Soliciting advice for my planned "Kentucky Derby" brew....

[TasunkaWitko]

In transit to me is a mix from Brooklyn Brew Shop for their Kentucky Rye Brown Ale:

http://brooklynbrewshop.com/beer-making-mixes/kentucky-rye-brown-mix

I got this thinking that it would be a great beer to brew for the Kentucky Derby next year; being unfamiliar with brown ales, I have a few questions regarding the timing etc.

I figure on three weeks from brewing to bottling, and would want to brew/bottle it early enough so that it will be good and "mature" by the time of the Kentucky Derby.

The instruction sheet proscribes soaking the charred oak chips in rye whiskey the night before brewing. Any suggestions on a decent-yet-common Kentucky rye whiskey? Since the fermentation sugar is maple syrup, I was thinking that a maple rye might be the ticket, but that might be a little obscure for my geographic location.... It doesn't HAVE to be a maple rye whiskey, or even a Kentucky rye whiskey, for that matter, but my reasoning was, "why not keep with the theme?"

Any suggestions for the questions above, or perhaps other advice? I am a total n00b, so please be gentle.

Thanks in advance -

Ron

 

[srice]

An obtainable and decent rye would be Wild Turkey Rye. Won't break the bank, but will add some nice rye flavor.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Hi, srice, and thanks for the input. I took a look at the website and this looks like it could be a great choice!

Another option that I thought of last night is that I have a friend who lives in Kentucky, and might see if he has anything "special" in his cabinet that he could send a small amount of.

As far as the timing, do you think this is something that I should start as soon as possible, in order to allow it to "mellow out" between now and then, or would this brown ale be something that doesn't require such a step?

 

[Vedder014]

I'd recommend Bulleit Rye whiskey.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Zekk]

While the whisky will add flavor I don't think it will matter if you use a cheaper bottle or an expensive special bottle. Just buy one that you'd enjoying drinking while your beer ferments. Timing wise I'm not sure but this isn't a beer that NEEDS 6 months to sit, especially if you want a lot of hop flavor

 

[myelo]

I don't think you need to break the bank but I would make sure and use a bourbon you like. At least to me, some of the cheaper ones have a metallic, listerine or musty aftertaste that I really don't like. I don't think it would take much of that to ruin a beer.