Alternative Grain Beer Colorado Imperial Red Rye

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TheWeeb

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 24, 2010
Messages
1,122
Reaction score
143
Location
Denver
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
S-04
Yeast Starter
Hydration
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter
2x packets
Batch Size (Gallons)
5
Original Gravity
1.082
Final Gravity
1.010
Boiling Time (Minutes)
60
IBU
80
Color
20 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
21 days at 62
Tasting Notes
Earthy hop bitter at first, yields to nutty spice rye with a touch of malty sweet
% LB OZ MALT OR FERMENTABLE

31% 4 0 Amber Dry Extract
31% 4 0 American Two-row Pale
15% 2 0 Rye, Flaked
8% 1 0 Rye Malt
8% 1 0 Munich Malt
4% 0 8 Crystal Malt -120L
4% 0 8 Special B Malt

Hops:
2 oz. Columbus @ 60 min

Yeast nutrient and irsh moss @ 10 min

Mash grains at 152 for 60 minutes, I use the BIAB in a 5 gallon pot where I get close to a 4 gallon boil. Bring to a boil and add DME and hop addition. Near the end, add yeast nutrient and Irish moss. Prepare 1 cup of sterile water @ 75 degrees and add two packets of S-04 to hydrate. Cool wort and pitch @ 68 degrees.

This is based on the most popular Red Rye recipe here, Red Rye Ale - Home Brew Forums I thought an imperial version was different enough to justify a new thread.

I also wanted to make it "Colorado" by the use of Colorado 2-row.
Colorado Base Grain, from Alamosa, has a bit of a nuttier flavor than Briess or Rahr.

In order to keep the fruity flavors out, I used two packets of dry yeast and kept the fermentation temps low, 62-64 degrees. That said, there was vigorous fermentation that began six hours after pitching. The recipe calculator I used showed an estimated FG of 1.022; I think the low mash temp and double pitch gave much higher attenuation. That said, it does not have a dry mouthfeel at all.

It is a big beer at 9.6% ABV and 80 IBUs. I could not detect an alcohol flavor at all, however.

The tasting notes are based on sample just before bottling. I will repost once it is fully carbed and a bit more mature.
 
:mug:

Full disclosure, as I was going thru the cupboard to find the DME to use as primer for bottling this, I found a packet of dark char oak cubes, and thought "Bourbon Barrel Imperial Red Rye" would be simply awesome. So, I am going to hold off bottling until I consider secondary on Wild Turkey soaked oak, and will edit the OP if so....
 
Split half of this into bottles a week ago, half on oak soaked in Red Stag to give a bit of cherry flavor. Cherry Red Oaked Rye. Will try a bottle of the first half in a couple of days.
 
have a bottle in the fridge, will pour and post later today

edit: Took a gravity sample of the Red Stag oaked version, hoooly sheet, it is so good, down to 1.008 or 6, nice cherry bourbon smoke that blends perfectly with the rye. This is the one I am going to enter into the AHA national competition this year !
 
How did the 'normal' bottle turn out? I might want to make this very soon. Also, where can I get Alamosa 2-row?
 
How did the 'normal' bottle turn out? I might want to make this very soon. Also, where can I get Alamosa 2-row?

The normal batch is now down to one bottle, it is a very good - no, great - red rye. It will be on my list to brew again, once the pipeline is reduced somewhat. If you are thinking of doing a red rye with an imperial boost, this one will not disappoint. I kick myself for not bottling in 12oz browns so I can enter it in competition.

As for the Colorado 2-row, I got mine at the Brew Hut, next to Dry Dock Brewing. I am not sure where else it is available. :mug:
 
I'll probably head out to the Brew Hut this Saturday for ingredients to make this. SWMBO and I had been planning on making an imperial red and we both love rye beers. Glad I stumbled upon your recipe.

Do you think two packets of yeast are neccessary with the yeast nutrient and rehydration prior to pitching? I would like to get the FG low like yours and I can keep the temperature in the same region, but yeast isn't cheap.
 
This yeast has a high alcohol tolerance, but a brew pushing 10% should have either a large starter or two dry packages, in my opinion. There is just a lot of sugars to eat through in an increasingly hostile environment. When you compare the cost of two packets vs. a vial or smack pack plus starter, I think you are still saving money. I look forward to hearing how yours comes out!
John
 
Brewed it up on Saturday. Measured gravity was 1.080, but I believe it was pretty warm when I measured, so it could be 81 or 82.

I do have to ask how you manage the 9 lb BIAB method. That was my first experience with that amount of grains in a bag and after mashing I am sure an extra 16 lb of water was absorbed in there. So hard to lift and squeeze that out :).
 
Kaleco, yea, heavy, I actually have a large colander that rests on top of the kettle. I pull the grain bag up, slide the colander under, then let it drain into the pot. This also allows me to sparge using heated water from two other pots.

I am going to brew this again, maybe this weekend, and put the whole batch on the red stag and oak. I bottled that version of the previous batch just this past Sunday (FG 1.008, calculated out at 9.9, but I am calling it my first 10 percent brew) and last night, after only three days, could not wait and had a bottle.

The cherry and oak and slightly sweet bourbon seemed to complement the malty rye perfectly. This is the one I am entering into the national tomorrow!
 
I've just brewed up an AG beer based on this, and the post boil sample by itself tastes incredible, can't wait for the finished product!

Do you remember much oak you used for secondary, and for how long? I'll be going by taste, but a ballpark to go on would be a great start.

I've made a 40l batch and am planning on splitting some with red stag soaked oak and some more with high west double rye soaked whiskey for a "double imperial oak aged rye" so to speak :)
 
I've just brewed up an AG beer based on this, and the post boil sample by itself tastes incredible, can't wait for the finished product!

Do you remember much oak you used for secondary, and for how long? I'll be going by taste, but a ballpark to go on would be a great start.

I've made a 40l batch and am planning on splitting some with red stag soaked oak and some more with high west double rye soaked whiskey for a "double imperial oak aged rye" so to speak :)

This sounds fantastic! I used only 1 oz of oak cubes for the 2. 5 gallons, four weeks I think, then bottled. I like your approach and may do the same the next batch.
 
Awesome, cheers for the pointer. I'll let you know how it's tasting after the oaking. You've found a real winner with this recipe here I think!
 
I am going to revive this thread and ask how yours turned out, as I am considering making it again. Feedback please!
 
cooking this up tonight. I hit 1.076 pre boil so I expect 1.082 or so when it comes time to pitch. This should result in a nine percent or more wonderful monster. I took the third runnings and am boiling them down to caramel stage (hopefully) and add them back to the wort. That. or will have a gallon of free beer more or less.
 
Just transferred to secondary, 1.018 was the reading. I have had a medium char oak spiral sitting in 9 oz. of Kirsch which was added to the secondary. I went with Kirsch as it has a nice subtle cherry flavor without the bourbon and sweetness from the Old Stag. The sample taken during the transfer is nice and rye spice-hoppy with a good mothfeel.
 
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