Begin Brewing!

I've had a number of frustrations in my homebrewing activities since around 2018.  One of these has been that since switching back to the brewing setup I used then, my brewhouse efficiency is considerably lower than it was before then.  After attending HomeBrewCon 2020 (virtually, of course), I learned quite a bit about mashing that I didn't know before.  I'm hoping that learning will pay off with some efficiency improvements in upcoming batches. For this recipe, I'm testing two variables - grain crush and sparge-to-mash water ratio.  I've switched out my three-roller mill (which is hard to gap) for a two-roller mill and gapped it to match the recommended "thin as a credit card" gap. For this batch, I'm attempting to reach as close to a 1:1 mash-to-sparge water ratio (and going back to heating the sparge water as well).  If the brewhouse efficiency gets closer to my goal for this batch, I'll know I'm on the right track.  If not, back to my note...

I am starting to feel cursed that I am unable to brew an Irish Red Ale, a style that I really enjoy drinking.  My first attempt brewed fine but didn't taste like I thought it should (and it wasn't my recipe). The second attempt had a volume and gravity issue that watered it down. It was drinkable but hardly memorable. The third attempt stalled during fermentation at too high a gravity. I tried to fix that with glucoamylase and ended up with a "Brut Irish Red Ale" that was drinkable but not what I wanted, either.  This time I am hoping to nail it. I'm creating my own recipe this time around, loosely based on those I've seen online. I'm using Maris Otter for an authentic base, layering on some Caramel 40L for a caramel flavor, 120L for some color and dark fruit, roasted barley for more color and a touch of flavor, and Melanoidin malt for body, red coloring, and foam stability.  I'm using a single dose of East Kent Goldings for authentic bittering, Br...

My last two attempts at an Irish Red Ale were (at least to me) disappointing. The first did not taste all like an Irish Red to me, though it was a very drinkable beer. The second ended up way over volume and therefore came out kind of bland. This time around, I'm babysitting the Brewie+ to make sure I get the results I am looking for. This recipe began as one of Gordon Strong's, but I've modified it slightly to see if I can get a nice head with long retention and a little more reddish color. Ingredients 2 pounds, 6 ounces 2-row Pale Malt (Briess) 2 pounds, 6 ounces Simpsons Golden Promise Ale Malt 17 ounces Vienna Malt 8.5 ounces Flaked Corn 2 ounces Roasted Barley 2 ounces Cara-Pils/Dextrine Malt (added for head retention) 5 ounces Caramel 40L 0.5 ounces Melanoidin Malt (added for head retention and color) 0.40 ounces East Kent Goldings Hops Pellets @ 6.1% AA (60 min.) 0.15 ounces East Kent Goldings Hops Pellets @ 6.1% AA (10 min.) 1/4 tsp. Yeast nutrient ...

Last year, I made an Irish Red Ale recipe of my own . Although it turned out fairly well and only a couple of bottles remain, when I saw Gordon Strong's Irish Red Ale recipe, I decided I'd like to try it to see how it compared with mine. I adjusted the recipe for a smaller volume batch and the efficiency of my brewing system, which results in the recipe you see here. Ingredients 2 pounds and 6 ounces of 2-row Pale Malt (Briess) 1 pound of Vienna Malt (Weyermann, I think) 8 ounces Flaked Corn 6 ounces Caramel 40L 2 ounces Roasted Barley 2 ounces Carapils/Dextrine Malt 4 handfuls of Rice Hulls in the mash 0.38 ounces East Kent Goldings hops @ 6.1% AA (60 min.) 0.13 ounces East Kent Goldings hops @ 6.1% AA (10 min.) 1/4 tsp. Brewtan B in the mash 1.5 tsp. pH 5.2 Stabilizer in the mash 1/4 tsp. Brewtan B in the boil (15 min.) 1/8 tsp. Yeast Nutrient (15 min.) 1/8 tsp. Super Irish Moss (10 min.) 2.4 gallons of Mash Water 2.0 gallons of Sparge Water BeerSmith 3....

I ran across a recipe online for Raging Red Irish Red Ale and it seemed that people who had made it really enjoyed it. I've wanted to brew an Irish Red Ale for a while, so I ordered the ingredients. After they arrived, I realized I had mis-read the honey in the ingredient list as Gambrinus Honey Malt, so my version will be a little different from the original. I'm also swapping the California Ale yeast for Danstar Nottingham Ale yeast, which has a similar attenuation and might be slightly more authentic. I also decided to use some Brewtan B in this recipe since I had it on-hand and wanted to see how it might help this beer's flavor hold up over time. Ingredients 4 pounds Two-row Pale Ale Malt 8 ounces Caraaroma Malt 8 ounces Gambrinus Honey Malt 4 ounces Carafoam Malt 4 ounces Melanoidin Malt 1/4 tsp. Brewtan B in the mash 0.5 ounces Crystal hops pellets @ 3.5% AA (60 min.) 0.5 ounces Cascade hops pellets @ 6.9% AA (30 min.) 1/2 tsp. Brewtan B (15 min.)...