If you’re looking for an all-grain beer that tastes like something you’d actually order at a pub, Back Bar Irish Red Ale is a solid choice. It’s malt-forward, balanced, and forgiving enough for newer all-grain brewers, especially if you’re brewing on an all-in-one system like a Brewzilla or Mash & Boil.
This isn’t a hop showcase or a trendy recipe. It’s a dependable house beer you could imagine living on tap behind the bar.
If you’re new to all-grain brewing, check out my guide on All-Grain Brewing Made Simple before you start.
Back Bar Irish Red Ale – All-Grain Recipe
Batch size: 5.5 gallons into fermenter
Final yield: ~5.0 gallons packaged
Estimated ABV: ~5.1%
IBU: ~18
Color: Deep red
Grain Bill
10.0 lb Maris Otter (UK pale ale malt)
0.5 lb Crystal 40L
0.5 lb Crystal 120L
0.25 lb Roasted Barley
The roasted barley is used strictly for color and balance. At this amount it will not make the beer taste roasty or stout-like.
Mash Schedule
Mash at 153°F for 60 minutes
Optional mash out at 168°F
This mash temperature gives you a medium body without making the beer sweet.
👉 If you’re brewing on an all-in-one system like a Brewzilla or Mash & Boil, this mash schedule works well with either setup.
Boil and Hops
Boil time: 60 minutes
1.0 oz East Kent Goldings at 60 minutes
👉East Kent Goldings are easy to work with and widely available.
That’s the only hop addition. This style is malt-driven with a clean, restrained bitterness.
Optional:
👉 Add Whirlfloc or Irish moss with 10–15 minutes left in the boil.
Yeast
Best choices:
WLP004 Irish Ale
Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale
👉 WLP004 and Wyeast 1084 are both great choices for this style.
Simple alternative:
👉SafAle US-05 for a cleaner, more neutral profile.
Fermentation
Chill wort to 64–66°F before pitching
Ferment at 66–68°F
Leave in primary for 10–14 days
No secondary needed
Brewhouse Notes
The numbers below are based on our system, which is an all-in-one electric setup (similar to a Brewzilla or Mash & Boil).
Your system may vary, so adjust volumes and efficiency as needed.
Set brewhouse efficiency to 70%
Plan for 7.0–7.25 gallons pre-boil
Typical boil-off is about 1–1.25 gallons per hour
Expect roughly 0.5 gallon loss to trub and fermentation
This recipe is designed to hit target gravity on our system and should be easily adjustable for other homebrew setups.
Final Thoughts
Back Bar Irish Red Ale is the kind of beer that rewards good fundamentals. Control your fermentation temperature, give it time to finish, and you’ll end up with a clean, pub-style red ale that disappears fast.
If you’re building your all-grain confidence or just want a dependable house beer, this one earns a permanent spot in the rotation.
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Cheers Big Robb
🍺Simple brewing. Better beer.