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Author Topic: Back to basics - the perfect blonde  (Read 3118 times)

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #15 on: November 12, 2014, 02:51:40 pm »
I've got 5 initial brews:-

Malt 1 - lager malt
Malt 2 - wheat malt
Malt 3 - Munich, Vienna, pale rye, carmalt (same carapils i think) and amber malt

The % of Malt 1 & 3 will vary obviously and the wheat will stay at 5%.

I want to keep the ebc under 10 so the % of malt is restricted depending on its colour. I've used 10% rye, which brings the ebc to 5 but would that be too much or too little?

I've never used rye so don't know which way to go. But hey that's partly why Im doing this.

I'm just using saaz at 60m and flameout. And s-04.

Thanks for your time so far guys.

rye malt at 10% will be very subtle but that might be just right. Same with munich and vienna. crystal/cara malts (at least the kilned ones) will provide more flavor oomph at low percentages. whether that is desirable or not it up to you.
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Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #16 on: November 12, 2014, 02:58:55 pm »
You won't be able to taste rye at just 10% of the grist.  However, it will have a huge effect on creaminess, body, and head retention at 10%.  If you want to be able to taste it then use more like 20%.
Dave

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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #17 on: November 12, 2014, 03:43:46 pm »
I always thought a perfect blonde was more an ultimate goal than 'basics'

I've yet to brew a blonde that I'm truly happy with.  Still trying.
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Offline stuworx

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #18 on: November 12, 2014, 04:37:29 pm »
I'll up the rye. I was under the impression it was powerful, in terms of flavour.

The Vienna and Munich are around 20% already.

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #19 on: November 12, 2014, 07:20:12 pm »
I'll up the rye. I was under the impression it was powerful, in terms of flavour.

Not at all powerful.  It is very mild and bready.  I would guess that ~75% of people who claim "it's spicy" have never really tasted it.  If it's "spicy", I would say no, it's more like a dry, crisp finish, but I wouldn't say spicy.  And this is a bit of a conundrum as well because while the finish is somewhat dry, while the beer is in your mouth it feels very thick, viscous, slick, heavy.  But then you swallow and this is gone.
Dave

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Offline erockrph

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #20 on: November 12, 2014, 07:30:25 pm »
I'll up the rye. I was under the impression it was powerful, in terms of flavour.

Not at all powerful.  It is very mild and bready.  I would guess that ~75% of people who claim "it's spicy" have never really tasted it.  If it's "spicy", I would say no, it's more like a dry, crisp finish, but I wouldn't say spicy.  And this is a bit of a conundrum as well because while the finish is somewhat dry, while the beer is in your mouth it feels very thick, viscous, slick, heavy.  But then you swallow and this is gone.

+1

Spicy is just one of those terms that doesn't mean much, but it has crept into the lexicon since people are afraid to say that "it tastes like rye" even though that's actually a much better descriptor. Unseeded rye bread is a lot like what rye tastes like in beer.
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Offline ajk

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #21 on: November 18, 2014, 08:25:27 pm »
I like the term "bran-like" to describe rye's primary flavor contribution.

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #22 on: November 19, 2014, 04:52:31 am »
I have typically used rye at the 15-20% level and I get a distinct spiciness then, but it may be that it is from the rye bringing out the spiciness of the hops.  A rye crisp used for hors douevres gives me a spiciness in the bread that is unique to rye. Not hot spice, but not just breads either.  I made a rye pale from "Craft Beer for the Homebrewer" that was very light, yet flavorful and what I would call mildly spicy.  It was authored by a brewery in Appleton Wisconsin and named "Wiley's Rye Ale".  A good one.
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Offline bigchicken

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Re: Back to basics - the perfect blonde
« Reply #23 on: November 23, 2014, 10:14:16 pm »
I love experimenting too much to keep me from switching recipes. To date, the only recipe I rebrew is a simple blonde with 1 hop type. I change up the hop to get ideas of how the hop tastes on its own, but I keep the IBUs the same and the malt bill stays the same.
5 gallon batch
7lb 2-row (Great Western)
1 lb caramel 10
1 lb Pilsner malt
20 IBUs
Safeale US-05
154 degree mash for an hour.
So far, favorite hop with this is Palisades. I've overdone it with Magnum making a beer more pale ale like. Using some of the new citrus flavor hops is next on my list.
TJ Cook

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