Help on a Rye IPA Recipe

Hey folks-

Wondering if I could get some help on the below recipe? It's both my first IPA and my first Rye beer (in retrospect, I might have been smarter to split this into two recipes, but anyway...)

I plan on using US-05 for a cleaner fermentation, mashing on the lower side (shooting for 151-149) to try to get a higher final attenuation, as well.

I am particularly interested in the hops schedule, and balancing the Rye with my hops selections. I'm just afraid there's too much going on with the hops varieties, and that the hops complexity might muddle out the rye. Thanks!


Recipe Name: Seven Seas of RhyePA
BJCP Style: 14-B, American IPA

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 7
Total Grain (Lbs): 14.50
Anticipated OG: 1.069 Plato: 16.81
Anticipated SRM: 8.9
Anticipated IBU: 64.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
69.0 10.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
13.8 2.00 lbs. Rye Malt America 1.030 5
6.9 1.00 lbs. Flaked Rye America 1.034 2
6.9 1.00 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
3.4 0.50 lbs. CaraPilsner France 1.035 10


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.75 oz. Columbus Pellet 15.00 46.0 60 min.
1.00 oz. Amarillo Gold Whole 10.40 10.3 15 min.
0.25 oz. Columbus Pellet 15.00 4.1 15 min.
0.25 oz. Centennial Pellet 9.70 2.0 10 min.
0.25 oz. Centennial Pellet 9.70 1.7 5 min.
1.00 oz. Mt. Hood Pellet 6.50 0.0 Dry Hop (7 days)
0.50 oz. Centennial Pellet 10.50 0.0 Dry Hop (7 days)

Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Tsp. Irish Moss Fining 15 Min.(boil)

Looks good generally. I just made a crowd-pleasing Rye IPA and our recipes look pretty similar. A few suggestions:

- I'm not sure what the flaked rye is going to do for your flavor profile. Since it's not malted, you won't be able to extract the sugars you would out of the rye malt. I'd just throw in another half pound of rye malt and get rid of the flaked rye. The best thing you'll get is good head retention, but the crystal should take care of that.

- I'd also replace the Mt. Hood with a more aromatic and flavorful profile. Given your use of Columbus and Centennial, you may want to try Cascade.

- Good luck getting Amarillo. I went to my LHBS today looking for it - they said the crop was gone and won't be back in stock until November. Think of a substitute in case it's not available

Good luck!

DonRikkles said:

- I'm not sure what the flaked rye is going to do for your flavor profile. Since it's not malted, you won't be able to extract the sugars you would out of the rye malt. I'd just throw in another half pound of rye malt and get rid of the flaked rye. The best thing you'll get is good head retention, but the crystal should take care of that.

Click to expand...

Huh?, flaked rye is gelatinized during the rolling process and you will extract the sugars during the mash! Same holds true for flaked barley, wheat, corn. rice, etc. It doesn't need to be crushed and might not have the flavor of malted rye but you will get fermentables out of it!

Sorry - meant to say enzymes, which won't be a problem since you're mashing with other malts. The flu is getting to me.

Looks good enough to me. I like between 20-30% rye for my beers and with your amount I think the crystal is about right but leaning towards the high end of what i like but that's just a preference thing. The Mt. Hood addition stood out a bit to me as well. All in all though looks like a decent enough starting spot for a RyePA.

I tossed in the flaked rye for mouthfeel.. though didn't know I wouldn't get much out of it as far as flavor goes.

Thanks for the suggestion on the Cascade, Donrikkles. I have a bit laying around, I think i might switch it out.

Just took a look in the freezer- I've got both cascade and more columbus laying around. I might just keep it consistent and go with the columbus.. It's supposed to be an earthier and more herbal hop than cascade, and might complement the rye nicely.

I recently brewed a Black Rye IPA with a similar hop and grain bill. Instead of Amarillo, I used a Zythos-type blend with Cascade, Centennial and Chinook. I wasn't too pleased with the nose (I dry hopped with 2 oz of Cascade) but I think part of the reason is the rye came through more on the front end, thus killing the nose.

Thinking about doing a ryepa with German ale yeast and English 2 row, thoughts?