Irish Red Ale Recipe (All-Grain): 5 to 30 Gallons
An all-grain Irish Red Ale recipe you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 4.2% ABV and 25 IBU, with the grain bill, hop schedule, yeast and step-by-step process.
In this post
Irish Red Ale at a glance: 4.2% ABV, 25 IBU, OG 1.043. A clean, malty Irish red: caramel and a little toffee, a dry finish, and a deep red colour from a pinch of roasted barley. Easy-drinking at 4.2%.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
Irish Red Ale
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 8 lb (3.63 kg) | Maris Otter | 90% |
| 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) | Crystal 60 | 6% |
| 0.25 lb (0.11 kg) | Crystal 120 | 3% |
| 0.1 lb (0.05 kg) | Roasted barley, for colour | 1% |
Hops
| 1.5 oz (43 g) | East Kent Goldings · 5% AA | 60 min |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | Irish ale yeast (WLP004 or Wyeast 1084) or English ale yeast (S-04) | |
| Water | Balanced water. | |
Process
- Mash: 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes
- Ferment: 66°F (19°C) for 10 to 14 days
- Condition: Package when the gravity is stable; ready in 2 to 3 weeks
- Carbonate: 2.3 volumes of CO₂
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.
How to brew it
- Mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes.
- Boil 60 minutes, adding the hops on schedule.
- Chill to 64°F (18°C), oxygenate and pitch the yeast.
- Ferment at 66°F (19°C) until the gravity is stable.
- Package at about 2.3 volumes of CO₂.
Tips
- Just a pinch of roasted barley gives the red colour and a dry finish; much more and it becomes a brown ale.
- Keep the hops in the background. This one is about the malt.
Frequently asked questions
What makes an Irish red red?
A small amount of roasted barley, around 1% of the grain, together with crystal malt.
Is Irish red the same as amber ale?
They’re close. Irish red is maltier, drier and less hoppy; American amber has more hop flavour. See our amber ale recipe.
Related guides
Amber ale recipe, Irish stout recipe, how roasted malts change flavour.