Zed's Dead Red NHC 2010

Category 17: Sour Ale

163 Entries

Sponsored by Captain Lawrence Brewing Company

Remi Bonnart, Fort Collins, Colo., Liquid Poets

2010 NHC Homebrewer of the Year

Gold Medal

"Zed's Dead Red"

Flanders Red Ale

Ingredients for 5.8 U.S. 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% alpha acid (60 min)

Wyeast No. 1764 "Pacman" ale yeast

Wyeast No. 3763 Roselare Blend (secondary)

1 tsp yeast nutrient

2.5 vol. forced CO2 to carbonate

Original Specific Gravity: 1.060

Final Specific Gravity: 1.008

Boiling Time: grains 90 minutes

Primary Fermentation: 3 weeks at 60-65° F (16-18° C)

Secondary Fermentation: 9 months at 70° F (21° C)

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.

Runners-Up

Silver Medal: Mark Heise, Regina, SK, Flanders Brown/Oud Bruin, Ale and Lager Enthusiasts of Saskatchewan (ALES)

Bronze Medal: Dick Blankenship, Salem, OR, Fruit Lambic, Capitol Brewers