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Budweiser Magnum is India’s most widely drunk strong lager, a 6.5% ABV adjunct lager that sits between standard lager and premium strong beer in the Indian market. Cloning it is a good exercise in high-gravity adjunct lager brewing, and the result is a beer that works well in the summer heat for which the Indian strong lager category was designed. I’ve developed this recipe working from the commercial product’s flavor profile and typical Indian strong lager production methods.
Budweiser Magnum clone recipe (5 gallon / 19L batch)
Target stats: OG 1.062, FG 1.010, ABV ~6.7%, IBU 16, SRM 3–5, pale golden. Grain bill: 7 lbs (3.18 kg) Pilsner malt (German or North American 2-row). 2 lbs (907g) flaked corn (maize), adjunct for lightness and additional fermentable sugars without the body-building proteins of all-malt grain bills. Indian strong lagers use corn as the primary adjunct (not rice), which produces a slightly fuller body than rice-adjunct lagers. 0.5 lb (227g) flaked rice, secondary adjunct for additional fermentable lightness. 0.5 lb (227g) dextrose (corn sugar, added to boil), boosts OG and ABV without increasing body, contributing to the clean, dry finish at high ABV. Rice hulls (0.5 lb, no sugar contribution), lautering efficiency with the corn-heavy mash. Hops: 0.5 oz Hallertau (60 min), 12 IBU. 0.25 oz Hallertau (15 min), 4 IBU. Very low hopping rate, Indian strong lagers are not hop-forward; bitterness is kept minimal to allow the clean lager character to dominate. Total IBU: 15–16. Yeast: White Labs WLP940 Mexican Lager Yeast or Fermentis Saflager W-34/70, both produce the extremely clean, neutral lager fermentation required. High-gravity lager fermentation at 6.5%+ ABV requires a healthy, large pitch, pitch at 1.5–2× normal rate or use a 2L starter with WLP940. Under-pitching will produce fusel alcohol that makes the beer harshly hot rather than warmingly strong. Water: Very soft, calcium 30–40 ppm, sulfate 20 ppm, chloride 60 ppm. Low mineral content allows the neutral lager character to come through cleanly at high ABV. Process: Step mash is strongly recommended for the high-adjunct grain bill, 50°C (122°F) protein rest for 15 minutes, 63°C (145°F) for 45 minutes (maximizes fermentability for high attenuation), 72°C (162°F) for 15 minutes. Pre-gelatinize corn adjunct or use pre-gelatinized flaked corn (readily available from homebrew suppliers). Add dextrose to boil at 10 minutes from end. 90-minute boil. Ferment at 9–10°C (48–50°F) for 3 weeks, high gravity lager fermentation takes longer than session lager. Diacetyl rest at 17°C (63°F) for 72 hours, critical at high gravity where diacetyl production risk is elevated. Lager at 1–2°C (34–35°F) for 6–8 weeks. Fine with gelatin or Biofine Clear. Carbonate to 2.5–2.7 volumes CO2.
Common Questions
How do I prevent fusel alcohol in a high-gravity lager like this?
Fusel alcohols (isoamyl alcohol, propanol, isobutanol) are the primary quality risk in high-gravity lager brewing, they produce a harsh, solvent-like heat that makes strong lagers unpleasant rather than warming. Preventing fusels requires three key practices: First, pitch enough yeast. For a 1.062 OG lager at 9°C (48°F), you need approximately 400–450 billion viable yeast cells, roughly double the standard rate for a 1.050 lager. Under-pitching is the most common cause of fusel alcohol in high-gravity homebrewed lagers. Use a large starter or pitch two packs of fresh liquid yeast. Dry Saflager W-34/70 used at 2× the normal dosage (44g instead of 22g for 19L) works well and is more reliable than a poorly made starter. Second, keep fermentation temperature at or below 10°C (50°F) throughout active fermentation, fusel production increases sharply at warmer temperatures, and high-gravity worts produce more heat during fermentation that can push temperature above your target without active cooling. Third, do not rush fermentation, allow the full 3 weeks at fermentation temperature before raising for the diacetyl rest. Rushing the process by raising temperature early to accelerate fermentation increases fusel risk significantly. A high-gravity lager brewed correctly with sufficient yeast at proper temperature will have a clean, warming alcohol character similar to the commercial Budweiser Magnum rather than the harsh solvent note that plagues under-pitched or over-warmed high-gravity homebrewed lagers.
