Help with my first rye all grain

I been brewing since the late 80's but gave it up for the past 15 years. I recently dusted off the old system and looking to brew a rye pale ale. I have made about 6 beers this year 2 being wheat beers. Never worked with rye. Please review and coment on the following recipie.

Style: American Rye Pale Ale
Type: All grain Size: 12 gallons
Color: 13 HCU (~8 SRM)
Bitterness: 44 IBU
OG: 1.048 FG: -
Alcohol: -
Grain:
15 lb. American 2-row
2 lb. American Munich
.5 lb. American victory
1 lb. Cara Rye 80L
3 lb. Rye malt
Mash: 74% efficiency
Boil: 60 minutes SG 1.045 13 gallons
Hops:
1 oz. Warrior (18% AA, 60 min.)
.5 oz. Warrior (18% AA, 30 min.)
.5 oz. Warrior (18% AA, 15 min.)
2 oz. Cascade (aroma) dry hop
I have not decided on a yeast yet and was wondering what temp to mash at.

Less is more, especially with low OG beers like this. A real sense of delicacy needs to be maintained unlike the larger IIPA monsters that you can pound with fermentables and hops.

For that reason:

Mostly 2-row
<15% Rye
<5% Flaked rye (optional)
<5% Crystal rye
0-4% Victory
0-7% Munich

This schedule will let the rye shine through without being obstructed by the character of the other malts.

For a refresher, the higher the mash temp (152-156 F for example), the fuller the body, higher the residual sugars, and the lower the alcohol. The lower the mash temps (146-151 F for example), the thinner the body, drier the beer, and the higher alcohol. Your choice. Since this is already a low OG beer with low abv and high hop focus, I would mash low (or add 2 more lbs of 2-row and mash on the medium-low end). Keep in mind that body will also be affected by the adjuncts you're using, like flaked rye if you should decide to use it. A simple sugar addition will have the opposite effect.

Shoot for 15 IBUs with your first hop addition at 60. Don't add any more hops until 15 or 10 min. Bring up to approx. 30-40 IBUs total (another hop would be good here to go with Warrior). Add a good sized whirlpool addition for a warm steep before pitching the yeast. Finally, dryhop with double your Cascade as intended.

I like an English liquid yeast here. What did you have in mind?

Style: American rye Pale Ale
Type: All grain Size: 12 gallons
Color:
12 HCU (~8 SRM)
Bitterness: 39 IBU
OG: 1.049 FG: -
Alcohol: -
Grain: 16.5 lb. American 2-row
2.2 lb. Rye malt
1.5 lb. American Munich
.5 lb. American victory
1 lb. crystal rye 80L
Mash: 74% efficiency
Boil: minutes SG 1.045 13 gallons
Hops: .5 oz. warrior (16.7% AA, 60 min.)
1.5 oz. warrior (16.7% AA, 15 min.)
1 oz. Amarillo (10.4% AA, 15 min.)
2 oz. Cascade (aroma) dry
1 oz. warrior (aroma) Whirlpooling

Looks better; you could even add slightly more rye if you're not also using flaked rye. But you need more whirlpool hops and dryhops for 12 gallons; like 3 to 4 oz at each spot. I'd use any Amarillo you have to dryhop.

Rye is smaller than barley, and needs to be treated differently. If you're having your LHBS mill it, ask them nicely to run it twice. If you're milling it yourself, run it separately with a tighter setting. My rye ales are typically 25%+ rye, and in those proportions rice hulls and mashing a little thin are helpful, but at 10% rye, you shouldn't need to do either of those things. A little Willamette goes very well with Cascades and rye.

I brewed a rye saison two batches ago and turned out magnificent! I highly suggest you take the advice of keeping the grain bill simple to let the rye shine through..

Also, I had a sample of a rye pale ale at the LHBS and it was dry hopped with simcoe. It was amazing!!! I thought that the aroma of it complimented the flavor profile and I really enjoyed it. Good times a brewin

I will fine tune this and look for a day to brew!

Go with Denny's favorite 1450 yeast. Great stuff.

I don't know about in that small of a quantity, but rye will make the mouthfeel heavier in high quantities. I'd say mash low.

bengerman said:

I don't know about in that small of a quantity, but rye will make the mouthfeel heavier in high quantities. I'd say mash low.

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Or cut the crystal way back.

if your intent is to taste the rye, you're gunna need more. 2.2lbs in 12gals is pretty subtle

I'm brewing Sat. (my first day off) and taking all the great advice into consideration. All the home brew stores are 45 min away so I'm going to go with what I have. Here is the grain and hop bill
Thanks to Everyone

Style: American Rye Pale Ale
Type: All grain Size: 12 gallons
Color: 12 HCU (~8 SRM)
Bitterness: 41 IBU
OG: 1.050 FG: -
Alcohol: -
Grain: 16 lb. American 2-row
3 lb. Rye malt
1.5 lb. American Munich
.5 lb. American victory
1 lb. Cara Rye 80L
Mash: 74% efficiency
Boil: minutes SG 1.044 13.5 gallons
Hops: 1.5 oz. Warrior (16.7% AA, 60 min.)
.25 oz. Warrior (16.7% AA, 15 min.)
2 oz. Cascade (aroma) dry
1 oz. amarillo (aroma) dry
3 oz. Centennial (aroma) whirpool 20-30min

use lots of rice hulls with rye or you will have a gummy mess that is stuck.

2stupid said:

use lots of rice hulls with rye or you will have a gummy mess that is stuck.

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I don't think he'll need lots if rice hulls with that small of an amount. He could probably get away without any...

I would use some rice hulls for sure. Last rye I did without rice hulls was a stuck sparge and pita to get the wort out. I mill my rye separably to get a good crush on it then adjust the mill back to normal for the rest of the grist. I use 1lb rice hulls otherwise this is one gooey, sticky mess.
Here is my rye pale ale:
5.5 gallon batch, 60 minute boil.
OG: 1.050 FG: 1.012
6 lbs rye malt (46%)
4 lbs pale ale (31%)
1 lb Munich (8%)
1 Lb Crystal 40L (8%)
1 lb flaked rye (toasted over an open fire) (8%)

1.25 OZ Citra at 60 min
1 oz Amarillo at 15 min
1 OZ Amarillo at 5 min
Dry Hop 1 OZ Amarillo at 21 days crash and bottle on day 28.

Mash:
Strike water is 17 Qts at 131F for a dough in at 122 for 20 minutes.
Decoction one is 4.25 Qt for a 140F step for 40 minutes.
Decoction two is 4.75 Qt for a 153F step for 40 minutes.
Sparge 17 Qts at 180F for 20 minutes.

Ferment at 64F
1 package US-05 yeast rehydrate.

bengerman said:

I don't think he'll need lots if rice hulls with that small of an amount. He could probably get away without any...

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+1, shouldn't need any in that amount

dcp27 said:

+1, shouldn't need any in that amount

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+2. I've used up to 40% without hulls and no problems. It will depend to some extent on your system. The braid I use has never given me a stuck runoff in 424 batches. You might have more problems with a manifold or false bottom.