Recipe advice: Sour smoked amber rye...? ("Sour Harlem Common"?)

[motorneuron]

Hey guys--

So, uh, I would appreciate some advice with a somewhat strange recipe here. I'm loosely, but not solely, inspired by what I've read of Kentucky common, and the idea that maybe it was sour in the past (when it existed). But I'm just trying to brew something "American" and "rustic." So it's got all the rustic and American touches I could come up with: sourness; smoke; and rye.

The idea for this beer is basically: a deep amber color; medium strength; firm malt backbone, but not overly sweet, and some rye flavor; fairly low hop flavor/aroma; some, but not overwhelming, sourness; some, but not overwhelming, smoke flavor; clean fermentation from the yeast.

Although I have been thinking about doing a sour mash beer for a little while, I don't think I will be doing that for this batch; instead I'll rely on acidulated malt.

Here is the recipe I have brainstormed so far. Again, I'm not really going for a particular style, so I'm more interested in feedback on whether you think this will be good, rather than feedback about how it doesn't conform to California or Kentucky common, American amber, American brown, etc.

5-gallon batch: http://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/sour-harlem-common/

OG 1.060
FG 1.015
ABV 5.9%
SRM 15
IBU 22

3 lbs 2-row
3 lbs home-roasted amber malt (made from 2-row)
3 lbs rye malt (25%, enough for a real rye flavor but hopefully no sparge disasters)
1.5 lb smoked malt (at 13%, this is below what would be appropriate for a rauchbier, but should provide a significant smoke taste)
.75 lbs acidulated malt (at 6%, this is supposed to be around the necessary amount to provide some tartness; e.g., Berliner Weisse recipes often call for 8%)
6 oz caramel 80L
6 oz caramel 120L
whatever rice hulls I have sitting around (probaly half a pound)

Mash at 154 for 75 minutes; might do a short protein rest at 122F given how much rye there is

Boil 60 minutes.

1 oz UK fuggle @ 60 mins (4.75% AA)
.5 oz US golding @ 30 mins (4.5% AA)

Ferment cool (low 60s) with Denny's Favorite.

 

[sptaylor70]

You might consider trying amber malt (maybe 2 lbs.) rather than Munich (make up the extra 2 lbs. in pale malt). It would, perhaps, be more "authentic." That's a pretty large amount of rye - you'll definitely need a protein rest, or a very long mash, or a decoction.

For a more rustic flavor, if you're comfortable working with liquid yeast, White Labs has WLP076 Old Sonoma and WLP670 American Farmhouse. If dry yeast is really your preference, then Fermentis T-58, although more Belgian, might be more complimentary to your rustic rye. Nottingham should, however, give good results.

Post what you do and how it turns out.

 

[motorneuron]

Mm, I like the amber idea. Thanks. I will probably home-roast that and make up the remainder with pale, as you suggested.

I think I will do a 122-124F protein rest, too.

I'm totally comfortable using liquid yeast. I had originally thought I might use California lager yeast for this, but I thought an ale flavor profile might be better, and I have some Nottingham on hand, so that was the reason. (670 is a bit too crazy for me right now--I need to be able to get the beer done in a reasonable time given my current pipeline.) But if I decide against Nottingham, my LHBS also has Wyeast 1272 and 1332. Does either of those sound good? I suppose even an English strain might be good here--something malt-accentuating, like maybe 1318 or the Fuller's strain (1968).

 

[sptaylor70]

I've read good things about both AA2 and NW Ale. Either would do fine, but NW would be more interesting, I think (a little fruitier, a little maltier). In fact, Denny's Favorite 50 might be a good choice.

 

[motorneuron]

Yeah, having looked them over, I think NW Ale might be a good choice. And maybe Denny's too. I have never used either of those, but I guess it makes sense not to have a fermentation profile as clean as Nottingham, US-05, Chico, etc. for this beer. It is, after all, rustic!

 

[motorneuron]

Okay, I have made a few edits. The batch size is now 5 gallons based on the carboy that will be free. I have replaced the Munich with homemade amber, and I've also readjusted the hops--it's now fuggle and golding, which I feel like fit well with a "colonial" beer by being unobtrusive and a bit earthy. Also added some rice hulls.

I did wind up opting for Denny's Favorite as my yeast, which will hopefully keep the malt flavor up.