Recipe

Red Hot Blond

Red Hot Blond

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.088  FG = 1.020
IBU = 15  SRM = 8  ABV = 8.8%

Ingredients
16.25 lbs. (7.4 kg) Weyermann German Pilsner malt
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) Dingemans Belgian aromatic malt
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) Belgian biscuit malt
0.25 lb. (0.11 kg) Weyermann German Vienna malt
0.5 lb (0.23 kg) clear Belgian candi sugar (60 mins)
2.8 lbs. (1.3 kg) Red Hots
5.0 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (60 mins) (1.0 oz/28 g of 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Styrian Goldings hops (15 mins) (0.5 oz/14 g of 5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1214 (Belgian Abbey) yeast

Step by Step
Mash at 145 °F (63 °C) for 90 minutes. Decoct approximately 2 gallons to 180 °F (82 °C) for first temperature increase. Twenty minutes later decoct 2 gallons of mash to 200 °F (93 °C) to step mash up to 155 °F (68 °C). 1 tsp. gypsum added to reverse osmosis water. 60 minute boil. Dissolve approximately 45 oz. (1.3 kg) of Red Hots in 40 oz. (1.2 L) of water at 165 °F (74 °C). Add to wort and ferment.

Issue: December 2003

The second place winner, Steve Hacker, was a Belgian-style golden strong ale enlivened by a healthy addition of Red Hots, the bright red cinnamon candy. Again, the actual entry was a spinoff of a 5-gallon (19 L) batch, so the amounts have been extrapolated.