Glacier and Palisade are both new-school American varieties, but with a slightly fruity, earthy, sweet-candy character that – to my nose – echo the high notes of some European hops and can play nice with old world beer styles. Pick one (or blend them!) and use ½ to a full ounce 15 minutes before the end of the boil. A half-ounce will give a subtle undertone that meshes with the malt and roast flavors, a full ounce will stand out more.
Mash low for good attenuation: being an easy-drinking beer means no sickly-sweet finish from a high final gravity, but the Cali lager strains we’ll use typically don’t attenuate like overachievers. To counteract that, we’ll mash a little on the low side to encourage more beta-amylase activity and a more fermentable wort.
Yeast starter for fast turnaround: not specific to Irish Reds, but in the interest of turning this batch around quickly – make a starter before brew day (consult your LHBS for the how-to and the gear) to minimize the lag time between pitching and fermentation. With a healthy pitch of yeast, we should be able to get from grain to glass in right around 14 days.