Recipe input?

[rhys333]

I'm playing around with Wyeast 3726 Farmhouse at the moment and I'm considering brewing a beer using ingredients that are produced regionally. Namely, malted wheat, barley and rye, rolled oats and honey (or beet sugar). Common ingredients to many prairie locations. Flax and canola are common here too, but probably not a good idea in beer!

I appreciate thoughts/suggestions on the following recipe idea. Also, I'll probably just do a bittering addition using an older variety like cluster or Hallertauer.

PRAIRIE ALE (1.054 - 1.005)
34% Wheat
28% 2 Row
20% Honey (primary), or beet sugar (boil)
10% Rye
8% Oats
Bittering @ 60 25 IBU
WY 3726

I'm expecting body and mouthfeel from the rye and oats, so my idea is to use grain to get to about 4.5% abv, and then bump it up to 6.5% using simple sugars. I usually wouldn't go as high as 20% sugar, but I think the rye and oats will add plenty of body.

I'd like the end product to be light-medium bodied, crisp and refreshing. Crazy head retention is a side effect I'm willing to live with.

 

[Kent88]

Have you checked to make sure that there will be enough enzymes to break down the starches?

I would drop the honey by 5%, maybe put that towards more base malt.

 

[rhys333]

Have you checked to make sure that there will be enough enzymes to break down the starches?

I would drop the honey by 5%, maybe put that towards more base malt.

I should be okay with enzymes. Its only the oats that need a little help converting. I think I agree on dropping the honey to 15%.

 

[universalfrost]

increase two row or make it 6 row instead and still increase ..

I would go with something like this and change the honey to boil at about the 45 minute mark (15 minutes left in boil)

45% Wheat
30% 2 Row or 6 row
10% Honey (boil)
5% Rye
5% Cara
5% Oats

make sure to do a good 120 degree protein rest for 30 minutes and then mash at mid 150's for 60..

i would also go for perle hops or tettnang ... maybe even saaz or northern brewer.. all are a bit unorthodox, but they would go well.. i would go for late additions and dry hopping to get to the IBU's you want... not all up front

 

[Smellyglove]

What? why the questions? He has way enough diastatic power to convert that grist.

 

[rhys333]

I neglected to mention in the original post that I want it to be yeast and malt drive, so I'm leaning towards the beet sugar over honey and the only hop character I want is bittering for flavor balance. I like the idea of 6 row to give it a more rustic touch, so I might do that. Lowering the abv slightly, grains to 4.5%, then sugar to boost to 6%. Something along the lines of this, maybe...

PRAIRIE ALE (1.051 - 1.005)
37% Wheat
30% 6 Row or 2 Row
15% Beet sugar (boil)
10% Rye
8% Oats
Bittering @ 60 25 IBU
WY 3726

 

[universalfrost]

Well do some Willamette or Cascade hops right at boil and just a light late addition if you want...also some red rye would go nicely with this ...

Might want to look at unrefined local sugar to give it a more unique flavor profile....

 

[snowtiger1987]

You should be fine with enzymes although it could be quite a sticky mash. I would have some rice hulls on hand just in case. If you can multi-step do it.

 

[rhys333]

You should be fine with enzymes although it could be quite a sticky mash. I would have some rice hulls on hand just in case. If you can multi-step do it.

BIAB

 

[rhys333]

Well, I ended up brewing this beer yesterday, but I changed the ratios slightly. I'm also toying with idea of adding 3 pounds of rhubarb to primary, post-fermentation. I think sharpness from the rhubarb will play nicely off the creaminess from the rye and oats.

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Rhubarb should be fine, if you've got the maltiness to back it up. I'll throw out a few more ideas, for suggestion purposes only (depending on what you are going for):

Strawberries are the obvious compliment, so I assume that you've considered them and rejected them...but perhaps some huckleberry? Are the chokecherries ready up there? You can't get much more regional than that, except for buffaloberries/bullberries, if they grow up there. Either that, or perhaps wild prairie rosehips (and maybe a few petals, as well); the rosehips are supposed to give it an apple-y quality, so if you're into that, then....

None of these might fit your goals, but I figured I'd throw them out there for ideas.

 

[rhys333]

Rhubarb should be fine, if you've got the maltiness to back it up. I'll throw out a few more ideas, for suggestion purposes only (depending on what you are going for):

Strawberries are the obvious compliment, so I assume that you've considered them and rejected them...but perhaps some huckleberry? Are the chokecherries ready up there? You can't get much more regional than that, except for buffaloberries/bullberries, if they grow up there. Either that, or perhaps wild prairie rosehips (and maybe a few petals, as well); the rosehips are supposed to give it an apple-y quality, so if you're into that, then....

None of these might fit your goals, but I figured I'd throw them out there for ideas.

Good points. I considered combining strawberry with rhubarb since its so popular, but I'm not a big fan. Haskap berries (honeysuckle) were ready a few weeks ago, but they're strongly flavored. Saskatoon berries too, but I don't know how well they'd work. BC Cherries are everywhere right now, but they're so darn sweet that I think they'd be unrecognizable after fermentation.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I'm a resident of the prairie and descended from people who made a living off of it, so I like the idea of a prairie beer and hope this project comes out well. The Saskatoon berries (in my opinion) would very much be worth a try; I have not used them before, but my understanding is that their qualities are subtle, so it seems that there's nothing to lose and possibly a bit to gain.

Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) went very well with a wheat beer that I brewed once - might be good here. Buffalo/bullberries (Shepherdia argentea) look like they might be a little out of your range, but could be the best choice of all, based on my experience adding them to an Irish red ale.

 

[rhys333]

I'm a resident of the prairie and descended from people who made a living off of it, so I like the idea of a prairie beer and hope this project comes out well. The Saskatoon berries (in my opinion) would very much be worth a try; I have not used them before, but my understanding is that their qualities are subtle, so it seems that there's nothing to lose and possibly a bit to gain.

Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) went very well with a wheat beer that I brewed once - might be good here. Buffalo/bullberries (Shepherdia argentea) look like they might be a little out of your range, but could be the best choice of all, based on my experience adding them to an Irish red ale.

Hmm, good to know. I don't have a source of chokecherries, but I might hit my parents up for a pound or three of saskatoons - if they have enough spare. I really like the flavor.

 

[rhys333]

I'm adding the rhubarb today and the question is whether to pasteurize or not. They were just rinsed, cut, bagged and frozen, so any wild yeast and bugs may still be active. In theory the alcohol and low FG should protect the beer, but I'm leery about spoiling 5 gallons.

What do you guys think? Pasteurize or not?

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I personally wouldn't; but on the flipside, I can't really think of any reason not to.

 

[rhys333]

I personally wouldn't; but on the flipside, I can't really think of any reason not to.

Sounds good. 2.5 lbs going directly into primary.

 

[rhys333]

Kegging today and the rhubarb flavor seems just right. Noticeable and slightly tart, but not overly so.

 

[rhys333]

Well, I'm really happy with this rhubarb saison. Super clean malt flavors that balance well with the rhubarb flavor and tartness. 2.5 lbs was the right amount. It's also very refreshing and thirst quenching on a hot day.

Thanks all for the input.

 

[rhys333]

 

[rhys333]

I'll be revisiting this beer in the next few weeks, if and when the weather heats up enough that I need to use the farmhouse strains. Same base beer, perhaps with a little Vienna or Munich, but going with saskatoon berries instead of rhubarb. I planted three small bushes last fall and these suckers are already pumping out berries.