theneedle.net

I couldn’t resist the urge to pick up a few pounds of rye malt on a recent visit to Niagara Tradition.  I think it had something to do with a pint of Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye I had a few days earlier.  I hadn’t been planning on a rye beer, but the idea of an IPA slightly different than my last few hoppy batches stuck once it appeared in my mind.

03-13-2010 Rye IPA

A ProMash Brewing Session Report
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Brewing Date: Saturday March 13, 2010
Head Brewer: Rudy Watkins
Asst Brewer:
Recipe: Rye IPA

Recipe Specifics
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Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 14.05
Anticipated OG: 1.065 Plato: 15.86
Anticipated SRM: 8.4
Anticipated IBU: 74.5
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.062 Plato: 15.28
Actual FG: 1.008 Plato: 2.05

Alc by Weight: 5.63 by Volume: 7.17 From Measured Gravities.
ADF: 86.6 RDF 71.8 Apparent & Real Degree of Fermentation.

Actual Mash System Efficiency: 71 %
Anticipated Points From Mash: 64.81
Actual Points From Mash: 66.16

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
—————————————————————————–
22.8 3.20 lbs. Bestmalz Pilsener Germany 82.23 2
26.7 3.75 lbs. Pilsener Belgium 80.07 2
32.0 4.50 lbs. Optic Malt (2-row) Great Britain 80.07 3
14.2 2.00 lbs. Rye Malt America 64.92 4
3.6 0.50 lbs. Wheat Malt Germany 84.40 2
0.7 0.10 lbs. Chocolate Malt UK 62.76 375

Potential represented as Yield, Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
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0.90 oz. Magnum Whole 10.50 35.8 60 min.
0.25 oz. Centennial 2009 Whole 11.50 5.6 30 min.
0.20 oz. Columbus 2009 Whole 15.20 5.9 30 min.
0.35 oz. Centennial 2009 Whole 11.50 4.1 15 min.
0.30 oz. Columbus 2009 Whole 15.20 4.6 15 min.
0.65 oz. Columbus 2009 Whole 15.20 7.5 10 min.
0.35 oz. Centennial 2009 Whole 11.50 2.5 5 min.
0.25 oz. Columbus 2009 Whole 15.20 2.4 5 min.
0.45 oz. Columbus 2009 Whole 15.20 4.3 1 min.
0.25 oz. Centennial 2009 Whole 11.50 1.8 1 min.
0.80 oz. Centennial 2009 Whole 11.50 0.0 Dry Hop
0.80 oz. Columbus 2009 Whole 15.20 0.0 Dry Hop

Yeast

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Safeale US-5 US-5

Yeah, but what is it like?

A dense white head sits atop a slightly hazy (chill haze?) body.  The lacing is decent, but not killer.  Everything comes together nicely in the aroma – dank & citrus from the hops, some caramel and a small amount of rye spiciness.  No alcohol is apparent despite being 7% ABV.  Flavor is fruity orange & dank (imagine un-sweet orange liqueur, without the alcohol) some restrained mango, a bunch of piney bitterness.  There is a little bit of roast there – not out of place but I think I would skip the chocolate malt next time.  It has a nice lingering bittersweet character which reminds me a bit of fresh Hop Devil.

Overall assessment: pretty good.  I want to increase the dry hop next time, use a bit of crystal rye in addition to the malted rye and drop the chocolate (maybe use some sort of debittered black malt?)

Wedding stuff:

bobandangela.org is finally up and running, albeit not too attractive & without much content. I’m taking Friday off work to take care of a bunch of stuff – maybe I’ll have a few minutes to pretty it up.  Invites should be put together by Friday night & sent by Monday.  We’ve got totally cool James Mitchner stamps.  I don’t know anything about Mitchner, aside from occasionally seeing his books wedged into the bookcase at Carey’s, but he looks a bit like a cross between The Dude & Dick Cheney.  Scary.

Beer stuff:

I’ve updated the long neglected homebrew section of theneedle so it now lists the stuff I’ve brewed since August.  I switched over to Promash at that point & forgot to enter things on-line.  I need to get better about record keeping.  I’m never going to know how strong that Bretty Cherry Saison is.  Boo.   Other beeriness, I’m headed to a friend’s place for a tasting Saturday night.  Should be fun & it’ll be the public unveiling of the Double IPA Tim & I brewed.

Buffalo stuff:

There is a meeting on Community Gardens at the Science Museum tomorrow.  I’m going to try to make it, assuming my pointless meeting in the ‘burbs doesn’t run too long.  Also, what the hell is up with the Sabres?  Don’t they know that without the playoffs I have no excuse to hang out at a bar, every other night, until sometime in June?

Music:

New Dalek – Meh.  Newish Mogwai – Meh.  Newish Animal Collective – not as shiny after a few listens. New Fire On Fire – good, but it makes me feel dirty, like I’m listening to something I shouldn’t.  New Black Dice Tracks – Reallllly good.  New Pan*American – meh.  It seems that I want to listen to either minimal stuff or wacked out early Butthole Surfers stuff these days.  What does that say about my mental state?

Best of 2008:

Records:
Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
Firewater – The Golden Hour
Gutter Twins – Saturnalia
The New Year – The New Year
Earth – The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull
23 Skidoo – Seven Songs (re-release)
Matmos – Supreme Balloon
Weedeater – God Luck and Good Speed

Concert:
Firewater – Cleveland, OH 5/28

Books:
Neal Stephenson – Zodiac
Michael Pollan – The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Nikolai Gogol – Dead Souls

Beers:
3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze Blauw
3 Fonteinen Millennium Geuze
Leelanau Good Harbor Golden
Boulevard Saison w. Brett
Ithaca Ten

Food:
Dinner at 1 Caroline Bistro in Saratoga Springs, NY
BBQ Pork sandwich at Pho 99 in Buffalo, NY
Everything at Fatty Crab in NYC, NY