# Looking For Macs Sassy Red Clone - Extract Recipe



## beerandgarden (24/2/11)

Macs Sassy Red is a nice beer, I'd like to try brewing something similar. There is a recipe in the db for Slutty Red which is supposed to be similar. However, that's an all grain recipe and I'm looking for an extract version. Anyone tried making an extract version this one or got any ideas for converting it?

The hops used are Saaz B (NZ) - this is the same as Motueka, right? Czech Sazz is also used - can Motueka be used instead? 90g of Czech Sazz plus 20g of Sazz B seems like a huge amount of hops at flameout - is that much really necessary? Plugs are specified, if using pellets instead, do you use less by weight?

Would Saf Ale S-04 work instead of Wyeast Labs 1275?

The style is Best Bitter - what exactly makes a Best Bitter? Also how do you get a red colour from an extract batch? Amber malt extract? Steeping grains?


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## bconnery (24/2/11)

beerandgarden said:


> Macs Sassy Red is a nice beer, I'd like to try brewing something similar. There is a recipe in the db for Slutty Red which is supposed to be similar. However, that's an all grain recipe and I'm looking for an extract version. Anyone tried making an extract version this one or got any ideas for converting it?
> 
> The hops used are Saaz B (NZ) - this is the same as Motueka, right? Czech Sazz is also used - can Motueka be used instead? 90g of Czech Sazz plus 20g of Sazz B seems like a huge amount of hops at flameout - is that much really necessary? Plugs are specified, if using pellets instead, do you use less by weight?
> 
> ...


Saaz B is Motueka yes. 
I think you can skip the Czech Saaz, the recipe says that they were added as cube hops, so you could a little more b Saaz to compensate. 

Grain wise all of the grains in that recipe except BB Ale are steeping grains so you could simply use the same grains, adjusting the amounts for your batch size, and use extract for the your fermentables instead of the ale malt. 

I'd always recommend using grains to get the colour as opposed to amber extract. Much better for taste and colour. 

A Best Bitter is an English bitter, loads of information around about that style, although obviously Sassy Red is one with a NZ hop twist to it. 

S04 would work ok.


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## Bribie G (24/2/11)

To get a really red colour use about 200g of Caraaroma (steep). Also I'd recommend Light Dried Malt Extract as some of the tinned liquid varieties - if they have been sitting for a while - can darken and give you unwanted colour


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## Nick JD (24/2/11)

For converting an AG recipe to extract - use all the steepable spec malts - and replace the base malt with LDME at the rate of 5/3 (if the recipe calls for 5kg of BB Ale Malt, use 3kg of LDME).


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## beerandgarden (25/2/11)

Thanks guys - all very helpful responses.



bconnery said:


> Grain wise all of the grains in that recipe except BB Ale are steeping grains so you could simply use the same grains, adjusting the amounts for your batch size, and use extract for the your fermentables instead of the ale malt.



I'm ordering my ingredients from libertybrewing.co.nz. Regarding the grains specified in the recipe:

0.25 kg Weyermann CaraWheat - They don't have this
0.15 kg Weyermann Caraaroma - Yes they have this
0.11 kg TF Dark Crystal - They have Baird's Crystal Dark - 250 EBC - same/similar?
0.1 kg Weyermann Carafa Special III - They don't have this
0.05 kg TF Pale Chocolate Malt - They have Baird's Pale Chocolate - same/similar?

Is there something I can substitute for the Weyermann CaraWheat and the Weyermann Carafa Special III, or should I just leave them out?

