6Row, Corn, Rye

[goforevercrazywithit]

I work at a distillery and have access to lbs and lbs of 6row barley, corn, and rye. I've been wanting to throw together a recipe using at least corn and 6row but I have little recipe building knowledge and no all grain experience. Anyone know of a a beer style or a recipe I could go for using these ingredients? Recipes using primarily 6row have been very hard to find.

Any information or advice about homebrewing with these ingredients is much appreciated.

 

[z-bob]

A pre-Prohibition lager or cream ale. (use Cluster hops) Or add a little dark crystal malt and make a Kentucky Common.

Recipes using primarily 6row have been very hard to find.

I think you can pretty much substitute 6-row for 2-row in most recipes. It has a little higher protein; that's good if you're using lots of adjuncts.

 

[Kent88]

I thought distiller's malt was a little different from brewer's malt, is the difference negligible?

Another vote for pre-prohibition lager. But I'm not sure that uses Rye. Why not just try and ale with 85/15 6-row and rye to start with?

 

[goforevercrazywithit]

I thought distiller's malt was a little different from brewer's malt, is the difference negligible?

Another vote for pre-prohibition lager. But I'm not sure that uses Rye. Why not just try and ale with 85/15 6-row and rye to start with?

From what I know, 6-row (what we use in the distillery) has a much higher alpha-amylase content which is useful in increasing yield by maximizing breakdown of starches in high starch mashes (ex. high corn). I've heard the taste is "grainy" as opposed to 2-row (brewers malt) being crisper. Also, 6-row itself has less sugar content than 2-row, which is why 2-row is typically used in brewing when high starch adjuncts are not involved.

I'm digging the idea of this 85/15 6-row/rye brew, but I know absolutely nothing about brewing with rye.

A pre-Prohibition lager or cream ale. (use Cluster hops) Or add a little dark crystal malt and make a Kentucky Common.

I think you can pretty much substitute 6-row for 2-row in most recipes. It has a little higher protein; that's good if you're using lots of adjuncts.

Cream ale seems to be the easiest idea. I'm trying to stay away from lagers because I don't have a good way to temperature control during fermentation. Had not thought of a KY Common, I appreciate the ideas.

 

[BigEd]

From what I know, 6-row (what we use in the distillery) has a much higher alpha-amylase content which is useful in increasing yield by maximizing breakdown of starches in high starch mashes (ex. high corn). I've heard the taste is "grainy" as opposed to 2-row (brewers malt) being crisper. Also, 6-row itself has less sugar content than 2-row, which is why 2-row is typically used in brewing when high starch adjuncts are not involved.

I'm digging the idea of this 85/15 6-row/rye brew, but I know absolutely nothing about brewing with rye.



Cream ale seems to be the easiest idea. I'm trying to stay away from lagers because I don't have a good way to temperature control during fermentation. Had not thought of a KY Common, I appreciate the ideas.

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The difference in enzymes between modern 2-row and 6-row is negligible. Years ago 6-row had a discernible edge but not any more. 6-row tastes "huskier" and doesn't produce as many fermentables per weight as 2-row because the ratio of actual "stuff" inside the grain to the husk on the outside is not as high. So yes 2-row is preferred for beer brewing although 6-row still is used sometimes.

If the rye is malted you can just add it to the malted barley in the mash. If not you will need to cereal mash it first to brew beer.

 

[goforevercrazywithit]

2-row is preferred for beer brewing although 6-row still is used sometimes.

What does anyone think about a direct substitution of 6-row in any recipe that calls for 2-row? Considering taste, say I used 6-row in an pale ale or porter recipe that called for 2-row, would you guess there would be a drastic/harsh difference in taste alone? With the exception of tasting a little ""huskier"" (along with the need for more 6-row compared to 2-row for equal abv)