Negra Modelo Recipe - Proper Infusion Mash Temps?

Next weekend I am brewing a Negra Modelo Clone, or at least my variation of that style of beer.
Here is my planned recipe.

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Saflager W-34/70 Lager
Batch Size: 40 gallons
Original Gravity: 1.058
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU: 22.4
Boiling Time: 60 minutes
Color: 24 SRM
Primary Fermentation: 1 weeks at 54 degrees
Secondary Fermentation: 3 weeks at 54 degrees
Bottle and Keg Condition: Minimum 4 weeks at 54 degrees

50# 2-row American Malted Barley
11# Vienna
6# Flaked Maize
6# Special Roast Malt
4# Belgian Caramunich
2# Munich
2# 20L Crystal Malt
0.5# Chocolate Malt
0.25# Black Patent

4 oz. Crystal 4% AA at 60 min.
5 oz. Mt. Hood 4.5% AA at 60 min.
2 oz. Crystal 4 % AA at 10 Min

The water temps and mash method is where my questions lies.
I traditionally have been batch sparging with all of my ales and stouts.
I usually Strike around 152 then mash out and then Sparge at 168.
This has worked great in the past, but should I do a multi-step infusion mash for this style of beer, especially since its a lager?
I am worried that by using 2-row American Malt in lieu of German Pilsner Malt (higher cost)
that a higher initial temperature is required such as 152 or will it be ok at the
122 temperature for the protein rest in a multi-step infusion mash?

If I do a multi-step infusion, here is my procedure:
18.5 gal at 122 degrees for 15 minutes for protein rest
10.75 gal at 151 for 45 minutes for Saccharification Rest
12.75 gal at 168 for 10 minutes for mash out
Collect.
15.75 gal at 168 for Sparge

Let me know if you have any advice for batch sparge vs. multi-step infusion for this style of beer.
And I am open to any suggestions on the recipe as well.

Thanks for your advice.

It's too bad that the modelo yeast isn't in right now at white labs, they have it, but it's a platnium strain, would have been perfect for this.

Also, the 2-row will be fine, I don't think that Modelo imports it's grains from Germany, importing from the US instead.

Freezeblade said:

It's too bad that the modelo yeast isn't in right now at white labs, they have it, but it's a platnium strain, would have been perfect for this.

Also, the 2-row will be fine, I don't think that Modelo imports it's grains from Germany, importing from the US instead.

Click to expand...

This was going to be my only comment as well. You obviously have more brewing experience than me, but I finally enjoyed one of my Vienna's tonight. 11 weeks lagering and it's finally stepped up.

Did a side by side with Modelo, and I'm saying yeast on this one as well.

This being only my second lager, should I do an infusion mash?
Or stick with the batch sparge?
I have never done a protein rest or mashed at 122 degrees before.
Most of my mashes are around 152 degrees.
What is the benefit of the protein rest or mashing at 122?

Bump
Can anybody help with my previous post question?

Usually a protein rest is recommended if you are using grains that have high protein contents. Historically, this was pilsner malt or maybe 6 row (though I've never really used 6 row, so I'm not sure about this). However, today's pilsner malt is more highly modified than in the past, and it doesn't really require a protein rest anymore. The only possible exception to this is the Briess Pilsner malt that is supposedly less modified than most pils malt.

Because your recipe is using 2 row instead pils or 6 row, I can't see why you would need a protein rest here.

I will say that calling this a Negra Modelo clone is probably not right. You've got 8 malts & 1 adjunct in there -- that's a really, really busy grainbill. I'm guessing that Negra Modelo has no more than half those.

I appreciate your input, I will just do the normal batch sparge method that has worked for me in the past without the protein rest.
I agree with you on not calling it a Negra Modelo clone, it is definitely my variation of that style of recipe. Not sure what to call it yet, so I settled on that.
Thanks again!