Here's the full list of what they have:
Baird's Amber Malt
Baird's Black Malt 1300EBC
Baird's Brown Malt
Baird's Caramalt - 30 EBC
Baird's Chocolate Malt
Baird's Crystal (Medium) - 150 EBC
Baird's Crystal Dark - 250 EBC
Baird's Golden Promise Malt
Baird's Maris Otter Malt
Baird's Pale Chocolate
Baird's Pearl Pale Malt
Baird's Roast Barley
Bairds Dark Caramalt
Bairds Flaked Maize
Bairds Heavily Peat Smoked Malt
Thomas Fawcett Floor Malted Halcyon Pale Malt
Thomas Fawcett Oat Malt
Global Colonge Malt
Global Dark Caramel
Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner Malt
Weyermann CaraAroma
Weyermann CaraBohemian
Weyermann Carafa II Malt
Weyermann Caramunich II
Weyermann Carapils Malt
Weyermann Carared
Weyermann Chocolate Wheat Malt
Weyermann Melanoidin Malt
Weyermann Munich I
Weyermann Munich II
Weyermann Smoked Malt
Weyermann Wheat Malt
Malteurop Pilsen Malt
Dingemans Aromatic Malt
Dingemans Biscuit Malt 


Oh and they do have Czech Saaz 4.1%AA hops (not sure if they are pellets or other) in addition to the Motueka pellets - 7.1%AA. Should I get some of those or not much difference if I just stick with the Motueka?


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## felten (25/2/11)

The carafa special 3 is a black malt up around 1400 EBC, but it's different from most others in that it's dehusked so you won't get any of those roasty astringent flavours. I can't see a direct replacement on that list, but when you're only using 100g (and you have a limited choice) you can get away with using another malt of a similar color, like the bairds black or maybe bairds chocolate.

Not sure about the carawheat though, I've only used it once myself. You could probably just sub it with a crystal malt of similar color but you won't get that special flavour the wheat has.

here it lists the colors of the TF malts, 200-400 for the crystal and 500-550 for the chocolate, both being british you could sub those with the Bairds versions.


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## earle (25/2/11)

I would consider subbing caramalt for the carawheat and subbing choc wheat for the carafa. They're not direct substitutes but between them you may cover the caramel, wheat and choc flavours from the unavailable malts.


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## bconnery (25/2/11)

Check with them if you can if the Carafa II they have is actually the dehusked version. 
I'm not sure I've seen many places sell non 'Special' Carafa. 
If it is the Special, then you can use it...

With regards to the wheat I think from memory in the recipe it actually says that the Carawheat is Caramel Rye, which they don't have anyway, so you could put in a little more each of caraaroma and dark crystal, or choose another caramel malt. 
TF Dark Crystal vs Baird's will be close enough, ditto with the pale chocolate. 

From my memory of this beer, which I haven't had in a while, I'd lose the Czech Saaz. I remember it being very much a combination of a nice caramel, toffee malt with fruity NZ hops. 



beerandgarden said:


> Thanks guys - all very helpful responses.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## beerandgarden (7/4/11)

Just to follow up, I've brewed this one and bottled her last week. Initial tasting (while bottling) was very promising.

My final recipe and writeup on my blog:

http://beerandgarden.com/batch-no-6-aidans-slutty-red/

Thanks everyone for the advise!
Aidan


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## Guysmiley54 (30/3/12)

Dragging up an old thread....

I just had one of these and really enjoyed it. I'm wondering though.... Can anyone else taste a really high dose of Munich? I reckon you'd want to be careful balancing out all the crystal in this recipe.

I'm thinking for the 5 malts:

Pale Malt - 60%
Munich - 27%
Pale Crystal 6%
Dark Crystal (Caraaroma or Special B ) 4%
Pale Choc 3%

Any thoughts?


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## lael (3/7/13)

is this one still in the recipe DB? (is is possible to search the recipe DB?)


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## wbosher (4/7/13)

Here you go - http://aussiehomebrewer.com/recipe/457-slutty-red/


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## lael (4/7/13)

Cheers! how did you find it?

Ed: wbosher - where did you find your Mac's Sassy Red? looking for one to try!


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## bradsbrew (4/7/13)

Have not had one of these for a few years, who is stocking them in queensland?


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## wbosher (5/7/13)

lael said:


> Cheers! how did you find it?
> 
> Ed: wbosher - where did you find your Mac's Sassy Red? looking for one to try!


Google search, still took a while though, even though I've been there before. I get Sassy Red at the local supermarket, they don't always have it though, seems to be quite a popular drink around these parts.


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## bradmccoy (24/7/13)

Dan Murphy sometimes stocks the Sasdy Red in Qld.


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