Dana's Smilin' Irish Eyes Red Ale

Classification: pale ale, red ale, extract

Source: Guy McConnell (gdmcconn@mspe5.b11.ingr.com) Issue #1069, 2/3/93

The two best commercial examples of this (non?)style IMHO are Boulevard Brewing Co. (of Kansas City MO.) "Irish Ale" and Birmingham Brewing Co. "Red Mountain Red Ale". I know the guy who started the Birmingham Brewing Co. and he gave me the details of his recipe. It has 2-row pale malt, Carapils, and Belgian Special B with "18-20" IBU of hops (he didn't tell me what type but I believe Cascades are used) and Irish Ale yeast. After trying either of these, you will realize just how pale a reflection Killian's is of this all but forgotten style. Another victim of the American Mass Brewing monster.

Ingredients:

6 pounds Alexander's Pale Malt Extract Syrup
1 pound Orange Blossom Honey
1 pound ( 4 cups ) Belgian Special B ( 200 L )
3 ounces Cascade Hop Pellets
1 tsp Irish Moss
1 pack Wyeast #1084 Irish Ale

Procedure:

Place cracked grains in 2 quarts cold water and bring temperature up to 170 degrees. Steep for 15 minutes and sparge into brewpot. Add malt extract and 1 oz. hops and boil for 45 minutes. Add Irish moss, 1 oz. hops, and honey & boil for 15 more minutes. Remove from heat & add remaining 1 oz. hops. Cool quickly, add to 3 gallons cold water in primary fermenter, and pitch yeast. Rack to secondary after vigorous fermentation subsides. Bottle when fermentation completes.