Thoughts on rye beer

[rhys333]

Hey everyone,

I brewed a simple rye beer recently, recipe below, that turned out really well. Its my first experience using rye and I've decided I love the stuff. Its very refreshing at 5% ABV, smooth and spicy, but there's an oomph to it from the rye that makes it seem like a bigger beer. I'm brewing it again so I think I need to name it. Anybody brew something similar?

RYE BEER
49.7% 2 Row
25% Pale wheat
25% Rye
0.3% Chocolate
Warrior @ 60 to 20 IBU
Cascade @ 15 & 0 to 10 IBU
US-05

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I brewed red rye IPA with a similar malt bill a long while back, gives a fantastic amount of body and flavor without sweetness or making it sticky. You'll have some hardcore head retention and lacing on that if you have nice clean glass. Makes me a little sad cause that was a good beer and I have been distracted by other batches, I need to pick up a 50lb sack of rye and 50lb sack of Munich 10 so I can get a little bit more creative with my base malt.

 

[badlee]

I also love rye malt.
My house pale is two parts pils-one part rye malt,10% each of crystal wheat and brown sugar.
OG 1.038

 

[rhys333]

How high are you guys hopping these brews? I stayed on the lighter side intentionally to let the spice come through. I might drop the bittering 5 ibus next time and up the late addition slightly. I don't want to overpower the grain though.

 

[Kent88]

This spring I brewed a beer of rye, and munich, with a little amber DME. I wish I recorded what I did because that beer was fantastic.

I don't think I hopped it that much, maybe up to 30IBUs?

 

[badlee]

I go BIG.
Think nothing of 60IBUs in my small beers. Great with Citra or Simcoe as late hops

 

[misterkidd]

Hope this isn't too much of a hijack. I'm gonna make a 5%abv APA with 80% maris otter, 15% rye malt and 5% crystal wheat. US04 yeast. I'm hopping with columbus but not sure what hop to pair it with. Cascade? Simcoe? Something else?

 

[rhys333]

I find columbus and cascade go really well together.

 

[badlee]

I would also say Cascade or Amarillo

 

[dkevinb]

I like this recipe a lot:

5 gallon batch
OG = 1.053
ABV = 5.3%
IBU = 34

6.5 lb 2-Row
2 lb Malted Rye
1 lb Crystal 20L

1/2 oz Magnum (12.3%) @ 60 min
1 oz Cascade (6.8%) @ 15 min

US-05

Nice Cascade hop flavor that doesn't overwhelm the rye spice. Very quaffable. It gets better after a few weeks in the fridge, too.

 

[misterkidd]

Rhys and Badlee - thanks for the ideas. My thinking was to steer away from the full citrus explosion, but perhaps that's not right. I like the idea of the combination of the pungent, resinous columbus and the clean, spicy rye. Refreshing, crisp and bitter, like a slap in the face...

Perhaps something like cascade would balance that nicely, though, and it certainly doesn't seem to have done Rhys any harm with his... although I may yet go for willamette or fuggle...

 

[beergolf]

I like Chinook and Centennial in my Rye IPA. Nice combo that plays well with the rye. Also consider WY1450 for the yeast. For some reason it work amazing with Rye IPA's

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I like Chinook and Centennial in my Rye IPA. Nice combo that plays well with the rye. Also consider WY1450 for the yeast. For some reason it work mazing with Rye IPA's

Another vote for 1450, just in general. Used it recently for a fruit beer. Love the stuff, it was nice and neutral the way I wanted it to be so the fruit could shine.

Also another vote for chinook. Red Rye IPA with Chinook is the way to fly.

 

[badlee]

Another hop for the rye list is Northern Brewer

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Thread consensus:

Grain bill + Rye + hops = Good

Edit:Joking aside I am tempted to take my London Bitter Brown with tons and tons of EKG and just make it 50/50 rye/pale ale malt for the base malt, and add 1-2lbs of flaked rye.

Edit: Edit: Speaking of flaked rye. I use flaked rye in a dry stout recipe, toast it lightly at around 400F in the oven for 10-15 minutes until it just starts to brown around the edges. Seriously awesome. Flaked rye > flaked oats, if only I could buy Quaker Instant Rye at the grocery store like I can with flaked oats.

 

[badlee]

I like the EKG idea!
And the toasted rye stout,dude I can taste it!