Beer Forum

I just wrote recipes for my next two batches and I would appreciate some help ironing them out.

First up, imperial red ale:

8lb pale malt extract
2lb 2 row
1lb carared
.5lb chocolate malt
.5lb munich malt

2 oz columbus @60 min
1 oz chinook @30 min
1 oz cascase @ 10 minute
1 oz each chinook and cascade dry hopped

fermented with california ale yeast

Next, barley wine:

11lb pale malt extract
2lb 2 row
.5lb crystal 120L
.5lb special b

2 oz magnum @ 60 min
.5 oz columbus @30 min
.5 oz amarillo @20 min
.5 oz columbus @10 min
.5 oz amarillo @10 min
1 oz cascade in flame out

fermented with high gravity yeast.

What do guys think? I like big flavorful aggressive beer. Any thing I could change to improve them?

I think the red looks good.
I'd spread the crystals -- C120 and Special B out a little. Both are dark crystal malts, special B a little darker at around 130L.
Keep the Special B, but I'd suggest you split the C120 into 1/4 lb C40 and 1/4 lb C80 instead.
That will layer in more flavors - you won't have one bit "blotch" of bittersweet caramel/figs/plums/prunes at that 120-130L area.

What temp are you planning to do your mini-mash at? Personally, I'd shoot lower, like 149. You are gonna have a shit ton of dextrins from the extract and the crystals. The 2 row will go nicely if you try to lower the temp a little to help dry out what is no doubt gonna be a huge beer.

- my .02

thanks for the advice!

devinjames wrote:I just wrote recipes for my next two batches and I would appreciate some help ironing them out.

First up, imperial red ale:

8lb pale malt extract
2lb 2 row
1lb carared
.5lb chocolate malt
.5lb munich malt

1/5 lb of chocolate seems to me like you may end up w/ a more brown to black beer than. If you're looking for an agressive coffee/ chocolately flavor i think you'll get it. But if you just want color i'd go w/ 4oz Carafa special II (no husk = not a lot of flavor) but w/ just 4 oz i think you'll get closer to a red color and avoid it coming out super dark.

I think you are misreaing the measurements:
That is (0.5 lb == 1/2 a lb) of chocolate malt, not 1/5.

HTH-

Ha!