Need some input on first Red Ale recipe

[Torrefaction]

Hi folks,
I’m about to brew my first red ale (been serial brewing IPAs since I started AG last year) so I thought I’d get some input. What do you think the following recipe will give me? I like hoppy reds that are complex and spicy and that have some body without being too malty/sweet. Also, I’m shooting for a nice red colour; will this get me there? Thanks!

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Red Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 20 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 28.5 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.040
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV (standard): 5.65%
IBU (tinseth): 55.58
SRM (morey): 14.3

FERMENTABLES:
4 kg - Canadian - Pale 2-Row (73.7%)
0.5 kg - American - Rye (9.2%)
0.3 kg - American - Victory (5.5%)
0.25 kg - Flaked Wheat (4.6%)
0.125 kg - American - Caramel / Crystal 40L (2.3%)
0.15 kg - American - Caramel / Crystal 80L (2.8%)
0.1 kg - American - Roasted Barley (1.8%)
Rice hulls (handful or two)

Total: 5.43 kg (12 pounds)

HOPS:
10 g - Northern Brewer, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 9, Use: First Wort, IBU: 6.9
20 g - Northern Brewer, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 9, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 22.79
20 g - Whitbread Golding, Type: Pellet, AA: 6, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 10.12
20 g - Northern Brewer, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 9, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 11.31
20 g - Willamette, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 4.54
30 g - Willamette, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 0 min

Total 120 g (4.25 oz)

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 67 C (153 F), Time: 60 min, Amount: 16 L,
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
15 g - Irish Moss, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil

YEAST:
White Labs - Dry English Ale Yeast WLP007
Starter: Yes
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 75%
Flocculation: Med-High
Optimum Temp: 18.33 - 21.11 C
Fermentation Temp: 20 C

 

[bferullo]

you can try some carared to get some color.

Definitely based on your yeast and hop selection you should get spiciness and dryness

I don't think the grist will yield that much sweetness, but that's only my opinion not a fact...i find that more "bready" malts tend to lend to some perceived sweetness. Also with only about 5-6% crystals....shouldn't be overly sweet.

based on your IBU:OG ratio you are leaning towards the more bitter side, IPA esque. But I find this ratio to be subjective so take it as you will.

As always...only opinions...do what works for you!!!! I am by no means some expert recipe writer.

 

[BeerEngineer15]

The mash temp will tend to lean towards a sweeter less fermentable wort. Should still be OK in this beer but you may want to try and dial it back a degree or two to get the beer to have less of that sweetness.

 

[agrazela]

Agreed with above, I'd mash that at 150-152F

I'd say more rye for the spiciness, maybe as much as 150-200% of what's there now.

I'd also say switch that C80L for C120L, to get it a bit darker for more of a "ruby red" (maybe aim for an SRM more like 16-17) and to get a bit more complexity in the flavor and a bit less overall "sweet" from the crystal.

Also...dry hop!

 

[Torrefaction]

Thanks for the input! This beer was already in the fermenter before anyone chimed in, so no change to the recipe. I ended up mashing at 66.5 for an hour (151.7). My old WLP 007 slurry didn't take off (first time pitching sloppy slurry without a starter) so Safale US-05 saved the day. It looks more copper-brown than red, and I think the recipe is really more of an ESB than a red ale. I'll let you know how it comes across! Should be a nice contrast with the juicy fruitbomb IPAs I've been making all summer.