Red Ale (Countertop Partial Mash)

IMG_2116

Mmmm . . . amber ale.

Have I ever mentioned how I thought partial mashes are the way to go for stovetop extract brewers? This one has migrated from my brewing notebook to the Easy, Surefire Extract Beers series, and now I’ve reformulated it as a countertop partial mash. Both 2-gallon (~8-L) and 3-gallon (~11 L) mash tun versions are given. This amber ale is full-bodied, with plenty of caramel flavor as well as hop flavor and aroma.

 

Amber Socks Red Ale

Amber ale

by Chris Colby

Partial mash (countertop); English units

 

DESCRIPTION

An amber ale with caramel malt flavor and lots of hop flavor and aroma.

INGREDIENTS (for 5 gallons)

 

Water

carbon-filtered tap water

Malt and Malt Extract (for an OG of 1.050 and an SRM of 26)

2 lb. 5 oz. US 2-row pale malt

1.0 lb. crystal malt (40 °L)

8.0 oz. crystal malt (60 °L)

2.0 oz.  chocolate malt

1.0 oz. black malt

3.5 lbs. light dried malt extract (preferably US, such as Briess)

Hops (for 39 IBU total)

US Magnum hops (22 IBU)

0.50 oz. 14 g (at 12% alpha acids), boiled for 60 minutes

Willamette hops (11 IBU)

1.0 oz. 28 g (at 5% alpha acids), boiled for 15 minutes

Cascade hops (6 IBU)

0.5 oz. 14 g (at 6% alpha acids), boiled for 15 minutes

Willamette hops (0 IBU)

1.0 oz. 28 g, added at 0 mins

Liberty hops (0 IBU)

0.5 oz. 14 g, added at 0 mins

Yeast (for an FG of 1.012 and 4.8% ABV)

11 g sachet Fermentis Safale US-05, Danstar BRY-97 (American West Coast) or Mangrove Jack M44 (US West Coast) dried yeast

(no starter required)

Other

1 tsp. Irish moss, boiled for 15 minutes

5.0 oz. corn sugar (for priming to 2.6 volumes of CO2)

 

PROCEDURES

In your brewpot, heat 5.5 qts. of brewing liquor to 163 °F. Place crushed grains in a large steeping bag and submerge in brewpot water. Mash at 152 °F for 45 minutes, stirring and heating briefly every 10 minutes to maintain the mash temperature. In a separate pot, heat 5 qts of water to 170 °F. When the mash is done, heat it to 170 °F for a mash out. Lift bag and let drip into brewpot until you can move it over to the cooler without splattering too much wort. Scoop or pour the wort from the brewpot into the cooler. Recirculate the wort until it is clear, then run off. Sparge steadily over 60 minutes (collect about a cup of wort from the cooler every 90 seconds) to collect about 10 qts. Add about 2 qts. of water to the brewpot, and start heating it as you collect the wort. You should yield about 3.5 gallons of wort. When you’re done collecting the wort, stir in roughly half of the malt extract and bring the wort to a boil. Add the first dose of hops and boil wort for 60 minutes. Add other hops and Irish moss at times indicated. Stir in remaining malt extract in the last 10 minutes of the boil. (Tips on adding extract during the boil.) Chill wort to 68 °F, then rack to fermenter. Add water make 5.0 gallons, aerate wort thoroughly, and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F. After fermentation stops, let the beer settle for 7–10 days or rack to a secondary fermenter to clear. Rack to keg or bottling bucket. Carbonate to 2.6 volumes of CO2.

 

3-gallon (11-L) Cooler Option:

Increase the amount of pale malt to 4 lb. 5 oz. (2.0 kg). Decrease the amount of malt extract to 2 lb. 7 oz. (1.1 kg). Use 8.3 qts. (7.8 L) of strike water and roughly this volume (about 5% less) of sparge water. Collect about 4.0 gallons (15 L wort) of wort.

 

Amber Socks Red Ale

Amber ale

by Chris Colby

Partial mash (countertop); metric units

 

INGREDIENTS (for 19 L)

 

Water

carbon-filtered tap water

Malt and Malt Extract (for an OG of 1.050 and an SRM of 26)

1.1 kg US 2-row pale malt

450 g crystal malt (40 °L )

230 g crystal malt (60 °L)

57 g chocolate malt

28 g black malt

1.6 kg light dried malt extract (preferably US, such as Briess)

Hops (for 39 IBU total)

US Magnum hops (22 IBU)

14 g (at 12% alpha acids), boiled for 60 minutes

Willamette hops (11 IBU)

28 g (at 5% alpha acids), boiled for 15 minutes

Cascade hops (6 IBU)

14 g (at 6% alpha acids), boiled for 15 minutes

Willamette hops (0 IBU)

28 g, added at 0 mins

Liberty hops (0 IBU)

14 g, added at 0 mins

Yeast (for an FG of 1.012 and 4.8% ABV)

11 g sachet Fermentis Safale US-05, Danstar BRY-97 (American West Coast) or Mangrove Jack M44 (US West Coast) dried yeast

(no starter required)

Other

1 tsp. Irish moss, boiled for 15 minutes

140 g corn sugar (for priming to 2.6 volumes of CO2)

 

PROCEDURES

In your brewpot, heat 5.2 L of brewing liquor to 73 °C. Place crushed grains in a large steeping bag and submerge in brewpot water. Mash at 67 °C for 45 minutes, stirring and heating briefly every 10 minutes to maintain mash temperature. In a separate pot, heat 5 L of water to 77 °C. When mash is done, heat to 77 °C for a mash out. Lift bag and let drip into brewpot until you can move it over to the cooler without splattering too much wort. Scoop or pour wort from brewpot into cooler. Recirculate wort until clear, then run off. Sparge steadily over 60 minutes (collect about a cup of wort from the cooler every 90 seconds) to collect about 9.5 L. Add about 2 L of water to the brewpot, and start heating it as you collect the wort. You should yield about 13 L of wort. When you’re done collecting wort, stir in roughly half of the malt extract and bring the wort to a boil. Add the first dose of hops and boil wort for 60 minutes. Add other hops and  Irish moss at times indicated. Stir in remaining malt extract in last 10 minutes of the boil. (Tips on adding extract during the boil.) Chill wort, then rack to fermenter. Add water make 19 L, aerate wort thoroughly, and pitch yeast. Ferment at 20 °C. After fermentation stops, let beer settle for 7–10 days or rack to a secondary fermenter to clear. Rack to keg or bottling bucket and carbonate to 2.6 volumes of CO2.

Comments

  1. Thanks for the recipe. I have a hoppy red ale that is quite different in composition but probably similar in taste and body. Any reason why you don’t use rye malt for this type of recipe?

  2. This was my first partial mash, both a pretty manageable one as far as grain bill for a countertop setup goes, and turned out fantastic – I’m normally “eh, it’s okay” about Red Ales but 100% making this one again. Excellent recipe!

Speak Your Mind

*