How to COLOR ADJUST Your Beer - Irish RED Ale Recipe

[@TheBruSho]

Do you do anything to adjust the color of your beer? Or do you just go with the flow?

[@EtherealPrelude]

I liked how you didn’t get derailed when you ran into the SRM issue, but you actually turned it into a feature of the video. I’d imagine that a lot of folks would have been discouraged by the omission of the roasted barley and never put the video together in the first place.

[@TheBruSho]

Thank you, I definitely had a moment of “well damn” but I thought it would be a great learning experience. Not only for me but others. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@oscarosullivan4513]

The BJCP don’t help the SRM’s of the ones brewed here in Ireland tend to lean very dark red.

[@DointheMost]

I have REALLY been enjoying all the Irish Red content I'm seeing on brewtube the last couple weeks - a nice break from the usual "green" beers we see this time of year. Loved the segment on SRM - I learned some stuff!

[@TheBruSho]

Haha yeah I hear you on that. But you gotta mix the green with the red for the ultimate st pattys day lol

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Great video idea! I've used cold steeping with success on the cold side before - and totally agree on 100% Red-X, not a great idea. Happy St. Patty's Day Trent!

[@AddkisonAlesAndLagers]

I built a Rotbier recipe that was 92% red X and 8% Carared. Watching your video and talking to others, I've now changed that recipe lol.

[@TheBruSho]

Thanks Steve! I’ll have to keep experimenting with cold steeping. Have a great st pattys!

[@oscarosullivan4513]

@@TheBruSho The BJCP get the SRM wrong, the ones brewed here in Ireland tend to be ruby red or browny red and little to very little hopping.

[@FermentationAdventures]

Sinamar is great stuff! Where did you find the nifty syringes? I could only get it by the 4 oz bottle from Williams Brewing.

[@AddkisonAlesAndLagers]

Same I'd love it if I could find that.

[@TheBruSho]

Actually I got those from Brewchatter. Super fast delivery too! Added a link in description

[@FermentationAdventures]

@@TheBruSho Ah, and now I get the comment in the video on the price! The syringes are a neat delivery method, but the bottle is far cheaper. Cheers!

[@TheBruSho]

@@FermentationAdventures yeah plus shipping, definitely go for the bottle if you can grab it

[@qntum_jim]

Alas, brewchatter is no more.

[@1over137]

My strategy for a ruby red ale has been to make a normal malt first, high crystal base. It will likely, if brewed result in a coppery coloured ale. Then I add "chocolate malt" in a hop back on the "raise" to boil. I started with 15mins and a full squeeze and it was "ok", but not great. Second attempt it was just 10min and one gentle squeeze. Now it looks red in the fermentor and not like pond water. Hopeing I'll be lucky. Oh... I added "Carared" too this time. Maris, Vienna, T50Crystal, Carared. The point. The colour change imposed by choc or roast malt (note, roast barely is not a malt and induced astringent tones like an unbalanced stout)... is severe. Small, and I mean small amounts have a huge impact. 10g is not a waste of time in a 20L batch.

[@BentGateBrewing]

Really like seeing videos about making mistakes and how to deal with them on the fly. That's really such an important skillset as a brewer...especially when you are brewing and drinking at the same time 😛

[@TheBruSho]

Hahah agreed, although I wasn't even drinking, this one was just on me lol

[@PartyTimeBrewing]

Awesome overview of ways to fix the color. Just about to keg my Irish Red and wondering how the color will look in the end! Cheers!

[@TheBruSho]

Nice man excited to see your take on one!

[@tooidiotsbrewingcompany8137]

Great color tips! Luckily my Irish Red Ale came out looking good, but these tips are good to have in my back pocket if needed. Thanks for sharing.

[@nfctinken]

Never ran into this issue, but it is always great to know some tricks, should it ever happen. Good to just complete your brew day then go back to adjust.

[@gerardnatale2387]

Great vid! I used 6.4% red X, 6.4 % victory and .8% roasted barley and got a nice mahogany red! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

[@TheBruSho]

Nice! Happy St Pattys Gerald Natale!

