Smoked Rye Ale

[CTownBrewer]

I've decided my next brew is going to be a smoked rye ale. I'd like it to be moderately hoppy (some neutral bitterness & spice/earthy hop flavor), without clashing with the smoky aroma from the cherrywood smoked malt...basically bacon in a glass.

Here's what I have so far for a 5 gallon batch, AG single infusion 90 min mash @ 150F, & batch sparge...

Grain Bill
- 5.5 lbs Rahr 2-Row Base
- 4 lbs Briess Cherrywood Smoked Malt
- 4 lbs Weyermann Rye
- .25 lb Carafa I (for color)
- 1 lb Rice Hulls

Hop Schedule
- 1 oz Cluster 60 min
- 1 oz Cluster 45 min
- 1 oz Willamette 30 min
- .5 oz Willamette 15 min
- .5 oz Willamette 10 min

Yeast
- Wyeast 1056 American Ale

I've read the cherrywood malt is a sweet smoky malt, so I'm hoping by mashing @ 150F, the moderate hop schedule, & rye addition will balance out the sweetness of it. When I think bacon, I think of a sweet & salty balance.

Also, the Northern Brewer recipe for their RyePA uses Palisades hops, so I'm not sure if I should change up my hops a bit to something more suited for rye beers.

Any suggestions?

 

[CTownBrewer]

Has anyone had experience with cherrywood smoked malt? When I opened up my grain for my mash, I hardly detected any smoky aroma from the grain. Is that something that will develop during the 4 week primary? I've read 10-30% gives subtle smokiness; 30-60% for intense smokiness. I'm right in the middle as far as my smoked malts go.

I ended up going with the following recipe...

Grain
- 5.5 lbs 2-row
- 4 lbs cherrywood smoked malt
- 4 lbs rye
- .5 lb beechwood smoked malt
- .25 lb chocolate rye
- .5 lb rice hulls

Hops
- 1 oz cluster 60 min
- 1 oz cluster 45 min
- 1 oz willamette 30 min
- 1 oz hersbrucker 15 min

We'll see how it turns out. I hit my mash temp right on & my OG was 1.068 (shooting for 1.072, so pretty close for my 2nd AG).

 

[jonmohno]

Its very good. I dont think the other smoked malts have the sweetness like breiss's smoked malt.Ive only used small amounts so im not shure how the large amount goes.I just got a good smoked taste from the small amount i used, im going to make a bigger smoked beer soon, it added nice depth and character to a few of my others.
I was reading some rye posts/recipes and it seems anything over 2 pounds of rye and its going to be getting intensly ryish.

 

[badhabit]

Rye Malt has a very mild flavor. I make a rauch with alder smoked malt, much more mild than peat smoked, and would looks the rye taste completely in the smoke flavor of the rauch malt. I finished a rogen Saturday with 70% rye. The flavor of the rye is present but not strong.

 

[CTownBrewer]

Thanks for the replies.

Since I've never brewed with either smoked malts or rye, I wanted to stay in the middle as far as the recommended usage rates. I think the cherrywood smoked malt was up to 60% & rye was up to 50%. I was just under 30% with each.

If I don't get the smokiness I want, I've read that you can steep peat smoked malt in a pint of water & add to taste in the secondary. I may even split the batch & put half on some sort of chili peppers.

 

[CTownBrewer]

UPDATE: I took my first hydrometer sample yesterday & I have a feeling this is going to turn out great after it's carbed. It's got a subtle bacon-like aroma, then you get a punch of rye & hops going down. It finishes dry & leaves a nice smokiness lingering in the aftertaste. The Wyeast 1056 took it down to 1.012...7.1% abv currently.

I just bought some dried Thai chili peppers to add to the secondary when I split the batch in a few weeks.

I like an intense smokiness in my smoked beers, so if I brewed this again I'd drop a touch of the 2-row & add more cherrywood smoked malt to get it up to 50% or more.