Vienna lager?

[Willy]

Can you get Red X malt in the US, it’s a perfect partner with Vienna malt. They are both base malts. Red X is 15 SRM whereas Vienna is only 4.

Got a 55 lb bag of Red X and played with it in a bunch of recipes. Really liked the flavor and the extra reddish amber color it provided. I still have about 15 lb left and plan to add some in my next batch - a 4% ABV Irish stout with oatmeal flakes, golden promise, misc small extras, fuggles and EKG.

 

[An Ankoù]

Got a 55 lb bag of Red X and played with it in a bunch of recipes. Really liked the flavor and the extra reddish amber color it provided. I still have about 15 lb left and plan to add some in my next batch - a 4% ABV Irish stout with oatmeal flakes, golden promise, misc small extras, fuggles and EKG.

I recall when I first heard of Red-X, going onto the Bestmalz website to find out what it was all about. I remember reading that they recommended using it at 100% of the grain bill at an OG of 1050. Well, I did that and it made a lovely beer, but it was a little "thin", in my opinion. Perhaps I should have tried a different yeast or mashed a bit warmer. Yes, it's about as red as you'll get a beer to look, but I wouldn't call it Vienna Red, rather Heidelberg Red. Check out Stone's Pataskala Red-X red IPA, a 6 percenter and that one really rocks. I've made it a couple of times. and am about ready to make some more.
https://www.stonebrewing.com/beer/special-releases/stone-pataskala-red-x-ipa#ageGatePassed

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I wouldn’t waste it on stout, it’s great for Red IPA, Irish Red and Vienna lager.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Pataskala Red IPA​

Red IPA
19 litres
6.3% / 14.2 °P
My recipe

Malts (4.85 kg)​

2 kg (41.2%) — Crisp Vienna Malt — Grain — 4 SRM

1.7 kg (35.1%) — BESTMALZ BEST Red X® — Grain — 15 SRM

850 g (17.5%) — Crisp Finest Maris Otter® Ale Malt — Grain — 3.3 SRM

250 g (5.2%) — Weyermann Carared — Grain — 24 SRM

50 g (1%) — Weyermann Carafa Special III — Grain — 710 SRM


You could skip the Maris otter and add the quantity to the red X

 

[An Ankoù]

That's interesting, @Cheshire Cat , my grain bill is quite different. I used 100% Red-X. I remember having a conversation with Strange Steve and he had a go at it and added something, I think it might have been a bit of Munich. I must dig out my old recipe.
Did you make up the above recipe? How was it?

 

[shoengine]

I'm inspired to make my own Vienna now.

 

[An Ankoù]

I'm inspired to make my own Vienna now.

Go for it, but don't put anything crystal or caramel in there, would be my advice. It should be crisp and clean.

 

[shoengine]

Go for it, but don't put anything crystal or caramel in there, would be my advice. It should be crisp and clean.

I was looking at Vienna (73%), Pilsner (18%) and CaraPils (9%).

 

[Cheshire Cat]

That's interesting, @Cheshire Cat , my grain bill is quite different. I used 100% Red-X. I remember having a conversation with Strange Steve and he had a go at it and added something, I think it might have been a bit of Munich. I must dig out my old recipe.
Did you make up the above recipe? How was it?

Yes made and it was good need to do it again.

 

[hilljack13]

Already at 1.020 after 28 hours, this novalager is a workhorse. Hope it taste good!

 

[Immocles]

Good stuff in this thread. I make a couple Vienna lagers each year, and settled into 93% Vienna 5% Munich, 2% melanoidan malt. I always go for tettnang, but mittlefruh is tough to beat as well.

Side note: I see the weight on your LBMB, try flipping the gasket upside down, so the bigger "flap" is on the bottom. Its something that was mentioned to me using the 6.5 BMB and I found it helpful. Those tops are atrocious, I wish they still screwed on.

 

[An Ankoù]

I was looking at Vienna (73%), Pilsner (18%) and CaraPils (9%).

I wonder what the pilsner brings to the table rather than using 91% Vienna. Looks like a beer of like to drink, though.

 

[keystonehb]

I wonder what the pilsner brings to the table rather than using 91% Vienna. Looks like a beer of like to drink, though.

Pilsner adds some different flavor. Its not as heavy in the maltiness, and a little lighter in color. The two work well together to build complexity.

 

[hilljack13]

Quick update. This novalager blew threw and my gravity is at 1.009. I took a small sample and seems like the flavors I get from my other test lagers is still there. I have no way to describe this flavor, maybe it isn't diacetyl? No where near as bad as others but I was expecting a more subdued flavor. What else might I look for?

I never have this issue with ales, so I must be doing something wrong or either lager yeast just don't like me. Could just be early still. I'll let it sit for the next week and see where it goes.

 

[keystonehb]

For lagers you might be trying them a bit too early. From my experiences they get significantly better once lagered. I made a festbier this past year that when I would open my fermentation chamber it smelled like bad yogurt. After kegging and lagering for 6 weeks when I got the beer on tap it was delicious. They're good to set and forget. That's why once I put one on tap I brew one right away so it's ready when it kicks.

 

[Steveruch]

My batch last month was a vienna using 5 lbs vienna malt, 1 pound maris otter and 2 ozs pale chocolate in three gallons. And .5 oz sterling for 30 minutes.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Side note - The mention of Red-X reminded me that I’ve never used it before. So I designed a recipe in Beersmith for a red ipa, which I’ve never made before. Thinking I’ll hop with Cascade and Amarillo. Shooting to brew it later this spring or early summer.

 

[shoengine]

I lied, I forgot one malt. Probably an earlier version. Anyway, 64% Vienna, 18% Pilsner, 9% CaraPils and 9% Biscuit. 1oz 5.4% Hallertauer Mittelfrueh for 60, 1oz 2.3% for 5 minutes. Pitched two packets of Lallemand Diamond.

I hit the bottom of the color range, but I'm okay with that.

My batch last month was a vienna using 5 lbs vienna malt, 1 pound maris otter and 2 ozs pale chocolate in three gallons. And .5 oz sterling for 30 minutes.

I love pale chocolate. Probably the only malt I use past brown. I want to know how that turns out.

 

[Steveruch]

I lied, I forgot one malt. Probably an earlier version. Anyway, 64% Vienna, 18% Pilsner, 9% CaraPils and 9% Biscuit. 1oz 5.4% Hallertauer Mittelfrueh for 60, 1oz 2.3% for 5 minutes. Pitched two packets of Lallemand Diamond.

View attachment 868618
I hit the bottom of the color range, but I'm okay with that.


I love pale chocolate. Probably the only malt I use past brown. I want to know how that turns out.

I'm very happy with the results. The pale chocolate was only two ozs in three gallons and was for a slight color addition.