Winter 2016 RCE Red XIPA - BigPapaG/Screwy

[ScrewyBrewer]

Very interesting...

I have never used an induction cooker and have often wondered how well they might work...

Seems to be fine short of the scorching and I wonder if a different style / grade of induction capable pan might help?

Very cool overall though... Yet another twist to this thread! Love it!

Also, I am now really curious to see the color of our final products...

And that of others brewing with Red X on this board...

I was thinking the same thing, maybe a different pot wouldn't scorch. But the pot I used is rated for induction cooking and I'm thinking it was just too much wort volume for the cooktop to handle without scorching. About the others sharing their results after brewing with Red X malt, I'm interested in hearing from them as well. I can see an Irish Red Ale as being perfect for this malt too.

[Rebel_B]

I was thinking the same thing, maybe a different pot wouldn't scorch. But the pot I used is rated for induction cooking and I'm thinking it was just too much wort volume for the cooktop to handle without scorching. About the others sharing their results after brewing with Red X malt, I'm interested in hearing from them as well. I can see an Irish Red Ale as being perfect for this malt too.

I have only done two boils with the Red X; no scorching either time.

[ScrewyBrewer]

I have only done two boils with the Red X; no scorching either time.

@Rebel_B what size pot did you use and how many gallons of wort were boiled? Soaking mine in PBW eventually did the trick, along with some scraping with the side of a spoon. That's something I'd like to avoid having to do again though.

[Rebel_B]

I have only done two boils with the Red X; no scorching either time.

@Rebel_B what size pot did you use and how many gallons of wort were boiled? Soaking mine in PBW eventually did the trick, along with some scraping with the side of a spoon. That's something I'd like to avoid having to do again though.

5 gallon pot on a natural gas stovetop with around 4 gallons of wort boiled for 90 minutes.

[ScrewyBrewer]

I have only done two boils with the Red X; no scorching either time.

@Rebel_B what size pot did you use and how many gallons of wort were boiled? Soaking mine in PBW eventually did the trick, along with some scraping with the side of a spoon. That's something I'd like to avoid having to do again though.

5 gallon pot on a natural gas stovetop with around 4 gallons of wort boiled for 90 minutes.

@Rebel_B that explains it then, you're not using an induction cooktop, on my gas stovetop scorching was never an issue even when brewing in a 10 gallon pot.

[ScrewyBrewer]

@BigPapaG this morning I started cold crashing the Red XIPA and I'll be getting the first taste of it on Saturday when I plan to keg it. I haven't been this anxious to sample a batch in quite some time. I'll be posting some pictures, final gravity and tasting notes this weekend too.

[BigPapaG]

@ ScrewyBrewer

Very good! I also hope to get mine processed this am...

I'll be bottling a half dozen or so and kegging the rest.

I'll post final gravity and flat tasting notes as well as a peek at the final color.

Still looks pretty dark but it might be more dark red than brown... We'll see later!

[Kealia]

I'm anxious to hear results on this. I'm awaiting them so I can plan a 100% Red X version of Levitation.

I'm excited with you guys!

[BigPapaG]

Ok, so as I mentioned... Not as red as I was hoping for...

In fact, more of a dark amber (ish)... Kind of 'looks like an Alt beer...

Anyway, OG = 1.048, FG = 1.012

This puts it at the top end of 'Session' Ale at 4.8% ABV. Nice!

So, drinking the hydro sample and then some...

First impression of this flat, room temp beer is... Mmmm... Pretty good!

I get enough bitter to know it's a Red IPA style but not over the top like a 2X IPA...

No roasty, nor was there any intended... Definitely getting the notes from both the Citra and Simcoe on the bittering...

Skiping to the Aroma... Very nice, citrus and tropical... Clean and a slight note of malt...

The Red X is there in the flavor though... Very nice, malty but not too sweet, not overpowering or cloying in any way... And a late hit from the Simcoe... Me likey!

It could use a touch more dextrine malt or maybe a slightly higher mash temp (was 148°F, maybe 152°F would be better)... But it is also a Session beer so there's that... And I'm used to 6-8% beers through winter so... Yeah, it feels lighter to me at this point...

I think once carbed and chilled it should be a tasty beer overall.

On my next attempt at brewing this, I would change the following...

- More Red X, 4 lbs was not enough... 5-6 would have been better but my pot would have trouble accomodating a PM of that size...

- No Midnight Wheat... The 2 oz. I used was enough to throw the color into the dark amber / light brown muddy region...

- The hop bill is good but... (Puts on hop cone hat and dances like Beer-lord on a hot treadmill) I think I want MOAR! Moar Aroma And a touch more flavor hops... Maybe more Amarillo...

Here is a pic in a tulip glass... Followed by a pic in the hydro tube... For your review...

[Beer-lord]

Nice. Its a shame you will have to brew again with RedX, huh?

[BigPapaG]

Nice. Its a shame you will have to brew again with RedX, huh?

Uh huh, uh huh!

[ScrewyBrewer]

Nice. Its a shame you will have to brew again with RedX, huh?

Uh huh, uh huh!

George the way you described your beer is already making my mouth water, especially since I haven't had a beer all week. It's amazing how much the color changes, based on the container the beer is in and the lighting. I simply can't wait until tomorrow to play around with this batch, I have to keg this beer tonight so I can taste it too.

An interesting side note to this brew, last night I looked in the chest freezer to make sure the airlocks had liquid in them, after cold crashing. To my surprise the airlocks were both filled solid with ice inside! My 7 cubic foot chest freezer has no problem maintaining temperature within a half a degree when there's two 5 gallon fermentors in it. But this time, with a single fermenter inside, the temperature tended to overshoot the set point by several degrees. Everything's back to normal now and I'm really looking forward to enjoying this beer.

[Beer-lord]

I'm looking forward to hearing about these beers too. These posts have already helped me with some decisions but I have to put this brew off until the brew after next as I am doing a batch of Drop Kick Nate for a friends crawfish boil and need to get that going in a few weeks. But, I'll likely come back to this thread before I finalize my recipe. I'm not sure yet how much of the 10lbs I have will be used but I may just use it all.

[Kealia]

So....where can a guy order the Red-X? Sorry, I think I missed this somehow.

[BigPapaG]

So....where can a guy order the Red-X? Sorry, I think I missed this somehow.

Screwy and I used my LHBS... I sent you a PM.