Irish Red Ales?

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

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Arpad
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Irish Red Ales?

Post by Arpad »

Hi

does anybody know how to make an Irish Red Ale?

thanks

Bernhard
fitz
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Try this one

Post by fitz »

8 lbs. American Caramel 10
Gravity Thrills
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diastatic power?

Post by Gravity Thrills »

Does even a lightly kilned caramel malt like 10% have enough diastatic power to work as a base malt? I didn't think it did. Even with low-colored specialty malts like that I have always tried to keep under 15% to keep husky astringent flavors to a minimum.

I know a lot of brewers get the red color in their Irish reds with just a touch of black patent, and a lower amount of crystal/caramel. I have read that much of the sweetness in the original Irish reds came not so much from teh specialty malts but more from the combination of an extended vigorous boil (to get some caramelization) and low hopping rates similar to those of Scottish export ales.

I have wondered about using the German red (melanoidin) malt to make a red ale. Has anyone tried this?
Arpad
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Low hop contents???

Post by Arpad »

Try the Porterhouse Red (Dublin, Templebar). It definitely does not answer to the description of "low hops content". I just had a pint tonight and reminded myself again just how strongly it is hopped. took me half a pint just to retrieve my face from the inside of my skull...

As far as I am concerned a red ale is not so much very sweet as rather quite fruity and slightly sweet. The Porterhouse Red is too strongly hopped IMHO. Reds tried so far: Porterhouse Red, Messer Maguires Rusty, Dublin Brewing Corporation Revolution Ale, Carlow Brewing Company Red, Murphy's Red, Beamish Read (the latter two are not available in Ireland even though they are brewed here).

thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Bernhard
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Try mine

Post by richanne »

You can buy a kit here at Beer Tools to make my Brady's Irish Amber, which many people have told me is quite good. It's not overly hopped, but has classic hop flavor. It's similar to Killkenny.
fitz
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Sorry

Post by fitz »

I guess I didn't mention the Amylase Enzyme!
I use it in my Pilsners, and put 2 TBS in a high Carmelized beer like above.
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microbrew freedom

Post by Gravity Thrills »

I think the Irish micros are taking a lesson from those in the States and are bending stylistic rules to make the beers they want to, More power to 'em! A decade ago when I was in Ireland, I think Smithwick's was about the only thing close to a traditional Irish red - even though it's a mega it seemed pretty true to style. I think you're are right about the fruitiness, from a slightly high fermentation temp and a good fruity yeast, and also right about the subdued sweetness from specialty malts which is why I said go light there. Man, did I love theTemple Bar area of Dublin. Tere's a beautiful old place called Palace Bar that I think is in that area I fell in love with. There was another old Victorian gin palace on Parkgate (across the River from St. James Gate) called Ryan's that was great too-- those are pubs!!

Happy Bloomsday next week -- eat a kidney for me.
Arpad
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Irish Micros

Post by Arpad »

Hi,

you may be right. Smithwick's is an ok brew, though I prefer MacArdles (another one I forgot to mention). The two best ones IMHO are actually the two that are now available in .ie, ie the two from Cork with Murphy's coming first (both not being micros :-). The best overall was a one off by Messer Maguire's called Red October. (And I really think I have mentioned them all now *g*). To be quite honest my idea of what an Irish red ale is is more influenced by the two cork brews and the micros than by Smithwicks and Co. I would never have called Kilkenny a red ale, nor even Smithwicks or MacArdles. Just goes toshow how much I know ...

Thanks all

Bernhard
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