Carafa 3 in red ales

[NottsBrew]

I would be very interested to hear your opinions on using carafa 3 (or indeed any other carafa) to produce a red ale.

I was looking through a collection of recipes for red ales and noticed that some of the recipes seemed to obtain their red colour only from the addition of aproximately 2 oz of carafa 3 in a 5 gallon brew (as well as crystal malt).

In my own attempts, I have used cara red and small amounts of roast barley (along with various additions of crystal malt). I like cara red and will continue to use it in my red ales. Although I love the flavour of cara red, I still don't feel it gives the depth of red colour I want. Roast barley helped in this regard, but the flavour really stood out and I didn't like it in the brew, to be honest.

I'm wondering what the impact of using a small amount of carafa 3 would have on my red ale both in terms of colour and flavour. I know some of you are going to be shaking your heads at my desire to get a particular colour rather than aiming for a flavour, but I just love the deep red colour you get in some beers.

Thanks in advance!

 

[foxbat]

Nothing wrong with wanting your beer to look nice and appetizing. I suspect most of us, myself included, hold up their first pint to the light to inspect it and get the taste buds primed for what's to come.

Carafa Special 3 is debittered and anyway at 2oz... what's that... about 1-2% or so of the grain bill? At that level it's only going to add colour and no flavour. Other alternatives for darkening would be black malt and chocolate wheat with the latter said to be the least bitter.

 

[NottsBrew]

Nothing wrong with wanting your beer to look nice and appetizing. I suspect most of us, myself included, hold up their first pint to the light to inspect it and get the taste buds primed for what's to come.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

Thanks foxbat.

That's interesting. I suppose the next step is to experiment.

Cheers!

 

[MrRook]

Midnight wheat and blackprinz are both good for a bit of color and little flavor. Or Sinimar if you can find it.