Hpw to get a deep red color in brewing.

[msa8967]

I want to make a special red ale with a strong red color for my father in law who is a big Cincinnati Reds fan. When I try making amber/red ales they often don't come out with a strong amber color (this does not bother me but I am wanting to make a special beer this time.)

What I would like to know is will using a small amount of chocolate malt, black patent malt or roasted barley would be OK. I am thinking of using 1-2 oz at most and I would like to know which one or which combination might be best for this recipe.

Thanks

Big Red Machine Ale
6 lbs Vienna malt
4 lbs Pale malt
1 lb Munich malt
1 lb crystal 80
8 oz biscuit malt
1 oz perle 60 min
2 oz cascade 15 min
1 oz cascade 5 min
1 oz Willamette 0 min

 

[Snowden]

I just brewed a modified version of Jamil's Irish Red recipe from Brewing Classic Styles. His recipe calls for a small quantity of roasted barley (6 oz in 5 gal). I ended up dropping that a tad and using a little bit more of the UK 150 L Dark Crystal; it had a nice ruby red look to it going into the fermentor. I used 2 oz of roasted barley in that batch.

I think you are on the right track!

 

[msa8967]

I just brewed a modified version of Jamil's Irish Red recipe from Brewing Classic Styles. His recipe calls for a small quantity of roasted barley (6 oz in 5 gal). I ended up dropping that a tad and using a little bit more of the UK 150 L Dark Crystal; it had a nice ruby red look to it going into the fermentor. I used 2 oz of roasted barley in that batch.

I think you are on the right track!

Thanks for the recommendation. I didn't know if 2 oz of roasted barley would affect the taste much. I was also thinking of playing around with using more munich malt and Vienna malt and less pale malt. I want to avoid a strong burnt taste that I do like in stouts and porters.

 

[byrone]

For adding colour without much flavour, I like to use Chocolate Wheat malt. It has a colour of 550L so you won't need a lot. Looking at your recipe using any of the malts you listed at that low level shouldn't affect taste too much(if at all) because of the 1lbs of crystal and 1/2lbs of biscuit malt. If you have beersmith plug it in and look to get a srm of around 16+ for a deep red. If you don't have beersmith there are other free online recipe calculators that will help as well

 

[hexangel013]

you could try red x malt...i've never used it myself but i know people who have and gotten good results

 

[thejasonsherman]

I'm two batches into a hoppy red that I'm trying to get a perfect ruby color. First try was 4 oz of roasted barley in 5 gal and was almost black and had some burnt flavors (mashed at 153). Second batch was 2 oz, just a tad light. Have had carared and red x suggested but couldn't get either at lhbs. Good luck!

 

[msa8967]

I am going to try using just 3 oz of a darker malt.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

I use 2oz of roast barley in my amber, similar grist to what you have actually, and it really makes the color spot on. Doesn't add any flavor.

 

[Snowden]

I am going to try using just 3 oz of a darker malt.

Awesome! Let us know how it turns out!


Sent from my iPod touch using Home Brew

 

[YeastMode]

I add 2-3 oz of roasted barley late in the mash (like 10-15 minutes) and it will as color but not much flavor. You will add some red shade. Another option is to add some black patient, but you need to add very little or else you end up with a stout. The roasted barley route is more forgiving.