Historical Beer: Kentucky Common "Kiss Yer Cousin" Rye Kentucky Common Ale

[mcliff1971]

Have a friend who brewed this and it is conditioning in the bottle right now...too bad he lives over 1,000 miles away! Think this will be one of the next recipes I try. Added it to Beersmith and tweaked slightly....can't wait!!!

 

[slowbie]

Revvy, can you comment at all on your choice of two row rather than six row? It seems to me that six row would be more historically accurate and would also help with all the adjuncts. I'm assuming you just stuck with two row because you already had some on hand or it was easier to get, but I wanted to double check to make sure there wasn't another reason.

 

[Revvy]

Revvy, can you comment at all on your choice of two row rather than six row? It seems to me that six row would be more historically accurate and would also help with all the adjuncts. I'm assuming you just stuck with two row because you already had some on hand or it was easier to get, but I wanted to double check to make sure there wasn't another reason.

I used it because I have it in bulk. But yeah 6 row would probably be more historically accurate.

 

[user 19629]

I brewed up a batch of this using BRY-97 yeast, and Mt. Hood hops.
I did have a monster stuck sparge when I brewed it.
The yeast took two weeks to bring the beer down to 1.006.
I really don't taste any of the rye.
All in all a pretty good beer. My wife and daughter enjoy it more then I do.
Thanks for the recipe.

 

[mrklueber]

This beer is a great hit with the family and friends that I have tried it. I will brew it again but may try a different yeast, rather than the Wyeast American Ale II (1272) yeast that I used for this batch. Someone suggested the WLP080 cream ale blend and I like that yeast so I will try it. Great recipe though Revvy. I think it tastes somewhat like a whiskey without the alcohol bite.

 

[BobbyAAlexander]

What would you think about adding grits to the mash in conduction to the maize? I live near a grain millery (?) and they have some great local grits that I have been trying to figure out how to use in beer. And i think this is a great start.

What do ya'll think?

 

[Revvy]

What would you think about adding grits to the mash in conduction to the maize? I live near a grain millery (?) and they have some great local grits that I have been trying to figure out how to use in beer. And i think this is a great start.

What do ya'll think?

I would do either/or, not both....there's no point in it, and you'd be altering the recipe by adding more fermentables. If you want to go oldschool and use grits, then you need to do a cereal mash with them to make them usable. We use flaked corn to skip that step. But there's nothing wrong with doing a cereal mash with grits...it's probably more traditional. Google "cereal mash with corn" for info...IIRC the first non add link that pops up is the one I used to learn how to do it.

 

[KidLightning]

Revvy,

I'm thinking of brewing a version of this up soon and read through the entire thread, but nowhere did I see the volumes of CO2 for this beer. I saw some things that hinted at a low level (2.0?) but was wondering what you shot for in your various versions.

And, here is the recipe I'm thinking of based on my 3.25 gallon stovetop setup (~85% efficiency) I made some substitutions and reductions based on the ingredients I have on hand and added ~3% Acidulated Malt to give just a touch of a sour twang to it for some complexity:

2.7 lbs 6-row (54%)
1.5 lbs flaked corn (30%)
0.5 lbs malted rye (10%)
2.4 oz Acidulated Malt (3%)
1.2 oz Midnight Wheat (1.5%)
1.2 oz Crystal 120 (1.5%)

Mash at ~149 for 60 min. (1.048 estimated OG)

Batch sparge to get about 4 gallons, pre-boil

4 AAU of a clean American bittering hop (Magnum?) for 60 min boil (~26 IBU)

Pitch 6g of rehydrated US-05 and ferment at 65 for 3 weeks (1.010 estimated FG/80% AA)

Bottle with table sugar (or turbinado) for ___ volumes of CO2 and condition for 3 weeks at room temp.

I may also pull off a gallon after 2 weeks and do a secondary on some bourbon-soaked oak chips for a week at cellar temps before bottling, just to see what that's like.

 

[cheezydemon3]

OOPS, good catch, I meant aromatic.
I corrected my original post.

Yeah, here's another. I live in Ky and I DON'T KISS MY EFFING COUSINS.

(they are fooking hot though!!!he he he he)

I'll try to forgive you you racist bastard.

 

[Revvy]

For this beer I just figured there was no thought given to carbing to style, it's a very simple beer for a simpler time, so I just went with a starndard 2-2.5 ish volumes of co2 range that is the average for most kits.

Only I primed with table sugar, since again I kept it simple.

 

[KidLightning]

Thanks, I'll probably aim for 2.5 for this one and then tweak from there, if necessary. If I do a bourbon/oaked version or portion, I might go down closer to 2.0 on that one.

I also found this article that suggests a high(er) carbonation level similar to a California Common (2.4 to 2.8) or Cream Ale (2.6 to 2.7) so again I think 2.5 is a good level to start.

