So I am a partial mash brewer and I’ve been getting asked to make a spicy brew from friends. After much discussion with them about what they are looking for, I thought I’d come here for help. So I am thinking about trying to make a ruby/red colored IPA. Here is my thinking: Use briess liquid pale malt extract and pilsen extract . As for my steeping grains, I’d use Red X and maybe something else? For hops, I was thinking Sorachi Ace and Azacca? Then once primary fermentation is complete, Id add 16 ounces of fresh mango juice (id make using a juicer) and a couple of ounces of cut up habanero (7 days for them). Am I onto something here or way off base? Thanks in advance for the help
I don’t have much to add regarding the mango and habs, but I wouldn’t use Red X malt as a steeping grain. It is a base malt and needs to be mashed. I’d use CaraRed instead. CaraRed is a nice specialty malt in an IPA in my experience.
ive steeped basemalts in 155degrees for 30 minutes without issues before. I used carared before and didnt like the color it gave out, thats why i figured id try red x.
Well, that’s a mash. 
I’m actually brewing my mango habanero IPA tomorrow. Just a pretty basic all-Citra IPA with 2 fl oz of vodka steeped with 2 oz of habs for a couple weeks, added along with the dry hops.
To get the red color out of Red X it needs to be that vast majority of your grain bill and at the 1.050 gravity range. It gives a striking red color at that usage rate. At different amounts, or in combination with other malts, it will really only push you towards an orange hue. Flavor-wise I find it pretty close to a light Munich malt.
If you’re looking for a steeping grain to get a red color, a light touch of Roast Barley is probably the best option.
let me know how that comes out. Did you cut the habaneros or leave em whole? Have you done it before?
After looking through some other recipes for some red coloring IPAs. Here is what I’ve come up for a Partial Mash.
Partial Mash at 155 degrees for 30 minutes:
3lbs Red X
12oz Caramel 40L
8oz Flaked Wheat
6oz Caramel 120L
4oz Honey Malt
Bring to a boil add 3.3 LBS Pilsen Liquid Malt
Boil Schedule:
1oz Warrior - 60 Min
3.3lbs Pale Liquid Malt
1oz Azacca - 15 Min
1oz Cascade - 15 Min
1oz Centennial - 15 Min
1oz Azacca - 0 Min
1oz Cascade - 0 Min
1oz Centennial - 0 Min
1oz Citra - 0 min
Once fermentation is complete, Im going to peel and cube up fresh mango. Put the mango in the freezer for a day. After that, Im going to thaw the mangoes and using a juicer, extract all the juice. Put that in the secondary and rack the brew onto the juice. Then Im going to dry hop with Citra for 5 days. 3 days before bottling, Im going to cut up 1 habanero and soak it in vodka for an hour and then add it to the secondary.
Split 'em open and scrape out the good stuff before making the tincture. Habs are just way too piquant otherwise.
This is something like my 15th chile beer and 5th time for this recipe; it’s in that other thread.
should i roast the pepper before making the tincture
well i finally brewed the base of this beer. I have yet to decide how to do the mangoes. whether I do what I said, use frozen puree or use mango extract and add that to bottling bucket.
FWIW, my “local” Trader Joe’s has frozen cubed mango for $2/lb. I threw it in with the dry hops.