I’m getting ready to make my first all grain batch in a few weeks, and I was thinking of trying to make a Black Rye Pale ale, more than likely from tweaking the Terrapin Rye clone, but I was curious as to how I should adjust the grain bill. Any suggestions?
Not familiar with that recipe. can you post it?
Not familiar with the recipe but I would caution you that rye makes the first runnings fairly viscous, be prepared for the mash to take awhile to run off completely.
I would suggest something more common for first batch. Convert one of your extract recipes. That way, you’ll know more about your process, than trying to figure on a new style.
I would go with something simple that you have done befor so you have an idea of what it will turn out like. You will be able to compare your all grain to extract bc of past experience.
Also, go with something with a simple grain bill.
Sound advice and what I was thinking as well, but I was thinking a basic recipe. Nothing fancy- just something to familiarize oneself with the process. Not an expensive beer that could be ruined by coming in too low or too high.
Look into your water profile. Martin’s spreadsheet would be a good place to start. Would suck to have everything go right process-wise and have a lackluster beer because the bill didn’t fit the water-type.
+1 to both of these comments. Make something relatively simple for your first AG beer. Use 9-10# of 2 row, 1# crystal and make a Pale Ale or Steam Beer. Get the process down, know your equipment and then ramp it up. You want your first brew to be as good as possible not only for yourself but so you can brag about making it!
Awesome. Thanks for the advice. As far as the water is concerned, I was going to use a few 4 gal jugs of spring water bought at a Sam’s Club. The tap water in my area is pretty crappy. Think that will be ok?
Here’s the grain bill for Terrapin’s Rye Pale Ale (or the clone). It’s a good beer if you’ve never had it. Just figured I’d go ahead and post it.
Batch Size (Gal): 6.00
Wort Size (Gal): 6.60
Total Grain (Lbs): 13.00
Original Gravity 1.057 Final Gravity 1.012
Color SRM: 7.4
IBU: 29.6 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75%
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes
GRAIN BILL
% WEIGHT AMOUNT (LBS) INGREDIENT ORIGIN POTENTIAL GRAVITY SRM (°L)
69.2 9.00 American Pale Malt (2-row) USA 1.036 2
9.6 1.25 Munich Malt(2-Row) USA 1.035 6
9.6 1.25 Rye Malt USA 1.030 4
7.7 1.00 Vienna Malt America 1.034 25
3.8 0.50 Honey Malt America 1.030 18
HOPS
AMOUNT (OZ.) NAME FORM ALPHA % IBU BOIL TIME
0.75 oz. Magnum Hops Pellet 14.0 22.1 60 min.
0.75 oz. Fuggle Hops Pellet 4.75 7.2 30 min.
0.50 oz. East Kent Goldings Hops Pellet 4.75 3.2 20 min.
0.50 oz. East Kent Goldings Hops Pellet 4.75 1.9 10 min.
0.50 oz. East Kent Goldings Hops Pellet 4.75 3.1 3 min.
2.00 oz. Cascade Hops Pellet 5.75 0.0 0 min.
2.00 oz. Amarillo Hops Pellet 10.00 0.0 Dry Hop
YEAST
2 packs – Wyeast 1056, American/Chico Ale Yeast
MASHING THE RYE AND GRAINS
Mash at 154° for 60 to 90 min.
Sparge
Cool to 66-70°F and pitch yeast
NOTES
Primary Fermentation 7 days
Secondary Fermentation 14 days
Bottle / Keg Conditioning (Carbonation) 7 days
It’s not that complicated a recipe. I think it’s a good idea to keep it simple at first but if you want to brew that recipe go for it. worst case scenerio it turns out aweful.
One point on the recipe is it appears to ommit any boiling of the wort going directly from lautering to cooling and pitching the yeast. I would not recommend that unless you want a very sour beer.
I just did APA made with
9# two row
1# c80
Then
.5 oz horizon 60 min
1 oz fuggles 30 min
1oz cascade 5 min
Pretty easy pretty good
It has a 60 min. Wort Boil time, it’s just printed at the top. Its a little out of place
As far as the water goes look to see what type it is. Spring, RO, purified or distilled.
If it is Spring then you can probably use it straight for that recipe. If it is any of the other three then you might need to cut it 50/50 with your tap water.
Also if you don’t have any campden tablets to remove the chlorine then you should leave the water sitting put overnight in the kettle so that the chlorine can dissipate out of the solution.
If you bought water jugs they might have a website with the water properties listed. This isn’t so important in extract brewing but critical when brewing with grain.