British-style rye beer?

[Ollie8000]

Any leads on such a thing? Anyone brewed one?

My recent successes have been British styles (usually 4% ABV, +/- 1; mild, best,...) and an American rye that I really loved. So I figured, why not do both at once?

Taking a recent successful Best Bitter and subbing in 2lb of malted rye for the same amount of 2-row gives:

6.5lb US 2-row
2lb malted rye
8oz crystal 80L
2oz chocolate wheat

60min boil with:

1oz EKG (30min)
1oz EKG (10min)

London ESB Ale yeast (WY1968)

(OG 1.044, 21 IBU, 4.1% ABV)

Terrible idea? Are there better ways to cross the streams?

 

[mongoose33]

Any leads on such a thing? Anyone brewed one?

My recent successes have been British styles (usually 4% ABV, +/- 1; mild, best,...) and an American rye that I really loved. So I figured, why not do both at once?

Taking a recent successful Best Bitter and subbing in 2lb of malted rye for the same amount of 2-row gives:

6.5lb US 2-row
2lb malted rye
8oz crystal 80L
2oz chocolate wheat

60min boil with:

1oz EKG (30min)
1oz EKG (10min)

London ESB Ale yeast (WY1968)

(OG 1.044, 21 IBU, 4.1% ABV)

Terrible idea? Are there better ways to cross the streams?

I think that would make for an interesting beer. I think you'd be better off putting that first ounce in at 60 minutes (depending on the alpha acids in it). But other than that, I think it it would taste great.

I brew a rye ale with this recipe:

9# Maris Otter
3# Rye Malt
6 oz Chocolate Wheat
4 oz Flaked Rye
1 scoop rice hulls

.5 oz Columbus Hops 60 min (13.4 AA)
.5 oz Columbus Hops 20 min (13.4 AA)
1 oz Styrian Celiea Hops 10 min

Wyeast 2112 or WLP810, California Lager yeast. Ferment 63 or 64 degrees.

This will produce a 6.5% ABV beer, and you are going to get a Rye flavor for sure with it. Yours is lighter, and I'm sure the flavors would be apparent. I include some rice hulls because rye malt is hull-less and that helps with lautering, and 6 oz of Chocolate Wheat to help with head retention and provide a dark color (it's why I like your chocolate malt, though I might go a bit heavier with that to ensure a dark color. Personal preference.)

So, other than moving the bittering hops earlier, and maybe adding a bit more dark malt....it should work well. Please brew it and report back--and let me know, please. I want to see what a lighter version of my recipe might do.

BTW: A lot of people produce Rye IPAs, and I've never understood it. I can never seem to get much rye flavor with all the bittering hops competing for my tongue. IMO, if you like rye, make a rye beer, and don't confuse the issue with the IPA stuff.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

You do get bitters with rye in but they're not at all common - they tend to be used for single-hop beers to try and bring out some of the hop flavours, particularly the spiciness of green-hop Goldings.

My impression is that they don't use a lot, like <20% but it's not something I've looked at too much.

(OG 1.044, 21 IBU, 4.1% ABV)

The bitterness is low for a bitter, a BU:GU of 50% is more like a pale mild. It varies regionally and according to personal tast but you'd expect a 1.044 best to be at least 30IBU even down south, and personally I'd be taking it closer to 40IBU.

 

[Soulshine2]

Any leads on such a thing? Anyone brewed one?

My recent successes have been British styles (usually 4% ABV, +/- 1; mild, best,...) and an American rye that I really loved. So I figured, why not do both at once?

Taking a recent successful Best Bitter and subbing in 2lb of malted rye for the same amount of 2-row gives:

6.5lb US 2-row
2lb malted rye
8oz crystal 80L
2oz chocolate wheat

60min boil with:

1oz EKG (30min)
1oz EKG (10min)

London ESB Ale yeast (WY1968)

(OG 1.044, 21 IBU, 4.1% ABV)

Terrible idea? Are there better ways to cross the streams?

Ive had Roggenbier(German Rye beer)a month ago at Straight to Ale ...its tasty for sure but nothing rye that was british

 

[Ollie8000]

Thanks all, great comments and ideas. I deliberately chose the least IBUish from the 4%ers I've enjoyed, but maybe that number should go up a bit. But the comments about mild and darkness make me think that tweaking a dark mild recipe might be a better starting point.

This is 100% a style and flavour decision, and nothing to do with realising that "ryld", aka "riled", is a good name for such a beer.

I've made a couple of variations on Orfy's mild-mannered ale, although neither is yet through the pipeline to decide what works best for me from them. Maybe that recipe with about 1.5lb of rye replacing the same weight of the maris otter (I've actually been using a local US 2-row that's prepped in a more UK style)?