And I almost always use regular sugar or turbinado for bottling, depending on what I have on hand, as I don't see the point in having extra sugars lying around. For certain styles I may use brown sugar (brown ales, pumpkin ale) or maple syrup (stouts, rauchbier, or my bourbon black ale) but that's a discussion for elsewhere.

 

[tony579]

Just kegged this and the hydrometer sample tasted great even warm and flat. Can't wait for this to carb.

 

[mrklueber]

My son and I brewed another 11 gallon batch of the rye Ky Common ale yesterday. Used the same recipe as before except substituted Papazian's Cry Havoc yeast for the American Ale II yeast that we used last time. Our OG was slightly high, 1.052 vs 1.048 as our efficiency was 75% instead of 70% as planned. Fermentation started within 12 hours and its rocking. Can't wait to get it kegged and carbed up. This beer is rapidly becoming a house favorite. Thanks again to Revvy for his work in bringing this recipe to our attention.

 

[tony579]

This definitely passed the test. One of the most flavorful and drinkable beers I've had in a while. I've decided that this will be one of two brews I'm gonna do for a friend's wedding in September. Thanks, Revvy!

 

[Pastorken]

Revvy, thanks for this recipe. I can't wait to give it a go. How do think this would work with a Cream Ale yeast?

 

[Revvy]

Revvy, thanks for this recipe. I can't wait to give it a go. How do think this would work with a Cream Ale yeast?

It would probably be awesome. Probably be the best yeast for it. I haven't tried it yet. Let me know.

 

[BobbyAAlexander]

Plan on brewing this one sometime this week, but I only have WL005 English Ale. TO anyone who has brewed this, would this fit the profile?

 

[Unferth]

I'm interested in brewing this, but only have partial mashing capabilities at the moment.

If I replaced the 4.5# of 2-row with Pale Malt Extract, would that be a sin for this brew?

TIA!

 

[slowbie]

I'm interested in brewing this, but only have partial mashing capabilities at the moment.

If I replaced the 4.5# of 2-row with Pale Malt Extract, would that be a sin for this brew?

TIA!

It won't work. The corn and rye can't be steeped, they need to be mashed. Your best bet would probably be to do a mini mash with 1.5 pounds six row (for the extra enzymes), and the corn, black patent, and crystal. Then make up the rest of your gravity with 2 pounds rye extract plus as much pale extract as it takes to cover the remainder of the gravity points.

 

[Unferth]

It won't work. The corn and rye can't be steeped, they need to be mashed. Your best bet would probably be to do a mini mash with 1.5 pounds six row (for the extra enzymes), and the corn, black patent, and crystal. Then make up the rest of your gravity with 2 pounds rye extract plus as much pale extract as it takes to cover the remainder of the gravity points.

Thanks!

 

[b-boy]

I'm brewing this on Saturday. I've never used flaked corn or Rye before. I took a look at the recipe this was based on and it mentions a 90 minute mash. Is that the case here, or is this a 60 minute mash?

 

[Revvy]

I think I've always just done a 60 with it.

 

[b-boy]

OK - thanks. Looking forward to this.

 

[b-boy]

This is my first try at this recipe. I have a few yeast choices here. Maybe someone has had good/bad experiences with any of these? I'm going to get a starter going tonight.

I have Rogue PacMan, San Diego Super Yeast, Notty, Wyeast English Ale, Wyeast Irish Ale, and SF Lager yeast.

I'm leaning towards the PacMan at this point.

Any input?

 

[Revvy]

I'd love to hear how it is with pac man.

 

[mpride1911]

1. Love the current avatar.

2. I will brew this next.

 

[b-boy]

I'd love to hear how it is with pac man.

Pacman it is. I love Pacman so I'm anticipating good things.

 

[jdub44]

Pacman it is. I love Pacman so I'm anticipating good things.

I made my first batch of this last summer using pacman. I made 20 gallons of it for my brothers wedding that was on a farm in Kentucky. Everyone loved it. I am making another batch of it this weekend for a brew festival in Maryland where it will be given out, along with 20 other homebrews, for sampling.

 

[jdub44]

I made my first batch of this last summer using pacman. I made 20 gallons of it for my brothers wedding that was on a farm in Kentucky. Everyone loved it. I am making another batch of it this weekend for a brew festival in Maryland where it will be given out, along with 20 other homebrews, for sampling.

I forgot to mention that I am also going to substitute midnight wheat for the black patent on this batch.

 

[Revvy]

I think you all need to send me samples of your "experiments" with my recipe. Especially since my last batch turned out like crap, and I'll probably dump the keg soon, since it has that "stone fruit" flavor that you sometimes get with us-o5