Rhino IPA

[FedoraDave]

Over in Advanced Techniques I started a thread asking some questions about using oak chips in a rye IPA. I got some very good responses, and started formulating a recipe. I'm not in any real hurry to try this recipe out, and I especially want to wait until it gets cooler, so my basement will stay in a good range for the yeast. But here's what I have so far.

RHINO IPA
2.5 Gallons

3.5 lb 2-Row (US) Mash
2.5 lb Rye (US) Mash
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal 20L (US) Mash
2.0 oz Chocolate (US) Mash

0.13 oz Amarillo (US) 60 min Boil
0.13 oz Warrior (US) 60 min Boil
0.13 oz Centennial (US) 60 min Boil
0.13 oz Amarillo (US) 20 min Boil
0.13 oz Warrior (US) 20 min Boil
0.13 oz Centennial (US) 20 min Boil
0.13 oz Centennial (US) 7 min Boil
0.13 oz Warrior (US) 7 min Boil
0.13 oz Amarillo (US) 7 min Boil
0.13 oz Amarillo (US) 3 days Dry Hop
0.13 oz Warrior (US) 3 days Dry Hop
0.13 oz Centennial (US) 3 days Dry Hop

London Ale Yeast White Labs WLP013

1.0 oz American Oak Chips 3.0 days Secondary

BrewToad gives me an OG of 1.071, 53 IBU, and 6.6% ABV. That's about where I wanted everything. I don't usually make beers this big, but I wanted to up the malt/rye to stand up to the oak chip influence and make this more of a specialty IPA. I'm also aware that I'm using a lot of rye (nearly 40% of my grain bill), and I don't know how it's going to mix with the oak, either. But that's the point of this experimental batch.

[John Sand]

It looks very interesting Dave.
Dogfish Burton Baton is an oaked IPA, it's very good.

[FedoraDave]

John, I just wondered how the mixture of rye and oak would work, especially that much rye. But this is what an experimental batch means; you might have a real winner on your hands, or you might have something you want to dump down the drain. But you won't know until you try.

[Beer-lord]

Dave, you plan on using rice hulls? I BIAB and have used both malted and flaked (flaked gets very gelatinous) but I've read that those that go about 15-25% really need the rice hulls. Maybe for a 2.5 gallon batch it's not as sensitive, I don't know having never used that much rye before though for me, there can't be too much rye.

[MrBandGuy]

I want to ask about your hop schedule. I usually see warrior as a bittering hop, not a late or dry hop. Educate me. What does it bring to the party that late?

[FedoraDave]

Dave, you plan on using rice hulls? I BIAB and have used both malted and flaked (flaked gets very gelatinous) but I've read that those that go about 15-25% really need the rice hulls. Maybe for a 2.5 gallon batch it's not as sensitive, I don't know having never used that much rye before though for me, there can't be too much rye.

For my 2.5 g batches, I do BIAB, and I don't see a need for rice hulls, as a result. I've used both malted and flaked in BIAB batches, and haven't had a problem, but my percentage of rye hasn't ever been this high, either. I may add a cup of rice hulls, just to be on the safe side, though.

[FedoraDave]

I want to ask about your hop schedule. I usually see warrior as a bittering hop, not a late or dry hop. Educate me. What does it bring to the party that late?

I don't know what it brings as a late addition, to be honest. But in a lot of my recipes, especially highly hopped beers, I like to have consistency throughout the hop bill/schedule. Even if a certain hop is known as a bittering hop, my personal opinion is that it doesn't completely fade away if used in the later additions. One of the reasons I chose this hop bill is because my 100 Years War IPA uses both Centennial and Warrior throughout, so I know they work well together. I'm adding the Amarillo just for a little more depth and kick.

The description of Warrior's characteristics on Northern Brewer's site says it "provides intense bittering and a mild citrus-spice aroma."

Works for me, and I think it'll work with the Amarillo and Centennial, which might bring a little more in the aroma department on their own, and might bring out some of Warrior's latent aroma character.

[FedoraDave]

Well, I made the final additions to this batch last night. Dry hopped and added an ounce of medium oak chips that I've been soaking in vodka for a week.

Interestingly, it seemed as if the soaked oak chips gave off a vanilla aroma, which may be good or may be bad. And I don't know how much it's going to influence the final product anyway. I'll be kegging this on Saturday, and giving it a good week, at least, before sampling.

[Kealia]

If you have the ability to sample before you keg, I would recommend it. The longer the oak stays in the beer, the more influence on flavor you will notice. Over time, it will meld as well so even after kegging, like a lot of beers, you can expect this one to change a bit over time.

[FedoraDave]

I will take a gravity sample on Saturday morning, and my habit is to drink it afterwards, since it always gives me an idea of how it's going to pan out.

I don't mind it changing over time (although the oak chips will not make it into the keg). I'm more concerned about this being a good beer.

[FedoraDave]

I tried a couple pints of this last night. Only five days in the keglet, but the smaller kegs seem to carbonate and be ready to tap sooner than the corny kegs, which I usually give at least a week.

This ain't bad. There's a mellow woody taste lurking in the background, and I think that softens the hops a bit. The IBU are around 54 for this batch, but I might make it again (hey, I got three ounces of oak chips just sittin' around) and raise the IBU to the 70s, just to see what happens.

It's a lot smoother than I would have thought, and fairly pleasant, if somewhat unorthodox. The smoothness is deceptive, though. It's 6.5%, so it's not something to slug back willy-nilly.

I will try this recipe again, with more hops next time. I doubt it will become one of my stand-by brews, but it's good to have in the stable for a change of pace. And it might make a good summertime beer, for cookouts and such.