I have not liked either of the two beers I’ve made with Red X even though I have liked commercial beers with large amounts in the grist. I finally jumped aboard the pH meter bandwagon and tested my batch of Red X and it came in at 5.17 or so. Fudging the color in Bru’n water tells me that my mash pH was 4.95 for one and 5.1 for the other. Could certainly explain why the beers were awful.
So I’m going to need to try another Red X based beer very soon.
Anybody else notice this?
I am not a fan of Red X. Same bag, much different results. It’s like a self converting blend of Munich II, CaraMunich, and Special B. I had similar results and fed the bag dregs to the deer. IF I use it in the future, it will be treated much like a cara- malt. Like your experience, the mash pH seemed all over the place. One batch was low, the second just a bit high. I could also suck as a brewer… so there is that.
Certainly not German deer, they didn’t bother, preferring the compost pile with souring pilsner malt.
I’ve brewed two 100% Red X beers, and my experience is that the malt is more acidic than what Bru’n water projects based on color alone.
Both beers turned out fine, but I’m not planning on doing another one.
I am in the bandwagon with not being a fan. I tried using it across 3 different styles. As well had issues with pH all over the place
Yeah, I feel the same. Not my favorite malt, especially in a high %.
I brewed a 100% Red X lager that was okay and improved with age. I was definitely different… I will be attempting another one soon that is 50/50 Pils and Red X with some carafa for color.
Sounds like the pH issues are inconsistent? Any recommendations on how to add it in Bru’n Water? I have it at 12L as a base malt. If I change it to crystal, it drops the pH from 5.4 to 5.31
Well I’m trying it again at 90/10 - Red/Wheat malt. Likely next weekend.
I’ll bet it gets better results under 1.050 and without much in the way of aroma hops.
Targeting 1.048 with 25ibu at 60 and 1/2 oz at 5. Unsure on the hop yet as I need to pick some up. All I have right now is centennial and nelson, neither would be choice for a malt forward test. Fermenting with 3711, but might split the batch in half with US05 and use my half kegs.
ETA - the stone red IPA was 7.3 and they used 75/25 - Red/2-row.
I still consider myself a fan of Red X, but I’m not as gung-ho as I was initially. It tends to be a bit more malty sweet than I’d like, especially because the beer I keep targeting this for would be something in the ballpark of a red German Pils. My most recent go-around used 10% flaked corn, and that helped, but I don’t know if it will ever get where I want it to.
I still think there may be some use for it that I haven’t found. It’s nice in a Saison that dries out pretty well. It’s main issue is that it needs to be the majority of the grist for its color to shine through, yet there aren’t a lot of styles that align with a 100% Red X grist.
Stevie-
What do you use currently to check ph? Im still looking at meters but VERY hesitant.
I just bought an Extech 110 off of Bryan’s suggestion. Seems to work well, but I want to validate it using another meter and another set of buffers. I let it hydrate for a good 5-6 hours yesterday as it was drifting a bit, but since then I have had solid readings of my pH 4 buffer spaced hours apart.
It was $95 on Amazon, but was as low as $75 before the new year. The Extech 100 costs less, but Bryan mentioned he liked the refillable probe.
I was a little hesitant to buy a stick style out of fear that the probes may be discontinued, but I felt a larger table top unit would be a hassle for me as I don’t have much of a workspace when brewing. I wish it had a backlight, but many don’t from what I have seen.
I like Red X, Brew with it about every 4th batch or so, usually shoot for a 100% Red X 1.050 batch which gives me a beautiful red beer. FWW When I contacted Best they said it wasn’t a blend. I think it’s more like a darker Munich that’s in between Dark Munich and Melanoiden.
More pH issues with Best Malz.
I have had enough issues with best to drop them completely.
It’s not a blend but some special process that gives the color. That process must be jacking the pH as well.
what about using CaraRed for coloring instead of Red X?
Absolutely, but this is essentially a red base malt that people were swooning over before I committed to a sack. The sack as only $45 so not a big investment, but I’d still like to get a beer out of it that I enjoy.
I could also use it in small amounts to acidify the mash.
What is the DI pH?
Distilled was 5.17