16 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

So DaBearSox sent me some Mexican beers from Del Norte Brewing in Denver and their Mañana is a nice Amber Lager. I wasn't necessarily trying to make their beer, but I wanted something in the spirit of it. I qualify this as a Mexican Amber Lager because it's got no hops in the last 30 minutes, it has corn in it and it's made with White Labs 940.

Mexican Amber Lager

5 lbs Vienna
4 lbs Munich
1 lb Flaked Corn
6 oz Crystal 120°L
¾ oz Debittered Black Malt (mash temp 148°)

¾ oz Tettnanger 4.8% for 60
½ oz Hallertau Mittelfruh 4.1% for 45
¼ oz Tettnanger 4.8% for 30

White Labs 940 Mexican Lager yeast

OG: 1.050, FG: 1.012, IBU: 27, SRM: 11, ABV: 4.8%

Bubbling away right now at about 48°. I'll report back when it's on tap.

[DaBearSox]

iNice! Gotta say it looks close if my taste can formulate a recipe....Very malty characteristic with that hint of corn sweetness...I am glad i came across that beer, i love all lagers with a high munich/vienna characteristic.

[Big Nake]

Did I tell you that I brought the Luminaria to a local homebrewer's gathering... it was a huge hit. They were surprised that it was 7.8%. One of the guys admitted that it would get him into serious trouble because it was very good but the ABV did not seem that high.The aroma from the airlock on this Mexican Amber Lager is really, really nice. I will post back. Cheers!

[Humperdink]

Is the flaked corn already converted? If not you may want to throw a couple pounds of 2 row in there for diastatic power to ensure conversion other than that, it looks like malty easy drinking goodness.

[Big Nake]

Oh wow, I didn't even think about the diastatic power (or lack thereof) of the Vienna and Munich. This beer is already fermenting and there was NO 2-row in the mash at all. Hmm, what do you think the corn will contribute (if anything) to the beer? Will it be as if the corn wasn't even added to the mash because there was nothing there to convert it?

[DaBearSox]

Oh wow, I didn't even think about the diastatic power (or lack thereof) of the Vienna and Munich. This beer is already fermenting and there was NO 2-row in the mash at all. Hmm, what do you think the corn will contribute (if anything) to the beer? Will it be as if the corn wasn't even added to the mash because there was nothing there to convert it?

I would think the corn would still give a little to it...did you take a OG reading or is the one listed just based on a calculation?

Edited by DaBearSox, 04 February 2010 - 11:10 PM.

[Big Nake]

Yeah, that's just based on the calcs. My one good book on grains says that Munich has LOW diastatic power and is not suitable for use with adjuncts when Munich makes up 100% of the grist. That's not the case here, but I didn't think Vienna was much better at that. Hmm...

[Humperdink]

Yeah, that's just based on the calcs. My one good book on grains says that Munich has LOW diastatic power and is not suitable for use with adjuncts when Munich makes up 100% of the grist. That's not the case here, but I didn't think Vienna was much better at that. Hmm...

Munich will convert itself with time, but doesn't have enough umph to convert anything else, vienna is slightly higher in diastatic power, I want to say last I looked it was about 20 points higher, but can't be certain. Ken, I am sure you're fine. Was the beer clear when you ran it into the kettle to start the boil? ETA: Just saw your topic on the main beer page. I agree with what was stated there. I beleive though that one type of corn (and I beleive it to be flaked) is already converted. I could be wrong though, but that's why I asked in my original post.

Edited by chriscose, 05 February 2010 - 11:30 AM.

[Big Nake]

Munich will convert itself with time, but doesn't have enough umph to convert anything else, vienna is slightly higher in diastatic power, I want to say last I looked it was about 20 points higher, but can't be certain. Ken, I am sure you're fine. Was the beer clear when you ran it into the kettle to start the boil? ETA: Just saw your topic on the main beer page. I agree with what was stated there. I beleive though that one type of corn (and I beleive it to be flaked) is already converted. I could be wrong though, but that's why I asked in my original post.

