Rye ESB Thoughts?

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sp1365

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I have not brewed in a while due to school. Fortunately, I graduate in 6 days (WOOT!) and to celebrate I will be brewing ASAP once getting home. Next brewday I am aiming for will be next Wednesday or Thursday and the beer, a Rye-ESB. I have most of the grains for the ESB portion right now and will be stopping by a Homebrew shop in Libertyville once I get back home to pick up the Rye Malt, Caramel 120, hops, and yeast.

What you guys thinks?

Rye – ESB
8C – Extra Stong/Extra Special Bitter

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 2.50 gal
Boil Size: 3.75 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 86.39 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt – 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 5.40 %
0.25 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 5.40 %
0.13 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2.81 %
0.50 oz Challenger [7.00 %] (60 min) Hops 27.7 IBU
0.50 oz Challenger [7.00 %] (10 min) Hops 10.1 IBU
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (5 min) Hops 7.9 IBU
1 Pkgs Dry English Ale (White Labs #WLP007) [Starter 1000 ml] Yeast-Ale

Est Original Gravity: 1.052 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.10 %
Bitterness: 45.7 IBU
Est Color: 9.8 SRM
 
Even though this is only 2.5 gallons, .25 lb of rye malt is just not enough if you're going to call this a rye ESB. I'd go with at least half a pound.
 
Maybe try using a crystal rye 40L malt in place of the crystal 40L and knock-off the 10 minute challenger.
 
You will probably be underwhelmed by the Rye at 0.25 pounds. I used 20% on my Rye Pale and it has a distinct Rye flavor. I'm not saying that you would like 20%, but at that level you will get Rye flavor. I have had some beers that are 10% rye and it works, but it is not as strong as I would like.

Eric
 
Alright, thanks for the comment. I have adjusted it a little. I upped the rye to 10% and will play with the hop additions when I see what the homebrew shop offers.

EricCSU, I actually have a beer that is 50% rye right now and love it. For this one I just wanted a hint of rye to the beer, which is why I am going with the lower amount. More of a summer ESB.
 
Alright, thanks for the comment. I have adjusted it a little. I upped the rye to 10% and will play with the hop additions when I see what the homebrew shop offers.

EricCSU, I actually have a beer that is 50% rye right now and love it. For this one I just wanted a hint of rye to the beer, which is why I am going with the lower amount. More of a summer ESB.

I think that 10% will give you a good compromise.

If you really love Rye beers, my Rye Pale turned out great and has been well received by others who have not been exposed to rye. It is a scaled down pale ale to make it more of a session beer. I like to have at least one session beer on tap at all times for those days I want to drink 5 or 6 imperial pints and not be drunk...cause I love drinking beer.

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.87 gal
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 5.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 34.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 74.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 63.26 %
2 lbs Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 20.24 %
12.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 7.59 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.06 %
6.1 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
56.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops -
7.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 5.5 IBU
8.00 gm Centennial [9.70 %] (60 min) Hops 11.1 IBU
7.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 2.8 IBU
15.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 3.2 IBU
16.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 2.1 IBU
16.00 gm Centennial [9.70 %] (5 min) Hops 3.7 IBU
16.00 gm Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 2.1 IBU
16.00 gm Centennial [9.70 %] (1 min) Hops 3.7 IBU
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [StartYeast-Ale

Oh, I mashed at 154 and fermented at 66.

Eric
 
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