My latest stab at a red ale

Beer Recipes
1

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Ralph’s Knucklehead Red 3
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: 18.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

Amt                  Name                                    Type          #        %/IBU       
7 lbs 8.0 oz          Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)          Grain        1        75.0 %       
1 lbs 8.0 oz          Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM)            Grain        2        15.0 %       
12.0 oz              Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)    Grain        3        7.5 %       
4.0 oz                Roasted Barley (Simpsons) (550.0 SRM)    Grain        4        2.5 %       
1.00 oz              Fuggles [4.20 %] - First Wort 60.0 min  Hop          5        18.8 IBUs   
1.00 oz              Fuggles [5.40 %] - Boil 10.0 min        Hop          6        8.0 IBUs     
1.0 pkg              SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast        7        -           
2.00 oz              Fuggles [5.40 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days      Hop          8        0.0 IBUs

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

2

I like the hopping, but 2.5% roasted barley is too much for anything but a stout, IMHO. In a red ale I wouldn’t want to use more than 0.5-1%.

3

Beersmith had me in the green on the color. And I like a roasty flavor to my beers.

4

I’m with Sean, I use 4oz of Carafa II in 10 gallons!  Cut you roasted barley maybe to 3oz but add it late mash (just before you get ready to sparge)

5

I have never thought of late addition grains. I will give that a try sometime.

This recipe is actually adapted from the midwestsupplies red ale recipe. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/irish-red-ale-all-grain-kit.html
I just replaced a pound and a half of 2 row with some marris otter I had left over from a Scottish ale I made and I forgot to add my special B. Plus I did my own hop schedule. I have made the original recipe with my own hop schedule several times. It is one of my favorite beers. In the reviews a few did complain about there being too much roasted barley. But I like it that way. I am just now sure how it will be minus the Special B.

6

I agree with the late addition on the roasted.  I add my roasted, after vorlauf, to the top of the grain bed and then fly sparge.  It gives a nice color with very little roasted character.