Thoughts on this Amber Rye

[jacksonbrown]

I'll be getting 5# of Rye Malt from my Hombebrew club this week and thought I should incorporate into some brew. I'll be brewing Denny Conn's RIPA in the near future, and was going to brew an amber this weekend. So I thought why not incorporate some rye into it.
Original recipe called for 8.5# pale malt, and 2 oz chocolate malt. As you can see I reduced the PM slightly and got rid of the CM entirely.
Let me know what you think.

5 Gallon AG
60 min boil
OG 1.058
FG 1.015
IBU 39
SRM 12

8.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) 66.67 %
2.00 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) 16.67 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) 8.33 %
0.50 lb Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) 4.17 %
0.50 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) 4.17 %

0.75 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min)
0.50 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (10 min)
0.50 oz Cascade [5.90 %] (10 min)
0.50 oz Cascade [5.90 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)
0.50 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)

60 min mash @ 154* batch sparge

 

[jds]

Looks delicious! The more I brew, the more I like Rye. My only addition would be a handful or two of rice hulls, to keep the sparge loose.

 

[AnOldUR]

Looks delicious! The more I brew, the more I like Rye. . . .

+1 on this. We put out a few kegs for a party this weekend. The 5 gallons made with 3lbs of rye was the first to go. Try some Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye. If you like it, you may want to up the rye in your recipe a bit.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I would up it, but I only have 2# available since I will need the other 3# for the RIPA. Good call on the rice hulls.

MODS: I have no idea how I posted this in the Equipment/Sanitation section, if someone could please move it that'd be great.

 

[niquejim]

I would put the chocolate malt back in or use roasted barley. My Rambler Owl is a lot like the original recipe and quite good IMHO.

 

[King of Cascade]

I would put the chocolate malt back in or use roasted barley. My Rambler Owl is a lot like the original recipe and quite good IMHO

+1 Kinda light for an amber, it's almost a darker pale ale.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I see what you're saying about color. I do want to keep it a bit lighter (not color, but over all feel), so what about putting the 2 oz of chocolate malt back in, and cutting the pale malt a whole pound down to 7#. Giving us:
OG 1.054
FG 1.014
SRM 15.5
IBU 40

 

[niquejim]

It looks good, although the IBU's are up there for an Amber. That may fight with the Rye spiciness

 

[jacksonbrown]

It looks good, although the IBU's are up there for an Amber. That may fight with the Rye spiciness

40 is the top of the style guide. Do think the bitternes will clash with the spiciness? Or do you think it might play nice, like a Rye IPA. Maybe drop it down to 30, or cut the Magnum to 0.5 oz?

 

[niquejim]

I made an Impy Rye Amber at 80 IBU's that's good, but it's a lot bigger. If you like hops go for it

 

[King of Cascade]

I see what you're saying about color. I do want to keep it a bit lighter (not color, but over all feel), so what about putting the 2 oz of chocolate malt back in, and cutting the pale malt a whole pound down to 7#. Giving us:
OG 1.054
FG 1.014
SRM 15.5
IBU 40

Adding 2 oz of chococlate malt will not affect the body all that much it's your final gravity that will determine body. That could be adjusted by lowering your mash temp from 154 to 151 degrees. With that being said....your calculations from 1.054 to 1.014 is about a 73% attenuation so if you want that lower body use a yeast that will go down that low or lower like Wyeast1056(I think it 77%) and use a little sugar

It looks good, although the IBU's are up there for an Amber. That may fight with the Rye spiciness

Style guidelines says 48 IBU's top topping out an amber. Rye complements Hops and vice versa

 

[StankAle]

The only thing I would recommend is to cut back on the victory malt to .25lb.
Victory can overpower the beer with its nutty malty flavor.

 

[jacksonbrown]

If you like hops go for it

Mmmm... hops! Heck yeah I like hops. I think I'll stick with the 40 IBU. And the 5% abv (1.054-1.014). Perhaps with the choc cutting the victory is a good idea.

 

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

Sounds tasty. One of the local brewpubs here, Turtle Mountain, makes a "Red Rye" that is awesome. I have been meaning to ask the brewer if he'll give me a recipe or at least an ingredients list so I can try to make some at home. It is nice and hoppy but the Rye flavor is still very evident.

 

[s3n8]

I just had a "hops on rye" at the firehouse brewpub in Sunnyvale. In my opinion, it was way underhopped. It tasted like a piece of rye toast. Hops and rye go very well together. Keep those IBUs up

 

[jacksonbrown]

On a secondary note, any thoughts on a good yeast for this? I'm thinking an American Ale yeast, or maybe Irish Ale. Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[King of Cascade]

On a secondary note, any thoughts on a good yeast for this? I'm thinking an American Ale yeast, or maybe Irish Ale. Thoughts? Suggestions?

American Ale yeast all the way. You want a neutral yeast for a rye beer. Denny conn uses the brew tech - #50 which is a clean yeast with a nice malt profile

 

[jacksonbrown]

You think an Irish Ale would impart too much maltiness?