Zed’s Dead Red - Flanders Red Ale - 2010 National Homebrew Competition Winner

Ingredients

For 5.8 Gallons (21.95 L)

    4.0 lb (1.81 kg) German Pilsner malt
    4.0 lb (1.81 kg) Vienna malt
    2.0 lb (0.9 kg) dark Munich malt
    8.0 oz (227 g) aromatic malt
    8.0 oz (227 g) caramel Munich malt
    8.0 oz (227 g) Special B malt
    8.0 oz (227 g) wheat malt
    1.0 oz (28 g) East Kent Goldings plug hops, 5% a.a. (60 min)
    Wyeast No. 1764 "Pacman" ale yeast
    Wyeast No. 3763 Roselare Blend (secondary)
    1 tsp yeast nutrient
 

Specifications

    Original Gravity: 1.06
    Final Gravity: 1.008
    ABV: 6.83%
 

Directions

    Mash grains at 158° F (70° C) for one hour. Mash out at 168° F (76° C) for five minutes. After primary fermentation, transfer to glass secondary and pitch Wyeast Roselare Blend as well as ~250 mL (~1 cup) of previous year’s batch (before packaging) and age at ~70°F (21° C) with a silicon airlock until desired character/acidity is reached (in this case ~ 9 months). During the course of fermentation, dregs of several sour beers were added to fermentation including Gueuze Girardin and a homebrewed Sour Blonde Ale (~12 separate batches that were brewed by different homebrewers and blended) that was aged in an oak barrel that previously contained New Belgium La Folie. Soak 2 oz (57 g) of medium toast French oak cubes in Daron Calvados (enough to completely cover oak cubes) for a couple weeks. Add oak cube/Calvados mixture to beer and age an additional 3 months or until desired character is achieved. Transfer beer to keg and force carbonate to ~2.5 volumes of CO2. After a while of enjoyment on tap, bottle using counter pressure bottle filler. Age bottles at cellar temperature (in this case ~8 months); pellicle will form in the bottle and character will develop for many years.
    Primary fermentation for 3 weeks at 60-65° F (16-18° C).
    Secondary fermentation for 9 months at 70° F (21° C).
    Forced CO2 to carbonate (2.5 vol).