The Big Irish

The Big Irish--known also as An Eireannach Mor--is a modified version of a standard Irish red ale, drawn up and brewed by Jack Byrne. It's meant to be a red with more body and alcohol, a session beer for folks who drink regular sessioners like water. A big Irish red for big Irish bastards like Jack, essentially.

Ingredients and Numbers

 * 6 lb. Gold liquid malt extract
 * 4 oz. Maltodextrine
 * 3 lb. honey


 * 12 oz. Caramel 40L


 * 2 oz. Special B


 * 2 oz. Roasted Barley


 * 1 oz. Cascade

Stats
 * 1 oz. Fuggle
 * 1 oz. Goldings (US is fine, UK is better, East Kent is best)
 * Irish Moss and yeast nutrient, if you want clarity and a good ferment
 * Safale US-05 or other comparable Irish Ale yeast
 * OG: 1.064
 * FG: 1.012
 * IBU: 34
 * SRM: 12 (red)
 * ABV: 6.2-6.5%

The Brew
The recipe calls for a five gallon boil, but you can do smaller if you absolutely must. Steep your grains (Caramel, Special B, and Roasted Barley) at 150-160 F for 30-45 minutes. Pull out, drain back into brew pot, and maybe consider making some spent grain bread from the grains. You have a lot of them, and the bread comes out great.

Move off the flame to add malt extract and maltodextrin, stirring heavily. The honey waits until after the boil. Once well stirred, add back to the flame and bring back to a boil. Once it's at a good, solid boil (you want a good bubbling roil, not a few bubbles), add your Cascade pellets and start the boil clock at an hour.

At ten minutes left, add your Fuggles and Goldings pellets. It's also a good time to add Irish moss. At flame out, remove the hop bags, drain, and toss the old hops. Cool your wort down to 70 F and pitch yeast as normal. I do a starter of the US-05, 20 minutes on a teaspoon of priming sugar and pinch of Fermax.

Primary fermentation is about ten days, secondary about a week and a half. I've not bottled it, but I would expect a month of bottle aging to be ideal, given the higher alcohol and the honey's deeper notes. Generally speaking, less than a year would be good. The first batch will be kegged, strapped on Jack's back, and walked down the street during the 2013 St. Patrick's Day parade in Baton Rouge.