Using Rye, how much is too much?

[AFAJ Brew Guy]

So I am thinking of doing a partial mash Rye Pale Ale. I generally mash about 4 pounds of grain as that is all my little MLT can handle. I guess the question would be how much Rye should be contained in the grain bill. How strong is the stuff flavor wise?

Right now I am thinking of doing 1 pound of Rye, 1.5 pounds of two row, 1 pound of wheat, and another .5 pound of yet to be determined grain, with the 3.5 pounds or so of light DME.

Is 25% of the grain bill too much for Rye? Thanks guys.

 

[david_42]

No, but I strongly recommend using malted rye.

 

[AFAJ Brew Guy]

Funny how one word makes a world of difference! I did mean malted rye. Thanks!

 

[Edcculus]

I guess it depends on how much you like rye flavor in a beer. It would probably be pretty good to use maybe 3 lbs of rye, .5 lbs of a crystal malt and .5 lbs of 2 row for diastatic power.

Edit:
Now that I think about it, I made a recipe for a red rye the other day a pm recipe would go pretty much like I described above. Beersmith estimates around 1.050 OG and 30 IBU's. I was going for a moderatey malty session beer with some spice from all the rye.

3.5 lbs light DME

Mash:
3lbs malted rye
.5lb 2 row
.25 lb roasted barley
.125 Crystal 40
.125 Crystal 120

1.5 oz EKG for 60
.5 oz EKD @ 10

 

[Brewsmith]

Bear Republic did a 100% rye beer a while back. It just depends on how much of the flavor you want. I'd start at the 20% or so mark like was suggested above.

I think I'll go for a 100% rye beer sometime this year...

 

[Edcculus]

Bear Republic did a 100% rye beer a while back. It just depends on how much of the flavor you want. I'd start at the 20% or so mark like was suggested above.

I think I'll go for a 100% rye beer sometime this year...

Hmm, that sounds good. I feel a SMaSH! My question that I can't seem to find an answer to is; can rye convert itself?

 

[AFAJ Brew Guy]

See I like rye, but I don't think I want it to taste like I am wolfing down a ruben. So maybe somewhere in the 20-30% of the grain.

 

[Brewsmith]

Hmm, that sounds good. I feel a SMaSH! My question that I can't seem to find an answer to is; can rye convert itself?

Malted Rye can. I'm figuring 80% malted rye and then 10% flaked rye and 5% each Crystal and Chocolate Rye if I can get it.

 

[Brewsmith]

So I'm looking for specialty rye malt. I know that Murphy & Son in the UK makes both Crystal and Roasted Rye, and Weyermann in Germany does as well. Thomas Fawcett makes Crystal Rye. Has anyone seen any of these malts in the US? The only place that I've seen anything is the TF Crystal Rye at North Country Malt Supply. Anyone else?

 

[carl spakler]

See I like rye, but I don't think I want it to taste like I am wolfing down a ruben. So maybe somewhere in the 20-30% of the grain.

Doesn't sound like you've ever tried a rye ale then. I hate reuben's (all of the components individually and the sum of all the nasty parts) but love rye beers. IMO they don't have the nasty taste of rye bread, I won't even make a sandwich with rye bread.

 

[TopDog]

So I'm looking for specialty rye malt. I know that Murphy & Son in the UK makes both Crystal and Roasted Rye, and Weyermann in Germany does as well. Thomas Fawcett makes Crystal Rye. Has anyone seen any of these malts in the US? The only place that I've seen anything is the TF Crystal Rye at North Country Malt Supply. Anyone else?

Austin Homebrew Supply lists a Chocolate Rye

 

[Edcculus]

Brewsmith, you just blew my mind. I guess I never put two and two together. I guess since they make malted rye, they could in theory make all the same varieties as barley.

 

[CBBaron]

So I'm looking for specialty rye malt. I know that Murphy & Son in the UK makes both Crystal and Roasted Rye, and Weyermann in Germany does as well. Thomas Fawcett makes Crystal Rye. Has anyone seen any of these malts in the US? The only place that I've seen anything is the TF Crystal Rye at North Country Malt Supply. Anyone else?

The Grape and Granary carries Weyermann Chocolate Rye. I have not seen crystal rye.

Craig

 

[CBBaron]

Doesn't sound like you've ever tried a rye ale then. I hate reuben's (all of the components individually and the sum of all the nasty parts) but love rye beers. IMO they don't have the nasty taste of rye bread, I won't even make a sandwich with rye bread.

Rye bread tastes mostly of the spices used to make the bread. The rye flavor is very subtle and not all that different from wheat.

I made a Roggenbier and it tastes mostly like a Dunkelweizen. This beer was about 50% rye. I think a 50% or even 100% rye pale ale would make a great beer.

And I love reubens.

Craig

 

[Edcculus]

If only we could put sauerkraut in a beer...

 

[mmb]

If only we could put sauerkraut in a beer...

I'm wondering about the salted/corned beef as well.

mmmm Rindfleisch Roggenbier

 

[Edcculus]

maybe we should just stick to washing down reubens with roggenbier

 

[Brewsmith]

Thanks guys on locating those grains. I'm going to contact Morebeer in Riverside to see if they can get some in, because I know they carry Weyermann malts. If that doesn't work I'm going to contact Brewers Supply Group here in CA since they are the wholesaler for Weyermann. If that doesn't work I'll order seperately online.

 

[AFAJ Brew Guy]

Doesn't sound like you've ever tried a rye ale then. I hate reuben's (all of the components individually and the sum of all the nasty parts) but love rye beers. IMO they don't have the nasty taste of rye bread, I won't even make a sandwich with rye bread.

I love rye bread but that is another thread....

I have really only had one rye ale and that was quite a while back. I wasn't really trying to duplicate the bread, I was more interested in brewing a beer that you don't hear a lot about.

Thanks for your input. I may bump the amount of rye up to 1.5 or 2 pounds at least in version 1 of this beer and then go from there.

Also glad that I brought this up as it seemed to have helped Brewsmith find the ingredients he was looking for.

Oh and one more question, what yeast would guys recommend using? Something like Wyeast 3333 or 3068, or more neutral like the 1010 or even Nottingham?

 

[Brewsmith]

I'd go with something clean like 1056 if you are doing a pale ale. You are already going to have hops in there. I wouldn't want yeast esters competing over the rye character.

 

[AFAJ Brew Guy]

I'd go with something clean like 1056 if you are doing a pale ale. You are already going to have hops in there. I wouldn't want yeast esters competing over the rye character.

Sure the one number I didn't pick

Thanks!

 

[Teacher]

I'd go with something clean like 1056 if you are doing a pale ale. You are already going to have hops in there. I wouldn't want yeast esters competing over the rye character.

Yes, that (which is the same as US-05 for those who don't know) or Notty. I use Notty in mine and love it.

 

[Buford]

I tried using rye once to make a roggenbier, so half the grist was malted rye. I ended up with the worst stuck mash I've ever had. If I ever use rye again I'm going to throw in a lot more rice hulls than I did that time.