21 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

I have about 15 lbs of Best Malz RedX and I also have 4 ounces of Mandarina Bavaria pellets @ 7.2%.  I'm considering a 100% RedX grain bill and then maybe 20 IBU of MB at 60, maybe a 10-minute addition and then a big whirlpool addition.  I have 2308, 2002 (Gambrinus-PC) and also 940 lager yeasts waiting in the green room and I'm going to make a starter with one of them shortly.  So the beer could be German, Czech or Mexican.  A question for those of you who have used RedX as 100% of the grist, did you mash on the low side because of the deep character of this malt?  Andy, I know you like your beers to finish dry so I wonder where you mashed for your 100% RedX beer.  Everyone's system is different so instead of throwing out a number, just let me know if you mashed low, medium, high, etc. and I will adjust.  I rarely go outside of the 149-152° mash temp range and I was considering 150° which I consider low-ish on my system.

 

I made 2 RedX beers recently (one in a keg and one still in primary) that were maybe 50% RedX.  The color on those beers is very nice and I expect the 100% version to be stellar.  Cheers.

[HVB]

I was planning this for last weekend but the yeast was slow to start.  Looks like it may go down Friday night.

 

[color=#1f497d;]100% Red X No-sparge[/color]

 

[color=#1f497d;]14g Hallertau FWH[/color]

[color=#1f497d;]28g Northern Brewer – 60[/color]

[color=#1f497d;]14g Hallertau – 15[/color]

[color=#1f497d;]14g Hallertau – 5[/color]

 

[color=#1f497d;]3l starter of wyeast 1007[/color]

 

[color=#1f497d;]Cl – 62[/color]

[color=#1f497d;]SO4 – 56[/color]

[color=#1f497d;]Cl- 70[/color]

 

[color=#1f497d;]Mash low – 148/149 and ferment around 62/63 for the first 2-2.5 days and then slowly raise to 69/70[/color]

[Big Nake]

I haven't tasted a beer made with 100% RedX so I just wonder about the character of it and how I should mash it.  Drez, have you drank any 100% RedX beer at all?  I had a beer recently (a blonde ale) that I made with all Rahr Pale Ale malt and then I added some C20 as well.  I thought I mashed low enough but the Rahr PA malt (which has quite a bit of depth to it) plus the C20 and possibly a higher than desired mash temp made the beer sweeter than I would have liked.  I would rather not have that issue.  Your mash temp of 148-149 would be quite low for me but it's very possible it would be necessary for a beer where the entire grist consisted of a grain that some compare to Munich.

[HVB]

I have not tried one yet with 100% or even any red-x.  I bought it with the plan to use it all in one beer.  I am either going to love it or hate it.  That is the mash temp I use when I want the beer to really dry out, pretty much all I use for hoppy beers.  I have read some discussion about the red-x being very malty so I decided to dry it out nice and dry.  Not sure if it is the right way to go or not but in 3 weeks I will know!

[Poptop]

Small .02 here. I set out to make a 100% Red-X Alt and a nice gentleman at Farmhouse Supply suggested I add some Munich and this was based on a 100% Red-X that he made. He said at 100% his lacked body. I took his advice and used 58% Red-X, 24% Munich and 15% Pale. My beer came out pretty darn good. Not a real sticker to style but with 1007 it was a very good drinker.

[Big Nake]

Brother Poptop:  I wonder if his lacked body because he mashed low.  Hmm.  I will mention here that BIG BODY is not necessarily a priority for me.  I don't necessarily want it super thin but I just wonder about a malt that is often compared to Munich lacking body.  Tell you what... I'm going to wait until BlKtRe steps in here so he can share his 100% RedX experience with the rest of the class.  Maybe it has to be mashed slightly higher or something.  Thanks and cheers.

[Poptop]

Good point on his mash temp and also that RX is likened to Munich. If I recall, BIKtRe made a very sexy Red-X Saison no?

Edited by Steppedonapoptop, 19 February 2015 - 12:52 PM.

[HVB]

If I recall, BIKtRe made a very sexy Red-X Saison no?

He did.  I can not remember if it was 100% or not.  It is in one of the Red- X threads.

 

I was just over at the homebrew site that hurts my head (HBT) and there was some chatter of Red-X just being a mix of Munich and melanodion.  Anyone else come across that?

