Brewing Irish red ale at home

Typical figures

Recipe for 20 litres (5.3 gal)

• Original gravity: 11.3 °P (SG 1.045)
• 4.5 % vol
• 23 IBU
• 28 EBC (14.2 SRM)
• Final gravity: 2.9 °P (SG 1.011)

Grain bill

Hops

Yeast

SafAle S-04: 10–16 g (0.35–0.56 oz) for 20 L (about 5.3 gal) (50–80 g/hl)

Mash schedule

66 °C (151 °F) · 60 min

Brewing water

Brewing steps

1. Clean and sanitise everything that touches the wort after the boil.
2. Measure out 29 L (about 7.7 gal) of water and treat it with the brewing-water calculator. Medium-hard water works well, mash pH 5.3–5.5.
3. Split the water: mash water 16.5 L (about 4.4 gal), sparge water 12.5 L (about 3.3 gal).
4. Heat the mash water to 69 °C (156 °F) and mash in 4.14 kg (9.1 lb) Pale ale malt, 0.24 kg (0.53 lb) Caramunich II, 0.2 kg (0.44 lb) Carapils and 84 g (3 oz) Roasted barley (gives about 66 °C / 151 °F).
5. Rest: 66 °C (151 °F), 60 min. Iodine test at the end: no blue colour = starch converted.
6. Measure mash pH 10–15 min after mashing in (cool the sample to 20 °C / 68 °F). Target 5.4–5.5.
7. Mash out: heat to 78 °C (172 °F) and hold for 10 min.
8. Rest 10–20 min, lauter slowly and sparge with 12.5 L (about 3.3 gal) water at 78 °C (172 °F).
9. Boil the wort for 60 min. At the start of the boil add 32 g (1.1 oz) East Kent Goldings.
10. 10 min before the end of the boil add Irish moss (about 2 g / 0.07 oz, soaked beforehand).
11. After the boil stir a whirlpool and let it rest for 15 min.
12. Chill to 17 °C (63 °F), measure original gravity (target 11.3 °P), run 20 L (about 5.3 gal) into the fermenter, aerate well and pitch the SafAle S-04 (amount see yeast).
13. Primary fermentation 7–10 days at 17–20 °C (63–68 °F).
14. Measure final gravity (target about 2.9 °P). Priming sugar per bottle from the carbonation calculator (target 4.5 g/l), then bottle.
15. Bottle-condition for 2 weeks at room temperature, then keep cool.

Notes

Created with the beer creator (brewhouse efficiency 70 %, final gravity about 2.9 °P).