Red X Altbier

Red X Altbier

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.012
IBU = 33 SRM = 22 ABV = 5.6%

There is a yearly Chicago Homebrew Club Competition sponsored by Bell’s Brewing called Hoptacular and this took second place in 2013, but still a C.H.A.O.S. club favorite and re-brewed several times. We have done lightly rested Bourbon Barrel versions as well.

Ingredients
9.5 lbs. (4.3 kg) Best Malz Red X® malt (13 °L)
13 oz. (0.37 kg) aromatic malt (20 °L)
6.5 oz. (185 g) Briess chocolate malt (350 °L)
10.5 AAU Saphir hop (60 min.) (3 oz./85 g at 3.5% alpha acid)
3.5 AAU Saphir hops (5 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
1/2 Whirlfloc® tablet (10 min.)
1/2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
Wyeast 2308 (Munich Lager) or White Labs WLP838 (Southern German Lager) yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Make a yeast starter 1-3 days in advance. This is a single step infusion mash. Mix all of the crushed grains with 15 quarts (14.2 L) of 168 °F (76 °C) water to stabilize at 148 ºF (64 ºC). Mash for 60 minutes and slowly sparge with 170 ºF (77 ºC) water.

Collect approximately 6.5 gallons (24.6 L) of wort runoff. The pre-boil gravity should read 1.037 SG. Boil for 60 minutes. While boiling, add the hops and Whirlfloc® as per the schedule.

After the boil, cool the wort to 50 ºF (10 ºC) and transfer to your fermenter. Pitch the yeast and aerate the wort heavily. Ferment at 55 ºF (13 ºC). Gently transfer to a secondary vessel, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer. Allow the beer to lager at 45 ºF (7 ºC) for an additional 3-5 weeks. Prime and bottle condition or keg and force carbonate to 2.4 volumes CO2.