Irish Red or Amber Ale?

So, the next page of Misdemeanor Brewing is to develop a few "House Recipes." The two styles that I've chosen to work on are Irish Red Ales and IPA's. The first because this style was very popular (even Mrs. Misdemeanor liked it!), and IPA's because it's a more widely defined style, giving me more leeway to experiment. Besides, IPA's are just so tasty!

So, in preparation for this, I've been doing some research into recipes from which I can work. In the process, I got a little confused. I know what makes IPA's IPA's - light to medium color, hoppy taste and aroma, strong in ABV - but Irish Red to me has always been a little harder to pin down. What's the difference between an Irish Red and an Amber Ale? Turns out, not a lot. So, I thought I'd do a little post about what I found.

Here is the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) style description for the Irish Red. (No, you don't have to read it all, since I'll be explaining it in a bit.)

Aroma: Low to moderate malt aroma, generally caramel-like but occasionally toasty or toffee-like in nature. May have a light buttery character (although this is not required). Hop aroma is low to none (usually not present). Quite clean. Appearance: Amber to deep reddish copper color (most examples have a deep reddish hue). Clear. Low off-white to tan colored head.

Flavor: Moderate caramel malt flavor and sweetness, occasionally with a buttered toast or toffee-like quality. Finishes with a light taste of roasted grain, which lends a characteristic dryness to the finish. Generally no flavor hops, although some examples may have a light English hop flavor. Medium-low hop bitterness, although light use of roasted grains may increase the perception of bitterness to the medium range. Medium-dry to dry finish. Clean and smooth (lager versions can be very smooth). No esters.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body, although examples containing low levels of diacetyl may have a slightly slick mouthfeel. Moderate carbonation. Smooth. Moderately attenuated (more so than Scottish ales). May have a slight alcohol warmth in stronger versions.

Overall Impression: An easy-drinking pint. Malt-focused with an initial sweetness and a roasted dryness in the finish. Comments: Sometimes brewed as a lager (if so, generally will not exhibit a diacetyl character). When served too cold, the roasted character and bitterness may seem more elevated. Ingredients: May contain some adjuncts (corn, rice, or sugar), although excessive adjunct use will harm the character of the beer. Generally has a bit of roasted barley to provide reddish color and dry roasted finish. UK/Irish malts, hops, yeast.

Vital Statistics:
IBUs: 17 – 28
SRM: 9 – 18
OG: 1.044 - 1.060
FG: 1.010 - 1.014
ABV: 4.0 - 6.0%

And here's the description for the American Amber Ale. (Same as above.)

Aroma: Low to moderate hop aroma from dry hopping or late kettle additions of American hop varieties. A citrusy hop character is common, but not required. Moderately low to moderately high maltiness balances and sometimes masks the hop presentation, and usually shows a moderate caramel character. Esters vary from moderate to none. No diacetyl.

Appearance: Amber to coppery brown in color. Moderately large off-white head with good retention. Generally quite clear, although dry-hopped versions may be slightly hazy.

Flavor: Moderate to high hop flavor from American hop varieties, which often but not always has a citrusy quality. Malt flavors are moderate to strong, and usually show an initial malty sweetness followed by a moderate caramel flavor (and sometimes other character malts in lesser amounts). Malt and hop bitterness are usually balanced and mutually supportive. Fruity esters can be moderate to none. Caramel sweetness and hop flavor/bitterness can linger somewhat into the medium to full finish. No diacetyl.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body. Carbonation moderate to high. Overall smooth finish without astringency often associated with high hopping rates. Stronger versions may have a slight alcohol warmth.

Overall Impression: Like an American pale ale with more body, more caramel richness, and a balance more towards malt than hops (although hop rates can be significant).

History: Known simply as Red Ales in some regions, these beers were popularized in the hop-loving Northern California and the Pacific Northwest areas before spreading nationwide.

Comments: Can overlap in color with American pale ales. However, American amber ales differ from American pale ales not only by being usually darker in color, but also by having more caramel flavor, more body, and usually being balanced more evenly between malt and bitterness. Should not have a strong chocolate or roast character that might suggest an American brown ale (although small amounts are OK). Ingredients: Pale ale malt, typically American two-row. Medium to dark crystal malts. May also contain specialty grains which add additional character and uniqueness. American hops, often with citrusy flavors, are common but others may also be used. Water can vary in sulfate and carbonate content.

Vital Statistics
IBUs: 25 - 40
SRM: 10 - 17
OG: 1.045 - 1.060
FG: 1.010 - 1.015
ABV: 4.5 - 6.2%

So, what all does this mean? If you look at the "Vital Statistics," you can see that the two are very similar. The main difference is in the IBU's. What is an IBU, you ask? Well, it stands for International Bittering Units, but basically it's a measure of the bitterness in the beer. So, Amber Ales use more hops. The other difference you can see in the description is the type of malts and hops used in the two. For the Irish Red, understandably, one would use more English malts and hops with a tendency to use toasted malts. The Amber Ales use more American malts and hops.

Will I stick with the Irish Red style in my experimenting? Probably not exclusively. Most likely, I will blur the line between the two styles, but we'll see. At least for now, I'll try to stay as close to style as I can.

I know probably no one cares about all of this, but I hope you have learned a little bit from this. I know I have! Anyway, until next time!