Brewing a Dark Mexican Lager (***** Modelo Clone) Made Possible With Some Basic DIY Modded Components

[NSMikeD]

That is today's transfer to the keg. Super clear, numbers dead on and tastes awesome. I brew 2.5 gallons. The fermentor is a 3 gallon Fermonster wide mouth with the DIY pressure lid lit. I use a spundling valve to ferment then put some CO2 pressure during the cold crash to account for the vacuum that is created with the temperature drop. Filled the leg with star san then drained it using a CO2 purge. Started the transfer using the remaining cartridge then switched to tank gas to complete the transfer.

I fitted the Fermonster with the FLOTit2.0 floating dip and the views are not over stated. The transfer was crystal clear an I took it down to the yeast cake - virtually no beer loss and not disturbance kicking up yeast. Much better that the ball version that came with the original kit.

I brew on an Anvil Foundry 6.5 with the recirculation pump fitted with the stainless steel plate cover (an accessory) which enables me to use an all valve and quick disconnects. I also have the whirlpool arm.

I have two mini fridges. One I inherited from my son after college and modded it to a kegerator on an ink bird. Another I picked up on Craigslist for under $100 on a WillHi controlled for fermentation.

The Anvil was a splurge, but one that I think is a smart investment given the mash temperature control, ease of use, ease of cleanup and cost compared to other AIO options. The two mini fridges and Fermonster really kick up the quality control with precise temperature control, pressure ferment option and low/no oxygen procedures (plus I hate bottling).

All in all, this success has me confident to take the next step with lagers, such as a pilsner or a Munich helles.

Here's the recipe (campen tablet is a recipe writing mistake on my part, it's a whirlock tablet).

I'd be happy to answer any questions about my set up.

 

[beersk]

This doesn't mention the yeast used. Was it a Mexi lager yeast? Nice looking recipe. I also do 2.5 gallon batches (well, 3.5 gallon for 2.5 gallons in the keg), and it looks about the same as your process, starting with 4 gallons preboil volume. Low o2, pressure ferment...it's awesome. I'm brewing a Dark Mexi lager next also, slightly different than your recipe in that it includes about 10% flaked corn, uses Munich in place of the Vienna, and midnight wheat in place of the chocolate malt. Yeast will be Wyeast 2007 Pilsen lager and since Wyeast doesn't have a "Mexican" lager, this is pretty much their Mexi lager yeast, in my opinion. Same as any American lager yeast...

 

[lumbergh]

I brewed one recently based on the claw hammer supply recipe. The grain bill is similar to yours. I used Cellar science Baja yeast.

How did yours taste?

 

[NSMikeD]

I brewed one recently based on the claw hammer supply recipe. The grain bill is similar to yours. I used Cellar science Baja yeast.

How did yours taste?

I sipped when I took the FG reading and it was spot on. I'll post back when I tap it in the kegerator

 

[Matsayz]

How was this? Lookin to make this recipe next weekend hopefully

 

[Bramling Cross]

How was this? Lookin to make this recipe next weekend hopefully

The recipe is likely a little fussy, that's not something a big commercial brewer would make. Having that many malts on hand is too expensive for a commercial brewer.

If I were you, I would focus on the main aspects of Negra Modelo, it's quite smooth and a bit fuller on the tongue right? Then it has that semi-roasty thing, with a prick of blackness that quickly fades, then it finishes sorta messy, but clean?

That messy, rich finish thing is a crystal malt tell tale. We're also getting some indications of heavy. sharp, dark sugar notes, that suggests that the crystal malt is a high Lovibond C-malt used sparingly.

So I'm thinking, C-150 (to give it that dry, burnt note and add as much color as possible). That's a hard to find C-malt, but it really does match this beer. It's a unique, very burned sugar taste that doesn't have any of the sweet, fruity/plum-ish notes that you get from C-120. It's dry and it's black--it ain't 120.

The rest of the grist is really easy, cheap 2-row and corn.

That leaves us with the color. Our current grist isn't dark enough and I expect they use a colorant to achieve a uniform color in the beer. Fortunately, we're home brewers, so we can afford to pick up that color while driving a smidge more burnt flavor into the beer. We could go with Midnight wheat, which is fairly flavor neutral. Or we could use Black Prinz, which has a bit more flavor, but is still quite restrained. I like the idea of black malt. Used as a colorant, it reinforces our C-malt's dry, acrid quality.

So here's what I'm thinking:

78% garbage 2-row
17% corn
3% C-150--a little goes a long way
2% black malt

Use a neutral high alpha hop at 60, Magnum would be great.

Ferment with 34/70 and call it good.

 

[fluketamer]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/negra-modelo.727389/