# What hops would go with oak and rye?



## yankinoz (24/2/15)

I'm thinking rye and oak would go together in an IPA, one with light caramel, some Munich, about 60 IBUs. Maybe 15% rye malt in the grist, and oak from chips, since I'm not brave enough to try an oak cask yet. Plain chips my first time oaking, no bourbon, rum or tequila.

Another hunch is that minty, herbal and woody hops would go better in it than fruit salad hops. Some thoughts are Willamette, which I've often used, and others that I've never used but have tasted in beers: Bramling Cross, Brewer's Gold and Northern Brewer (U.S.). Of those only Willamette turns up just about everywhere, handy since I have to shop by post or on occasional trips from the moon (Bairnsdale) to Melbourne. But the others mentioned above are harder to find.

Suggestions are welcome on those hops, other hops that would go, amount of rye and overall concept.


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## cooperplace (27/2/15)

I wnet through a phase years ago of using oak and rye. Just used whatever hops were to hand, standard bittering and aroma. Always made drinkable beer. Oak is good. I just used chips.


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## indica86 (27/2/15)

I brewed a dark rye IPA with 1 kg of rye in a 20 litre batch. 120 g of late hops - whirlpool - and VERY limited hoppiness.
Great beer but rye can be - in my VERY limited experience - quite overpowering.


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## yankinoz (27/2/15)

cooperplace said:


> I wnet through a phase years ago of using oak and rye. Just used whatever hops were to hand, standard bittering and aroma. Always made drinkable beer. Oak is good. I just used chips.





indica86 said:


> I brewed a dark rye IPA with 1 kg of rye in a 20 litre batch. 120 g of late hops - whirlpool - and VERY limited hoppiness.
> Great beer but rye can be - in my VERY limited experience - quite overpowering.


Thanks to both.

Yes, I've had some commercial rye beers that were overwhelming. According to the BJCP, German roggenbiers have a minimum 50% rye. I've had a few and didn't like them.

What percentage of rye did you or should I use in the grist? !5% seems to be a common suggestion, or is even that too much?


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## indica86 (27/2/15)

My IPA was 14.1%
My big red is 15.9% but supposed to taste like ray.


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## Westo (27/2/15)

have you considered using English / Euro hops? going back to the roots of IPA as it was stored in casks for 1 - 2 years before being shipped or consumed locally (even though it was not referred to as IPA or india ale until around 50 - 60 years later)


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## yankinoz (30/3/15)

Westo said:


> have you considered using English / Euro hops? going back to the roots of IPA as it was stored in casks for 1 - 2 years before being shipped or consumed locally (even though it was not referred to as IPA or india ale until around 50 - 60 years later)


It is a thought. The IPA I grew up on in the US in pre-Cascade days used Brewer's Gold, EKG and a mysterious hop from a small Austrian farm, spent a year on oak. Damn good..


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