I have a good 3 weeks to prepare...

fwiw my beer smith is only showing 14.8 ibus not 23

Interesting. I put this together in Beersmith. Are your AAUs the same as what I have listed above? At least I have plenty of time to adjust if necessary. I'll have to double check Beersmith when I get back to work tomorrow. Work is where I do my best brew thinkin'...

Irish Reds are among my favorite to keep around on a regular basis. The recipe looks great, a lot like the Nong Irish Red recipe I have made a couple times already, save for the Maris Otter. I see this having a little more biscuity flavor, but that's all good! I like that!

gwcr wrote:Interesting. I put this together in Beersmith. Are your AAUs the same as what I have listed above? At least I have plenty of time to adjust if necessary. I'll have to double check Beersmith when I get back to work tomorrow. Work is where I do my best brew thinkin'...

yeah i checked the alphas a couple time 'cause couldn't figure out why the difference(fuggles 4.5 goldings 5.). i have noticed that mine sometime won't update changes in my IBUs 'til i restart the program. that happened on my last wheat beer almost had it 47 IBUs instead of 23. looks like you need 2 oz of fuggles instead of 1.25 to get 21.4 IBUs

Everything checks out. Looks like the discrepancy may come from the equipment and how it is set up. when I change to a different BK with different volumes, boil off rate, trub loss, etc. the numbers change. Wouldn't think it would be that big of a difference, but that has to be where it comes from. Here's my equipment profile.

Kettle Top Up 0.0 gal
Est Pre-Boil Vol 7.0 gal
Boil off 0.5 gal
Post Boil Vol 6.5 gal
Cooling Loss 0.26 gal
Trub Loss 0.5 gal

your right, i played around with the numbers and watched the ibus change. i used my equipment profile to set it up. i really wouldn't have thought it'd have been all that different. after all it's going to be the same size batch.

I didn't think it would change that much either. I knew volume was a factor in calculating IBUs along with gravity, boil time and a few others, but thought it was more of a minor factor. Thanks for double checking my numbers.

Only my 2nd day on this forum and I already lernded sumthin!

both of us learned somethin'

Your recipe looks great. Maybe a bit heavy on the caramel. I really like the idea of marris otter for your base malt. That makes it truer to an Irish Red. The batch I just brewed I swapped out the 2 oz of black roasted barley for 2 oz of chocolate malt. I thought it might make it a tad smoother. I will find out in a few weeks.

Mine was as follows:

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Ralph's Knucklehead Red with goldings
Brewer: Roger
Asst Brewer: Ralph the Wonderdog
Style: Irish Red Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.20 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.20 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG
Estimated Color: 15.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 29.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
9 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 88.9 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.4 %
4.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.5 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 4 1.2 %
0.80 oz Goldings, East Kent [6.40 %] - First Wor Hop 5 22.9 IBUs
1.20 oz Goldings, East Kent [6.40 %] - Boil 5.0 Hop 6 6.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 7 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 2.0 oz

I typically single hop my red ales with fuggles. Or bitter with cascade and use fuggles for flavoring and aroma. This time I didn't have any on hand so I am trying goldings. Typically I use goldings in my brown ales.

Looks tasty Gymrat! I may "borrow" from your recipe after I finish this one!

FWIW we have noticed that the AAUs in BeerSmith's data base did not match what was on the package for several hop varieties we have. Since it changes from season to season you may find it necessary to change the AAU's in BS to match what is printed on your package.

good point. i've noticed the same thing usually the hops is lower than bs says

Thanks for the reminder Brewbirds! It's a good habit to get into.

Great day to brew yesterday. Realized I only had 1oz of fuggles, so had to tweak the recipe a bit. Changed the fuggles 45 minute addition to a FWH addition to keep the IBUs almost the same. I like to FWH in my APA, so why not do it here too.

Mashed in with 14 qts at 165*. Settled at 154* for the 60 minute mash.


Starting the vorlauf. Color came out great. Looks like a red to me.


Did a single batch sparge this time instead of 2 step that I usually do. 5 gallons at 168*. Got 7 gallons in the BK with an extra pitchers worth left over.


Preboil gravity was a little lower that expected 1.040 vs 1.044. After a fairly uneventful boil (except for a small boilover :opps: ) I ended up with 5.5 gallons in the BK. Will have to adjust my boiloff rate in Beersmith, but this was the first time with the new BK and burner. Without the boilover, I'd guess the boiloff was a full gallon in 60 minutes.

Chilling was a challenge. Took about 20 minutes to get down to 85-90* with my immersion chiller.


Had to finish it off in an ice bath in the sink. Took about another 10-15 minutes to get down to 65. After transferring to the fermenter I ended up with exactly 5 gallons. I like to have 5.5 gallons, but not too far off. Rehydrated the yeast, pitched and put it to bed. It was happily bubbling away this morning. OG ended up at 1.051. Only missed estimate by 1 pt, so very happy about that.

All in all a great brew day! Now the waiting begins again...