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Comments on my rye-based Cali Common recipe

cmbrougham

Grandmaster Brewer
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Hey all. Wondering if I could get some comments/feedback/guffaws regarding my latest concoction: a Cali Common styled beer that uses flaked rye.

Rye Smile - in the California Common idiom

7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2 SRM) Grain 63.6 %
2.00 lb Rye, Flaked (2 SRM) Grain 18.2 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9 SRM) Grain 9.1 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60 SRM) Grain 4.5 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56 SRM) Grain 4.5 %
2.00 oz Northern Brewer [7.1%] (60 min) Hops 50.3 IBU
1.00 oz Mt. Hood [5.4%] (5 min) Hops 3.8 IBU
1.00 oz Crystal [4.2%] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
1 Pkgs San Francisco Lager (White Labs #WLP810) [Starter 1000 ml] [Cultured] Yeast-Lager

Estimated Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Color: 10 SRM
Bitterness: 54.1 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 5.3 %

I'll mash at 154F for 60 minutes. Sparge and boil--all boil hops are pellets. Primary at 60F for a week; secondary at 54F for a week; add Crystal leaf hops for another week.

Your thoughts, please, and thanks!

colin
 
Colin,
 Again I apologize - December was a little crazy for us all.

 Overall I would say this looks quite good.  The parameters (color, etc) are generally within range, though I'm not sure exactly what the rye might add to the taste.

 I would also say that the OG and bitterness are a bit on the high side, but that may be OK as long as they are balanced.

 One other thing - I'm not sure you want to add Munich and Caramunich - these will sweeten the beer which will take away from the stark lager bitterness of the California Common.

Cheers!
Brad
 
Thanks Brad... better late than never :D

I ended up cancelling this brew, anyway. I was dissuaded by  a couple of things. First off, a couple other brewers had the same concerns about the IBUs. Basically, they said that too much bitterness, as well as hop flavor and aroma, would squash the rye flavor. Also, I later found out that I was going to be receiving a couple of rye-containing brews from a fellow in California, and I wanted to try those first.

I'll probably be resurrecting a rye beer in one of my next few brews. I'm going to tone it down though, and really work to bring out the rye character (the rye beer I was sent was great!). Thanks again for the input.
 
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