Irish ales seem pretty simple but I’ve seen several recipes that have different ingredients to make them red. What is the key to a real nice red color? And a good taste?
Who has a great Irish ale recipe?
If I’m not mistaking the key ingredient for the red color is roasted barley. Maybe cold-steep it to have minimal roastedness. But I know people that use red beet juice…
And this is a nice recipe, though not true to style: India Red Ale Recipe | The Mad Fermentationist - Homebrewing Blog
Amber malt makes for a really nice red color too. Taste is quite pronounce though, so perhaps not ideal for IRA.
I dug up a picture of my last Irish Red, which I made with 100% Best Malz Red X at an OG about 1.050. I pitched Wyeaat 1084 for the Irishness
I haven’t tried one in a while but the recipe I was thinking about trying is 85% Marris Otter, 10.5 % C-20, 2.5% dehusked Carafe III , 2% Acid Malt.
Drinking an Irish red ale from the Porterhouse Brewing Co. Not really very red, rather amber. Taste is very caramel, rather thin. Not too bad for one glass, but I wouldn’t want to have to drink gallons of this.
Ingredients: Pale, Crystal, Wheat and Chocolate Malts; Galena, Nugget and East Kent Golding hops.
I have brewed this several times and love it. Disclaimer: I am partial to 6-row, corn, and Clusters.
Brewers,
It’s about time to think about brewing a beer for a St. Paddy’s Day party. How about something different from the usual stout or green beer, something with an American touch? I’ve made an Irish-American ale that I figure is similar to what was served in Irish neighborhood taverns in the Northeast 100 years ago, although I have no proof. Maybe like McSorley’s? It’s sort of a red ale with corn, flaked barley, medium crystal and a touch of chocolate. It’s a little stronger than a British session beer, a little less than typical US beers (due to higher FG), and certainly less strong than the authentic ales of a century ago, but they didn’t have to drive home then. This is popular with Killian’s drinkers as well as real ale fans as it has enough interest to hold them. Resist the temptation to up the bitterness as it is inappropriate in this style.
McGinty’s Irish-American Ale
5.25 gallons @ 1.044
5.5 lbs 6-row (US 2-row should work, too)
1.75 lbs flaked maize (this is an American brew!)
0.75 lbs flaked barley
0.5 lbs crystal 30L
2 oz. chocolate (this gives dark amber and nice flavor, use 1 oz. if you want red)
This time I mashed 154°F 60 minutes. The first time, I did a 40/60/70C mash (30 minutes at each step) adding the corn at 60C the first time . The 40C rest may have helped break down beta-glucans in the barley, and passing from 40 to 60 over 30 minutes or so effectively gave me a protein rest, which may have made the beer clearer. Irish moss might not hurt. However, this brew has cleared nicely.
Bittering hops - Cluster (I used 3/4 oz for 19 IBU) (any neutral bittering hops will work)
Finishing hops - Golding (Domestic would be fine) (I used 1/2 oz for 15 min. for 4 IBU and another 1/2 oz at knockout) (FWH might be nice here) Target 23 IBU
Irish Ale yeast YeastLab A05 (although I used NCYC1332 this time)
OG 1.044
FG 1.015
- Jeff Renner
I would vote for red x too
Many of you will recognize this recipe but it works. Best Irish Ale I’ve made and a real crowd pleaser. In addition to a base of maris otter: 4oz C-40, 4oz C-120, 4oz roasted barley.
How about melanoiden malt for some color and maltiness.
Is melanoiden malt like crystal or roasted malts with little fermentability? What would a good percentage be for an Irish ale? 5% max?
it just wont give you what you’re loooking for IMO (nice Red). as suggested, red x probably your best bet.
I always used an oz or two of roasted barley to make an amber colored beer look more red. But I’ve never used Red X. Want to soon.
I have plans for a 100% Red X sour as soon as it warms up around here. Red X to about 1.055, lacto for a week at 98.6º and finished with Brett L. Dry hopped with something interesting like Mosaic and Simcoe. I’m stoked for the new style guide, which will really open up the American sours.
This one is a winner every time!
Recipe Specifications
Boil Size: 14.14 gal
Post Boil Volume: 12.48 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 12.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 12.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 14.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.9 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 80.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
13 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (2.5 SRM) Grain 1 62.8 %
6 lbs Munich I (Weyermann) (7.1 SRM) Grain 2 27.9 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.7 %
12.0 oz Carared (Weyermann) (19.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.5 %
4.0 oz Carafa Special II (Weyermann) (430.0 SRM Grain 5 1.2 %
29.00 g Goldings, East Kent [7.00 %] - Boil 60.0 Hop 6 11.8 IBUs
16.00 g Target [8.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 8.0 IBUs
6.00 g Calcium Chloride (Boil 60.0 mins) Water Agent 8 -
3.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Boil 60.0 mins Water Agent 9 -
0.26 tsp Super Moss (Boil 20.0 mins) Fining 10 -
18.00 g Goldings, East Kent [7.00 %] - Boil 20.0 Hop 11 4.4 IBUs
28.35 g Fuggles [5.30 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 12 1.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg Irish Ale (Wyeast Labs #1084) [125.05 ml Yeast 13 -
Mash Schedule: RIMS Mash, 154 deg , Batch Sparge
If you use carafa III special or Midnight Wheat, just use 3oz.
I have used debittered black also but did not like the color.
That sounds great. Love the color on that pic of yours. And I think I remember you liking the flavor quite a bit, right?
Ya it was like an english bitter but with a guiness ish ester profile. I forget exactly how much hops but guessing it was about 25-30 ibus of EKG
Oh and homoeccentricus? Dany Prignon from Fantôme brewed an Irish Red Ale last summer. Perhaps if you ask nicely he’ll share his recipe?
I’m not the one asking for a recipe 
Plus I’m not the biggest fan of this kind of liquid-caramel-beer-with-a-nice-color. I was in Dublin end of last year, tried a few, and found them only so-so. Just personal preference…
But, as always, I wouldn’t mind trying the f*-up Fantôme red ale, that’s self-evident. I assume it was made with the house saison yeast?
Only place I’ve found red x in Midwest area is farmhouse out of Wisconsin .