Style: Irish Red Ale
All StylesStyle Profile based on 2,148 recipes
BU:GU
0.45
Hops
3.0 g/L
Mash pH
5.50
Description
An easy-drinking pint, often with subtle flavors. Slightly malty in the balance sometimes with an initial soft toffee/caramel sweetness, a slightly grainy-biscuity palate, and a touch of roasted dryness in the finish. Some versions can emphasize the caramel and sweetness more, while others will favor the grainy palate and roasted dryness. History: While Ireland has a long ale brewing heritage, the modern Irish Red Ale style is essentially an adaptation or interpretation of the popular English Bitter style with less hopping and a bit of roast to add color and dryness. Rediscovered as a craft beer style in Ireland, today it is an essential part of most brewery lineups, along with a pale ale and a stout. Style Comparison: A less-bitter and hoppy Irish equivalent to an English Bitter, with a dryish finish due to roasted barley. More attenuated with less caramel flavor and body than equivalent-strength Scottish ales.
Examples: Caffrey’s Irish Ale, Franciscan Well Rebel Red, Kilkenny Irish Beer, O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale, Porterhouse Red Ale, Samuel Adams Irish Red, Smithwick’s Irish Ale
Typical Grain Bill
- 66%
- 13%
- 10%
- 8%
% of total grain weight across all recipes · sums to ~100%
Common Additions
- 89%
- 82%
- 58%
- 41%
% of Irish Red Ale recipes using each malt category (addition % in brackets)
Hop Usage by Addition Type
g/L · median with IQR range
Common Hops
- 36%
- 21%
- 11%
- 11%
- 5%
- 5%
- 5%
- 4%
- 3%
- 3%
% of Irish Red Ale recipes using each hop
Common Fermentables
- 14%
- 10%
- 9%
- 9%
- 9%
- 6%
- 6%
- 6%
- 6%
- 5%
Colour = malt category · bar = % of recipes
Common Yeasts
- 16%
- 12%
- 12%
- 11%
- 5%
- 2%
- 1%
- 1%
- 1%
- 1%
% of Irish Red Ale recipes using each strain
Typical Water Profile
median across recipes with a declared water profile
Similar Styles
Ranked by similarity across OG, IBU, ABV, hop rate, and grist composition.