So, St. Patrick’s day isn’t too far off and it’ll be the first time I can brew in time for the holiday. I want to make an American Red Ale (something almost on the hoppy side). I am a partial mash brewer. Here is what I was thinking.
Grains / Extract:
3.3 lbs Briess Pale Ale Liquid Extract
3 lbs Sparkling Amber Dry Extract
2 lbs Golden Promise Pale Malt
12oz CaraRed
10oz Crystal 60
6oz Crystal 80
Hops:
I was thinking a combo of Azacca and Jarrylo
or go with a Cascade Pekko combo
I agree on both counts. Cascade /Azacca is nice and I don’t care for Jarrylo at all.
Edit - Also, I would drop the amber extract. It already is loaded with crystal malts that you don’t need, as you’re adding a lb + Carared. Secondly, all that combined crystal will drive up your FG, leaving you with a sweet beer. I’d replace the amber extract with 3 lbs Briess pilsen DME if you can find it. It’s much more fermentable and consequently will leave you with a much more drinkable beer.
I wouldn’t use those two hops to bitter. Something like Magnum, Warrior, or even Columbus or Chinook will do just fine. Do you use software? Since you mention an American red ale on the hoppy side, you could add 30 IBU of a bittering hop for 60 mins, then add 1/2 oz each of Cascade and Azacca at 15 mins, 10 mins, 5 mins and at flameout. Then dry hop an oz of each for 5 days. That assumes a 5 gallon recipe. This would give you a beer with the hop character of a hoppy pale ale, but yet maltier with the crystal and carared. It’d be good.
I’d call it a West Coast Amber, definitely not an IPA which would be hopped a good bit higher. And if you wanted to emphasize the hop character a little further you could add a tsp of gypsum to the boil. Also, you might consider using RO (reverse osmosis) water for this beer given the extract base you’re using. It won’t have any chlorine and works well with extract.
Cool. Of course you could drop the dry hops and have something more akin to a standard brewpub amber. But the dry hops will give it extra nice hop aroma (and those are nice aroma hops). Whatever you choose, it’ll be good. Good luck !