[positiveContact]

He did.  I can not remember if it was 100% or not.  It is in one of the Red- X threads.

 

I was just over at the homebrew site that hurts my head (HBT) and there was some chatter of Red-X just being a mix of Munich and melanodion.  Anyone else come across that?

 

that would be super malty if true.

[HVB]

that would be super malty if true.

I know.  Someone claimed to get the info from someone at Best.

 

I think I may up my mash temp to 150.

[Big Nake]

He did.  I can not remember if it was 100% or not.  It is in one of the Red- X threads.   I was just over at the homebrew site that hurts my head (HBT) and there was some chatter of Red-X just being a mix of Munich and melanodion.  Anyone else come across that?

I think he made a 100% RX and then another beer with SOME percentage (an IPA of some sort). For reference, I have a keg in the fridge that was like 55% Rahr Pale Ale Malt (a pretty malty base malt) and 45% RedX. My notes showed that I mashed that beer at 150.3° and the beer has 32 IBUs. I took a quick hit off of that keg with a cobra tap (I hadn't sampled it before) and it's quite dry, surprisingly. I thought maybe I had overdone the sulfate or something but no, I was pretty restrained on gypsum. I'm going to sample more of that beer tonight... it's my first taste of RX beer.

Edited by Village Taphouse, 19 February 2015 - 12:59 PM.

[Poptop]

I so love these studies

[Big Nake]

I so love these studies

Always fun, right? Hey, beer is involved.

[neddles]

Ill chime in on this. I did notice a bit of variability among the grains when chewing on them. They were tasty and it seemed like some were quite a bit harder than others. In the beer it is similar to Munich in flavor but not really the same. IIRC Red -X has unusually high diastatic power, maybe one of you can confirm this. If thats the case then the munich and melanoiden mix cant be totally true, right? I disagree with the Farmhouse guy. I don't see that mixing in munich is going to give it any more body.  My beer was 98%(10#) Red-X and 2% (3 oz.) Pale Chocolate to an OG of 1.051 and no sparged. FG 1.010. Mine did not lack body. It was a nice light to medium bodied beer and a joy to drink.

 

I think that both recipes proposed by Ken and Drez will be very nice.

[matt6150]

I have made a couple 100% Red X beers. I'm fairly certain I mashed at 152 or so and while it was malty it wasn't overly sweet at all. Turned out plenty dry enough. I really liked the 100% RX beers and would do again.

[neddles]

I have made a couple 100% Red X beers. I'm fairly certain I mashed at 152 or so and while it was malty it wasn't overly sweet at all. Turned out plenty dry enough. I really liked the 100% RX beers and would do again.

Yep, exactly. Just checked and I mashed at 152F as well.

 

My guess is that Red-X with some Carafa Sp./ MW / Sinamar for color would make a nice Munich Dunkel-like lager.

[Big Nake]

Hmm, so maybe up the mash temp a bit especially with the large whirlpool addition I would make... it would balance things out maybe. I'll have to noodle with this a bit and any other responses (... Attention BlKtRe, please report to the SMaSH thread currently running in the recipe forum...) are more than welcome. Cheers.

[neddles]

Hmm, so maybe up the mash temp a bit especially with the large whirlpool addition I would make... it would balance things out maybe. I'll have to noodle with this a bit and any other responses (... Attention BlKtRe, please report to the SMaSH thread currently running in the recipe forum...) are more than welcome. Cheers.

 

Id just go with 150-152F. For my system and palate the extra dextrines produced by going from 150F to 152F are going to be pretty hard to discern particularly if you are going to hop this thing up.

[BlKtRe]

The Sexy Saison was indeed a 100% Red X Smash beer using Motueka. Loved how that beer turned out and plan to do it again. I mashed at 148* for the Saison and 150* for a IpA I did. Both in the Red X thread. Both had more than enough malt profile for the respective styles.

Edited by BlKtRe, 19 February 2015 - 09:17 PM.

[Poptop]

The Sexy Saison was indeed a 100% Red X Smash beer using Motueka. Loved how that beer turned out and plan to do it again. I mashed at 148* for the Saison and 150* for a IpA I did. Both in the Red X thread. Both had more than enough malt profile for the respective styles.

I can appreciate this