[@seanhardesty9356]

I literally just went through this. Great video! Finished beer looked great!

[@TheBruSho]

Thanks! Yeah in the end it turned out just great!

[@hubb412]

Great Vid! What should we add to our beer to turn it green?

[@TheBruSho]

Haha don’t worry Chris I already made a video on that 😂

[@hubb412]

@@TheBruSho aw shit. Lol. Keep up the great content my dude.

[@ElementaryBrewingCo]

I love that style of beer! I’d like to try my next Irish red with lager yeast to try to make it even crisper and cleaner. Great video and happy St. Patrick’s Day!

[@TheBruSho]

That sounds like an excellent idea! Happy St Pattys Brian!

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Don’t use Lager yeast

[@LucasPirolla]

What final SRM did you get?

[@NikitaVorontsov]

Interesting note on the Red-X, ive always seen it in store and thought about using it but sounds like im glad I didn't. Also were those Adidas Slides? Those look 👌

[@TheBruSho]

I'm sure red-x works in some capacity but I'm not sure how much. Guess some testing is required. And good catch, thanks!

[@rachelmalin8851]

Awesome way to learn from your accidents! Great video! 🍺

[@TheBruSho]

Couldn’t agree more!

[@ic4roswings]

I love U Trent i'm about to brew a red ale and this is just what i needed to know

[@TheBruSho]

Haha yea! Learn from my mistakes and make an awesome one!

[@Kveiksmithdaryl]

Great video! I'm just about to bottle my first ever Irish Red (Could not get it done in time for St Patrick's Day!). Really hoping I get that iconic colour

[@TheBruSho]

Awesome! Kind of exciting/nervous not knowing right? Best of luck!

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Solid video!

[@TheBruSho]

Thanks sinabraj!

[@oscarosullivan4513]

So effectively a Dark Mild ale

[@bryankerr7746]

How do you make a beer lighter? 🤔

[@davidleonard2795]

Your theme song reminds me of "Hank's Theme" from the show Californication. I like

[@TheBruSho]

Hahah great show!

[@lucidhoody4208]

I wish I knew this before I made my very dark Irish red XD still tastes great tho! Cheers for the video!

[@TheBruSho]

Haha taste matters most IMO but guess there’s always next time to nail the looks!

[@GenusBrewing]

That challenger was light!

[@TheBruSho]

As in weight? Or amounts I used? The more I’m sitting on this beer the more earthiness I’m getting from it

[@GenusBrewing]

As in AA % - the ones I get in range between 8.9 and 11 AA%

[@JusBrewing]

I haven't had to adjust for color yet but I've definitely forgotten to check my list twice. I botched my first hefeweizen doing this 🤦🏾‍♂

[@TheBruSho]

Bummer, but I'm sure you wont be making that mistake again hah

[@jamesvaughn1354]

Where was this video when made my Irish red about month ago

[@TheBruSho]

Haha sorry!

[@richardwilkinson77]

Nice video Trent but a quick geography tip... Not all of Ireland is in the UK. Most of it isn't in fact!

[@TheBruSho]

That’s good to know thank you Richard for the correction!

[@fathersavage]

I brew an Irish red ale last year with 90% red x. It tasted good but was a dark red, almost brown. Next time I'm thinking 75% red x.

[@TheBruSho]

I definitely want to revisit Red X, I'll try using more next time

[@TheAlchemistsBrewery]

The EBC is just a SRM times 2. I always brew beer by using the brewfather app. So I always hit my numbers. Every beer style requires another grain bill. The Irish Red needs roasted malt. Why? Because the Irish did not use British crystal malts. I think that both the Irish and the Scots hate the British... I don't know exactly why. But it's funny.

[@TheBruSho]

Oh interesting, I didn’t know that. Thanks for the info Patrick!

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Martyn Cornell will like a word with you. You could also use inverted caramel sugar. Personally Fuggles or Goldings in low quantity are better.