# Red Ale



## Takasonfletcher (14/11/13)

Hi guys, 

I have been commissioned by SWMBO to make a red beer to serve on xmas day (something to do with with colour combination). 

Im heading to LHBS tomorrow to get some supplies, has anyone made one or have a recipe that they can recommend colour is the important thing for her, i love my hops and happy with using extract, spec grains etc, please any suggestions would be appreciated before lunch tomorrow.

Chuur


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## Bribie G (14/11/13)

Just about reddest malt is Caraaroma- it can be steeped. Also a touch of roast barley (steepable) gives a red touch. Avoid Carared, it's not all that red 

I'll leave a specific recipe to extract experts but for the Caraaroma I'd use around 350g, it also gives a nice "raisins and caramel" taste.


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## lukiferj (14/11/13)

I love caraaroma in an IPA. With around 1% black/carafa malt makes a beautiful red colour.


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## Takasonfletcher (14/11/13)

Chuur!!


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## technobabble66 (14/11/13)

Just about reddest malt is Caraaroma- it can be steeped. Also a touch of roast barley (steepable) gives a red touch. Avoid Carared, it's not all that red 

I'll leave a specific recipe to extract experts but for the Caraaroma I'd use around 350g, it also gives a nice "raisins and caramel" taste.



NOOOOoooooooooo!!!!
I just put my name down for a Bulk Buy split of carared. Partly for a great malty flavour/aroma boost, & partly for the red colour I assumed it would give. I was even the one to initiate the bag selection. 
Bugger & wtf. What your experience/comments on carared, bribieG et al?? Esp compared to caraaroma etc. (or at least a good link. Yes, I read wey's website). 

Otherwise, subscribed to OP query. 
Gonna make me one of them reds in the new year!


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## law-of-ohms (14/11/13)

beetroot?


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## Bribie G (14/11/13)

I have used a combination of Carared and Caraaroma. The red gives more of a straight crystal flavour.

Tandoori red colour powder could work as well h34r:

edit: sorry to derail OP's thread but is it too late to switch grains? If you are looking for real red, then Caraaroma with a wee touch of Roast Barley is the way to go:





Thirsty anyone? :icon_drool2:


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## technobabble66 (14/11/13)

So if i've already got & use medium crystal, and are looking to expand my repertoire of malts to cover lots of different stuff, is it reasonable to say either carared is more/less useful than caraaroma?

Doing some more reading on a comparison, it sounds like carared can be used in larger quantites to give a general boost to maltiness & caramel elements, whereas a little bit of caraaroma goes a long way to producing a more unique fruity element. Is that kinda correct?
I guess really i'm more concerned with the flavour differences, though i kinda wanted that deep red to shine thru.

Carared still sounds good, but i'm wondering if caraaroma might've been a better choice? (though it sounds like it might get a bit cloying?)


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## Mobbee007 (14/11/13)

Try red x by best malts? It's meant to have been developed specifically for red beers?
http://www.bestmalz.de/en/malt/malt-types.htm
Cheers
Steve


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## technobabble66 (14/11/13)

Thanks.
Checked it - looks great for what i want.
Sadly G&G don't stock Bestmalz's Red X

Bugger it. Too hard to change around the BB now. I think i'll make good use of the Carared anyway; & while at G&G i'll grab a kg or 2 or Caraaroma. Can't hurt!


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## verysupple (20/11/13)

Bribie G said:


> I have used a combination of Carared and Caraaroma. The red gives more of a straight crystal flavour.
> 
> Tandoori red colour powder could work as well h34r:
> 
> ...


That's some serious red, Bribie. I assume it's caraaroma and roast barley as you mentioned, but can I ask how much of each?


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## HBHB (20/11/13)

We have Red X inbound at the moment. Karen's re-doing her Scarlet Lady Summer Ale using it and hopped with Nelson and Cascade on the weekend for a BIAB Demo.

Martin


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## mckenry (20/11/13)

In another recent thread, I mentioned how red my SMaSH was. Castle Pale malt 100% (it was a smash after all)
That, with some caraaroma (10%ish) should make a wicked red beer.


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## Takasonfletcher (23/11/13)

Ok so this is what I ended up putting down called an Iron Curtain Imperial Red Ale

2.2 kgs Mangrove Jacks IPA pack
1.7 kg LME tin unhopped
500g crushed crystal grains steeped in 2l water at 70 degrees for 30 minutes
500g dry malt extract 
15g Fuggles @15mins
12.5g Galaxy @ 10 mins
12.5g Galaxy @ flameout for 2 mins
25g Citra Dry Hopped after 1 week in Primary
25g Simcoe Dry Hopped after 1 week
Coopers commercial yeast and Mangrove Jacks kit yeast
Made to 23l
OG 1065

This is a Big beer as you can tell by the amount of fermentables I didn't buy any commercial yeasts I was planning on US 05 but completely forgot when I was in my LHBS. I started with the Mangroves Jack kit yeast (7g) pitched at 20 degrees after 2 days and absolutely no activity I found an old coopers commercial yeast which I pitched temp was @ 18 by now and a couple of hours later we had activity. It's been 7 days now after vigorous activity and thick Krausen (*sp) which has since subsided to a couple of whispers on top. I just added the Citra and Simcoe into the FV and will leave for another 7 days before I bottle, I'll let you know how it tastes out the FV when I bottle, didn't smell too great today but I'm sure the DH will take care if that soon,

Happy To get your thoughts

chuuuuur


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## Ducatiboy stu (24/11/13)

Try this for a nice scottish style red http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/19044-ducatiboys-red-ale/


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## slcmorro (25/11/13)

Wait... what? Weren't you going for a red colour? Did I miss something?


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## Edak (25/11/13)

Yeah Steve's was red, but stus was not... I also failed at Red Ale, I didn't have caraaroma and that's the key.


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## Ducatiboy stu (26/11/13)

Back in the day,in 2007, when we had to load our photographs onto large trucks,we was lucky to get them back in sepia


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## mkstalen (27/11/13)

I've got in the fermenter at the moment what I'm calling "Home Remedy" Honey Red Ale.

~24L
3.5kg Pale Malt
0.4kg Melanoiden Malt
0.4kg Light Munich
0.35kg Cararoma
0.3kg Carapills
1kg Honey
25g Summit [14.00%] (20m) - 19.9 IBU
15g Sorachi Ace [11.00%] (5min) - 3.1IBU
15g Sorachi Ace [11.00%] (Dry Hop 5 days)
American Ale II (WL#1272)

I no-chill so I expect final IBU's to be in the high 20's.

OG 1.063 (efficiency was a lot higher at 80% than the expected 65-70%)

Hoping the Lemon flavors from the Sorachi goes well with the Honey.

Went into the fermenter on Monday arvo, looks nice and red, and smells awesome.


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## Takasonfletcher (8/12/13)

Galaxy Hops = AMAZING!!


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## Takasonfletcher (28/12/13)




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