Brown Rye AG, could use some help.

[True_Sycko]

Hello everyone!

Its been to long since my last brew session (I hate you life ), but I have an empty keg that needs filling. This is my second self recipe :rockin:. I plan on brewing next weekend and having it ready by Christmas. I havn't brewed a brown in the last few years and I have been really craving one. I am not really shooting for much of a style as much as something that tastes good. I been having a facination with rye lately (made a killer Black rye IPA) and wanted to incorporate it into a brown. Mainly looking for a nutty, biscuit, toasty, and spicy flavor. I was thinking something like this...

BIAB
5 gallon
OG: 1.047
SRM: 17.09

7.5# Maris Otter
0.5# Rye Malt
0.5# Chocolate Rye
0.5# Crystal 60
0.25# Special B

Hops:
Have on hand: 1.5oz EKG (2012), 0.5oz Target (2012), 0.75oz Motueka (2013), 0.75oz Sorachi Ace (2013), 6oz Hallertaur (2011, leaf)
Leaning to something like...
0.5oz Williamette - FWH
0.5oz EKG - 60 min
0.5oz EKG or Williamette - 20 min
0.5oz EKG or Williamette - 10 min

the IBU's are around 25-28ish depending on the grain and 20/10 min additions

Yeast:WLP037 Yorkshire Square Ale -Also, Open to ideas

I am looking to keep it drinkable and lower alcohol. I am debating on whether to throw in some aromatic malt. Also, is that chocolate rye enough to be noticable or should I add a little chocolate/pale chocolate malt? Also, if using MO, should I ass Victory malt also? I searched online and didnt see anything about those two being mixed.

What do you guys think? Open to ideas/changes.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[smithmd4]

I just did an AG Rye Brown and it came out fantastic. There's a nice earthiness from the rye that's very present but not in your face. I'm not one who gets spiciness from rye. I generally get spicy/piney from hops in a RIPA. Here's my recipe:

OG: 1.053
FG: 1.013

Yeast: 1098
69.6% Maris Otter
11.6% Flaked Rye
5.8% Munich 10L
5.8% Crystal Rye - 80L
5.8% Crystal 120L
1.4% Chocolate
15.6 IBU Northern Brewer @ 60min
5.3 IBU Willamette @ 30min
3.6 IBU NB @ 30min
2.5 IBU Willamette @ 10min
2.3 IBU NB @ 10min

I might add a few more IBU at 60min but that's getting down to a personal preference at that point.

I was originally going to use chocolate rye over Crystal, but thats what the LHBS had. I would like to do a side by side with this recipe and one with chocolate rye. I imagine the difference to be very subtle though.

 

[True_Sycko]

Updated OP with hops and yeast info.

Thanks, Smithmd4!

I am going to send an email to the LHBS to see if they carry the chocolate rye (hopefully they do). I came up with a another version this morning before work (dont have the brewsmith info). I think it went pretty similar to this...

7.5# MO
0.5# Flaked Rye
0.5# Rye Malt
0.5# Chocolate Rye or Pale Chocolate or Chocolate malt
0.5# Crystal 60
0.5# Special Roast
0.25# Special B

Torn between if needed both Victory and MO together. Do you think the rye at ~15% would be too much flavor? Also, Debating on the Special Roast vs Special B. Trying to decide to use one or the other or both... It always seems that I lean towards everything but the kitchen sink idea to brewing.

So many decsions... I guess I have to brew more ofter!

 

[smithmd4]

This was my first rye beer and at ~15% rye I'd describe the rye as the dominant background flavor if that makes any sense. No one who's tried complained it was too much rye, but the opinions ranged from "Wow, that's a rye beer!" to "That's very subtle."

I tend to like sweeter brown ales, a la Ellie's Brown, so I think the heavy on the caramel probably helped push the rye to the undertones. I think your recipe will be drier than the one I had so that might push the flavor more to the front.

I say go for it and post how it comes out!

 

[True_Sycko]

Thanks smithmd4

Ok, so I decided to toss out the rye and make a more classic Brown.

Boil Size: 7.34 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.24 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.05 gal
Estimated OG: 1.049 SG
Estimated Color: 20.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 24.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.4 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
7.5# Maris Otter
1.0# Victory
0.75# Special Roast
0.5# Cara 45
0.25# Caramel 80
0.25# Special B
0.25# Chocolate
0.85oz - FWH - East Kent Goldings, 16.2 IBU
0.75oz - 15min - Williamette, 7.1 IBU
0.25oz - 5min - Williamette, 0.1 IBU
Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley


I had a couple different versions that I took with me to the LHBS. They helped me decide on this version. I went back and forth on the yeast since my original idea (WLP037) wasn't in yet. There was another yeast, but they were out of that too. I also was going to use Caramel 40, but they were out of that, so I subbed the Cara 45 in. Weird, they are never out of things...

Hopefully, it produces a warm biscuity, toasty, nutty flavor up front with touches of toffee and caramel, and finishes with a sweet yet dry raisin flavor.

Plan on brewing this next Friday night.