Attempting Strong, very red ale

Grains, malts, hops, yeast, water and other ingredients used to brew. Recipe reviews and suggestions.

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GoatsBeard
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 11:54 pm

Attempting Strong, very red ale

Post by GoatsBeard »

Can you please send me some pointers on how to achieve a very red shade in a beer. I am currently experimenting with roasted barley, but am not quite getting a powerful enough shade of red. I am attempting to make a very strong ale(around 8-9%) with a very red tone and extremely thick head. I have made two experimental batched using WLtrappist yeast, both have come out with a desirable fruity flavor, but with an almost medicinal after taste. Some people enjoy it, others find it over powering and odd. This brew is extremely experimental, I am not following any rules, but if you could give me some advice on creating a thicker, longer lasting head, deeper red color, and more fruity less medicinal undertones...I would be very thankful. I am brewing with extracts and steeping grains, 3 gallon boil.
fitz
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Couple of things

Post by fitz »

There may be a problem with the tannins in the dark malt mixing with the high alcohol to create the Medicinal taste you speak of. Also the trappist ale yeast is supposed to be a dry finnish if I'm not mistaken. Here is a couple things I would do:
First of all, the head retention is probably a beer clean problem. Make sure your brewing and bottling(as well as bottles)Don't use detergent, wash with a brewing sanitizer, and then rinse in salt water. With the color, try more amber type malt and less tannic dark malt. If they aren't dark enough throw in some dark candy sugar. Since you are trying to go for alcohol and fruity taste, the candy sugar may help. I'm not sure of the style you are going for, so if you want an Irish style red, go for a typical ale yeast English ale maybe. Since you are extract brewing, Williams brewing has a red ale extract if you want to try it out. That may be a good base for you to start with. The description of the beer you have brewed lends itself to a belgian ale more so than a red ale, except for the color, and maybe "medicinal" taste. I'm still not sure of that term.
Good luck.
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