How To Brew Red Ale: Crafting a Picture-Perfect Radiant Red Beer

Red IPA is a hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong beer, much like an American IPA. How it stands out from the everyday run-of-the-mill IPA by the toffee and/or dark fruit that is carried by the malt.

With a dry finish and immense drinkability, the Red IPA is flavor-filled while being malt forward without being sweet or heavy. 

An American Beer

The Red IPA is one of the newer sub-styles in the BJCP American IPA style category. Many American beer styles are imitations or versions of beers brewed in Germany, England, or other countries.

However, the Red IPA is pretty American. This style lends itself to being very closely related to the American Amber Ale with more hoppiness, increased malt bill and a slight change in the alcohol range.  

Does Color Matter?

In the world of beer, how the beer looks can make or break a style. With a color range between 11 to 19 SRMs, the Red IPA certainly has color.

The reddish hue is thanks in large part to the Carafa Special I that is added to most Red IPA recipes. This will achieve the desired color, but give off very little roast character.  

Style Profile for Red IPA

Appearance

Red IPA will range from a light reddish amber to a dark ruby or reddish copper. Clarity should be clear, unless the beer is dry hopped, then haze will appear.

Head color is creamy white to light to cream and should be medium in size with good retention. 

Aroma

The aroma of a Red IPA will consist of some maly sweet, rather nutty, dark caramel, toasty bread, toffee and hints of dark fruit. The malt aroma should be complementary to the hop aromas.

Hop aroma ranges from medium to strong. Notes of berry, melon, spice, pine, resinous, fruit, citrus, tropical and/or stone fruit are possibilities. A bit of alcohol heat can become noticeable with stronger versions. 

Flavor

Clean, but sweet malt at the front of the palate with dark caramel, toffee, toasted bread, and/or dark fruit. Should not have roasted, burnt, or harsh bitterness. Hop flavors can range from moderate to high.

Usually American or New World hops, with flavors of berry, stone fruit, pine, floral, melon, spicy, citrus, tropical fruit being common. The beer should finish dry to medium with some residual sweetness. Some hop flavor and bitterness may be present in the aftertaste.

Some fruitiness can arrive from the yeast. Residual sweetness is medium-low to none with a dry finish. Hop flavors and bitterness may linger but should never be considered harsh.  

Mouthfeel

Smooth texture with medium to moderately high carbonation and medium-light to medium body. Hop astringency should not be harsh. 

Food Pairing

A good Red IPA can pair well with French onion soup, tomato soup, or pasta salad. Spicy foods such as Indian, Asian, or Mexican can all pair nicely. The old favorites such as a BLT, burgers, or pizzas always pair wonderfully here.

BBQ ribs, grilled meats and hearty roasts can be a great pairing as well. Cheese such as blue, smoked gouda, sharp aged cheddar, aged Chevre, or Parmigiano-Reggiano can all be great companions to a Red IPA.

Desserts that consist of spice cakes, vanilla or maple syrup, or even oatmeal raisin cookies all pair nicely here too. 

Tips for Brewing your own Red IPA

Grain

Domestic 2-Row or pale ale malt are usually the base malts for Red Ales. A half pound each of Crystal 40 and 120 will give off that great toffee and toast flavors.

A quarter pound of Carafa Special I, a dehusked malt, can give the color a Red IPA needs but without the roast character. 

Hops

American hops really should be showcased in this beer. A traditional bittering charge at 60 minutes is a nice place to start with your hop schedule. Something like Chinook or Simcoe will give the beer a nice bitterness.

After bittering hops, the sky’s the limit with how much or little hops you want to add. Cascade, Citra, Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo is always a good way to start when thinking about the hop schedule. If adding rye to the grain bill, Mosaic makes for a decent choice. 

Hopping with New World hops like Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin or any of your favorite hops from New Zealand or Australia will work here too. Dry hopping is very common with the style and encouraged to extract more hop aroma and flavor in your beer. 

Yeast

A clean fermenting American yeast is encouraged for American IPAs. Wyeast American Ale 1056 or White Labs California Ale WLP001 are two popular strains.

Imperial Yeast also offers A15 Independence, A07 Flagship, and A18 Joystick. Safale US-05 is also the dry yeast strain to be considered.

Red IPA the By the Numbers

• Color Range: 11 – 19 SRM
• Original Gravity: 1.056 – 1.070 OG
• Final Gravity: 1.008 – 1.016 FG
• IBU Range: 40 – 70
• ABV Range: 5.5 – 7.5%

Red IPA Recipe

Grain

• 73 %            9 lbs          Maris Otter    
• 17 %            2 lbs          Vienna Malt
•   8 %            1 lb            Caramunich II
•   2 %            .25 lb         Carafa Special I

Hops

• 1.00 oz         Simcoe – Boil 60 min
• 1.00 oz         Cascade – Boil – 5 min
• 1.00 oz         Centennial – Boil 5 min
• 1.00 oz         Simcoe – Boil   5 min

Yeast

• 1.0 pkg   Ringwood Ale Wyeast #1187

Directions

• Mash at 152°F (66°C) for 60 mins
• Boil for 60 mins 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Red Ale and how does it differ from a Red IPA?

A Red Ale is a type of beer characterized by its red or amber color which comes from the use of certain malts. The flavor profile of a Red Ale is typically balanced with a moderate maltiness and hop bitterness.

On the other hand, a Red IPA (India Pale Ale) is a hoppier and often stronger variant of Red Ale, inheriting the characteristic red color but amplifying the hop bitterness and alcohol content.

The “IPA” in Red IPA denotes a higher hop bitterness, a trait inherited from the India Pale Ale family.

How does the American Red Ale recipe differ from other red ale recipes like Irish Red Ale?

The American Red Ale recipe usually showcases a balanced blend of malt sweetness and hop bitterness, with a moderate to high alcohol content. It may also have a more pronounced hop aroma and flavor compared to other red ales.

On the other hand, an Irish Red Ale tends to lean towards a maltier and smoother profile with less hop bitterness, and often has a lower alcohol content compared to its American counterpart.

What ingredients contribute to the red color in a Red Ale?

The red color in a Red Ale primarily comes from the use of specialty malts such as caramel or crystal malts.

These malts have been kilned to develop their color and flavor, which in turn imparts the red hue to the beer. The exact shade of red can be influenced by the specific types and amounts of malts used in the recipe.

What are the considerations for hopping in a hoppy Red Ale recipe or a Red IPA recipe?

When crafting a hoppy Red Ale or a Red IPA, the choice of hops and the hopping technique are crucial to achieve the desired bitterness, aroma, and flavor.

Common hops used include American varieties known for their citrus, floral, or piney characteristics. The timing of hop additions during brewing, as well as considering dry hopping for enhanced aroma, are important considerations.

The overall hop profile should complement the maltiness while adding a contrasting bitterness to create a well-rounded beer.

How can one experiment with a Red Ale recipe to create variations like a thick Red Beer or an Imperial Red Ale?

Experimentation in a Red Ale recipe can lead to various unique brews. For a thicker Red Beer, increasing the malt bill or using malts with higher dextrin levels can contribute to a fuller body and mouthfeel.

On the other hand, an Imperial Red Ale recipe would call for a significant increase in both malts and hops to achieve a higher alcohol content and a bold flavor profile.

Adjusting the ratios of different malts and hops, as well as experimenting with different yeast strains and brewing techniques, can lead to a wide range of red ale variations.