My runnings looked normal and the wort running from brewpot to primary was a beautiful & clear orangy-amber color. My thinking was that the unconverted corn would cause cloudiness... was that your thinking too? I bounced this around on the Northern Brewer forum too and I got the same reaction... should be just fine. Phew. Thanks guys!

[Humperdink]

My runnings looked normal and the wort running from brewpot to primary was a beautiful & clear orangy-amber color. My thinking was that the unconverted corn would cause cloudiness... was that your thinking too? I bounced this around on the Northern Brewer forum too and I got the same reaction... should be just fine. Phew. Thanks guys!

Sorry to give you undue concern ken AS long as it looked like normal and was pretty clear then you got conversion. My thinking was that, yes it would be cloudy but more importantly whatever you got from the corn would be nonfermentable sugars and increase your FG and mouthfeel. Again, I believe if my mind isn't too far gone this week that flaked corn is already converted. I unfortunately can't look at work since this is the only site that ISN'T blocked by my work's content filter

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So is this going to be a dos equis amber type of beer? That's actually a pretty decent beer in my opinion that I often enjoy at Mexican dining establishments

[Big Nake]

So is this going to be a dos equis amber type of beer? That's actually a pretty decent beer in my opinion that I often enjoy at Mexican dining establishments

I actually attempted something along the lines of a Dos Equis Amber Lager awhile back. I think this will have a little more flavor than that, but it's hard to say. To make the Dos Equis, I think I did some Pilsner malt, some Vienna and maybe some CaraMunich along with something else to darken it a little. I think this one will be a little more substantial with all of that Munich in there. I think this one has a bit more IBUs too... 27 compared to maybe 20-22 on the Dos Equis. I think Dos Equis is pretty nice. When I bowl in my weekly league, one of my teammates insists on ordering buckets of the stuff. Those beer-soaked Tuesday nights make for some very slow Wednesday mornings. Cheers!

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I actually attempted something along the lines of a Dos Equis Amber Lager awhile back. I think this will have a little more flavor than that, but it's hard to say. To make the Dos Equis, I think I did some Pilsner malt, some Vienna and maybe some CaraMunich along with something else to darken it a little. I think this one will be a little more substantial with all of that Munich in there. I think this one has a bit more IBUs too... 27 compared to maybe 20-22 on the Dos Equis. I think Dos Equis is pretty nice. When I bowl in my weekly league, one of my teammates insists on ordering buckets of the stuff. Those beer-soaked Tuesday nights make for some very slow Wednesday mornings. Cheers!

Good point about the munich - is it typical for certain "Mexican" style lagers to have that much body? Everything I've had has been pretty light in terms of body (corona, sol, dos equis).

[Big Nake]

Good point about the munich - is it typical for certain "Mexican" style lagers to have that much body? Everything I've had has been pretty light in terms of body (corona, sol, dos equis).

Well, look at Negra Modelo... it's got some body. I think that if you mashed lower (I mashed at 148°) you could get some body and make it pretty nice. I also think the corn will thin things out a smidge. I'm looking forward to this one. Cheers.

[Big Nake]

This beer sat in primary for 13 days... 10 at about 50° and the last three were in a warmer spot so it could finish up and so it could have a d-rest. I racked it today and it's very clear, a beautiful dark amber color and it smells like beer heaven (to me at least). I have another batch of my Hacienda Lager boiling right now and I have some of the WLP940 saved in a flask in the fridge for pitching later. I will post back when this beer is on tap. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Cheers.

[Jimmy James]

I am going to brew this to have for the spring - any updates/tasting notes? This recipe looks awesome BTW!

[Big Nake]

I am going to brew this to have for the spring - any updates/tasting notes? This recipe looks awesome BTW!

JJ: I just racked it to a keg yesterday and got it cold. At 8am this morning I started carbing it (30 psi for 48 hours) and then it will sit in the 35° until there is a vacancy in my draft fridge. I already have 2 Mexican lagers on tap so I may leave this one to sit for a little while so some other styles can get put on tap. But the beer cleared beautifully, looked and smelled lovely and I'm looking forward to it. Cheers.