13 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

This is a variation of a red beer that I have made numerous times. I have been liking German Carafa Special more and more and I notice that when a beer made with this grain clears up nicely, you get some red from it. So I envisioned a Red Lager...

Red Lager

7.5 lbs Best Malz Pilsner
1.5 lbs Best Malz Munich 10
4 ounces Special B
1 ounce German dehusked Carafa Special
.75 ounces Perle pellets 7.5% for 60 mins (about 5.6 AAU or 24 IBU)
.25 ounces Perle pellets 7.5% for 20 plus
.25 ounces of a combination of Brewer's Gold & German Select
1 ounce German Tettnanger 3.8% for 5 minutes
Wyeast 2005 Mexican Lager

OG: 1.052, FG: 1.012, IBU: 36, SRM: 13, ABV: 5.0%

All filtered water, a single infusion mash at 150.5°, balanced water profile between chloride and sulfate, etc. Mash pH of 5.2. Mash has begun and drinking beer will be following soon! Cheers.

[Steve Urquell]

Looks good Ken. Have you used that yeast before? If so, how would you compare it to 2124/830?

[Big Nake]

Looks good Ken. Have you used that yeast before? If so, how would you compare it to 2124/830?

I made my Hacienda Lager with it and also a sort of Mexican Amber Lager but one of those is in secondary and the other one is coming out of primary tonight so I can get to it. The beers made with this yeast look and smell lovely so I'm hoping it's close to WLP940. I'll report back when I have sampled them.

[Big Nake]

Drinking this beer now after it sat lagering in the fridge for a good 2-3 months...

Looks good Ken. Have you used that yeast before? If so, how would you compare it to 2124/830?

This yeast is okay but it's not 2124, 830 or 940 by a very long shot. It makes perfectly fine beer but it is really pretty boring as far as adding a good yeast character to a beer. 940 is a much better "Mexican" strain and 2124 may just be my favorite yeast of all time!

[neddles]

It looks great. So… how is it?

Edited by nettles, 06 February 2015 - 07:19 PM.

[Big Nake]

It looks great. So… how is it?

It's delicious. I went back and looked at the recipe and what a bizarre, ill-conceived idea it was! Pils, Munich, Spec B, Carafa, Perle, Brewers Gold, Hallertau Select, Tettnanger and then Mexican lager yeast. What was I thinking?!? But it's just as I envisioned... clean, clear, balanced, etc. Cheers!

[Steve Urquell]

Drinking this beer now after it sat lagering in the fridge for a good 2-3 months...This yeast is okay but it's not 2124, 830 or 940 by a very long shot. It makes perfectly fine beer but it is really pretty boring as far as adding a good yeast character to a beer. 940 is a much better "Mexican" strain and 2124 may just be my favorite yeast of all time!

Good info. Can't see the image on my kindle. I'll look at it on my desktop later. I agree that 2124 is pretty darned good. I too expect a certain character from lager yeast. It reminds me of Wonka bottle caps.

[neddles]

It reminds me of Wonka bottle caps.

Can you elaborate?

[Steve Urquell]

Can you elaborate?

Theres a certain flavor in that candy that tastes like the first sip of a lager with noticeable yeast. Its most noticeable when you havent had a beer in a week or 2. Its a subtle flavor thats easy to aclimate to. I notice it most in lighter flavored beers like pils.

[neddles]

Theres a certain flavor in that candy that tastes like the first sip of a lager with noticeable yeast. Its most noticeable when you havent had a beer in a week or 2. Its a subtle flavor thats easy to aclimate to. I notice it most in lighter flavored beers like pils.

Kinda like purple grape candy? I ask because I have often tasted a purple grape candy flavor in certain lagers. Usually more so in german lagers.

[Steve Urquell]

Kinda like purple grape candy? I ask because I have often tasted a purple grape candy flavor in certain lagers. Usually more so in german lagers.

Yep.

[neddles]

Yep.

So I'm not ####ing crazy. Is it just a normal lager yeast character? 

[Steve Urquell]

So I'm not ####ing crazy. Is it just a normal lager yeast character?

Yep. Try wonkas candy and then something fermented with W34/70 and you'll think its spot on.

[Big Nake]

I'm starting to think you guys are full-on, certifiably crazy. Crazy I tells ya!