Peppercorn Rye-Bock

I was cleaning out the beer fridge, pouring out the nasty brown ale, and found two bottles of peppercorn rye-bock. Both were brewed in November of 2007. The first bottle had a little green apple flavor. But the second bottle was real good. I was eating dinner with a lot of spice, so I can't tell if there is any pepper still in the flavor. There is something a bit dusty-tasting. Maybe it's oxidation. Still good though.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock 4

I brewed version four of the peppercorn rye-back in April. I am finally tapping the keg. This batch was made with a full wort boil. I boiled 7 gallons of water, extract, hops and spices down to 5.5 gallons. To be honest, I can't tell that much difference with what I brewed before, but the beer is a bit hazy.

Satan and I visited over Memorial Day weekend. We re-work the peppercorn rye-bock base recipe:

• 7 lb German Pilsener Malt
• 3 lb Munich Malt
• .5 Crystal 40L
• 1.5 lb Flaked Rye
• Hop to about 26-28 IBUs (hops to be determined)
• WLP 830 German Lager

OG should be about 1065

Since the judges at Nationals didn't taste the rye in the contest beer, I bumped it up a half pound. We plan to brew this in October or November.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock scores

Got my score sheets back for the peppercorn rye-bock. Both judges said it wasn't a bock. I think that hurt me more than anything, One judge noticed green apple in the aroma, which I discovered a few weeks ago when Satan and I sampled a bottle. The other judge picked up something phenolic which can have peppery overtones. I assume it didn't smell peppery, though.

Sadly, that's the beer everyone loved, and I got a 20 out of 50.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock Score

The Peppercorn Rye-Bock got an average score of 27.5 out of 50 from the Bluebonnet Brew-off judges. Neither judge thought the Rye-Bock was a bock, and they weren't too sure about the rye part of it either. One said the hops were well balanced, the other said the hops were low.

So I think I need to either rename the Rye-Bock or make it more Bock like, and I probably need to up the rye. This batch and the batch that went to Nationals was brewed in November of 2008. So the NHC feedback will be even more important in figuring out how to improve.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock

I got the latest batch of peppercorn rye-bock into the keg, and I am not sure how it's going to turn out. It's reasonably clear. I may not have let the gelatin work long enough. It's got a "fermented hot" smell and taste. I may be at the end of my brewing cycle since I can't get it lower than 71F in the house. I kegged it with priming sugar,and hopefully, in a few weeks, the flavors will have evened out. I want to take a six-pack of this out to Cincinnati and share with my cyber-friend Dave, at DaveDave Breweries.

The Return of Peppercorn Rye-Bock

I really like the Peppercorn Rye-Bock beer I have been brewing lately, and, since I killed the last keg a couple of weeks ago, it was time to brew it again.

This time, I found green peppercorns, so I used that. I also mashed the steeping grains this time. I put the grains in 2.4 quarts of water and mashed at 154°. I changed the aroma hops from Liberty to Saaz because I couldn't get Liberty, and I like Saaz. The only other change was that I did a full wort boil. I may have used too much water, since I had to pour a quart or so on the ground, and my initial gravity was 1.048, about 17/100ths lower than I have gotten in the past.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock

I kegged the second batch of Peppercorn Rye-Bock two weeks ago. Checks in at about 6% abv, and is really good. Almost crystal clear gold color, with nice pepper notes. I may only make this from now on.

Update: Last night, I thought, "Let's see what this tastes like." It had a strong haze to it (almost opaque), and it tasted a bit off. Not sure if it's just young, or if I have an infection.

Brewery chores

I kegged and transferred everything Tuesday morning. Whew! Three hours of work. I need a beer!

Let's see:

Kentucky Common - Not as sour, and the anise is so mild, I didn't notice it. Smells hoppy, though. I might have something here. OG 1048, today 1019. I will let this clear a week or two, then keg it. This beer was traditionally kegged young. We'll see how this turns out. This will go to Nationals, I think.

Oak Barrel Stout - OG 1054, FG 1018. Bourbon flavor seems subdued compared to last time, but that was a year and a half ago. Kegged it today. Should be good in four to six weeks.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock - I brewed this the day after I brewed the Kentucky Common, using the same recipe as before, but using Liberty Hops. OG 1064, today 1018. (I think I have spotted a trend here. Yeast starters are in order.) I didn't pull any yeast off before I transferred it out of the stainless conical, so it's a bit cloudy. Two weeks in secondary, then I'll keg it. Tastes pretty good.

Satan also suggested I send Excelsior to Nationals. I already had 6 bottles, so I bottled 6 more. I don't think it will win: it's too dark for style, but I have to admit it is darn tasty.

Peppercorn Rye-Bock version 2

Extremely proud of my last attempt, I thought I would brew it again. This time, I added 8 ounces of carapils, because I had it in the pantry.

Peppercorn Rye Bock

Brewing Date: Sunday January 13, 2008
Head Brewer: Jeff
ProMash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Printout
-------------------------------------------------

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Anticipated OG: 1.065 Plato: 15.78
Anticipated SRM: 7.8
Anticipated IBU: 23.5
Wort Boil Time: 65 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.064 Plato: 15.58

Alcohol, Est.: 6.76 By Weight 8.52 By Volume - Full Attenuation.
Alcohol, Actual: 5.36 By Weight 6.83 By Volume - Measured Actuals.

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Gravity SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.3 0.50 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
10.5 1.00 lbs. Flaked Rye America 1.034 2
5.3 0.50 lbs. Munich Malt(2-row) America 1.035 6
68.4 6.50 lbs. Light Liquid Malt Extract 1.035 7
10.5 1.00 lbs. Light Dry Malt Extract 1.046 7

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Casacade Pellet 4.20 19.9 65 min.
1.00 oz. Liberty Pellet 3.90 3.6 10 min.

Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.00 Tsp Peppercorn Melange Spice 2 Min.(boil)
1.00 Tsp Irish Moss Fining 10 Min.(boil)

Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch

Mash Notes
----------

I brewed this with the eextract late method. I brought the grains up to 170F in 2.5 gal of water. Then I added 1 pound of DME and 3.5 lbs of liquid extract. I boiled as described. When the boil was over, I added the pepper and the remaining extract.

Rating Peppercorn Rye Bock

Peppercorn Rye Bock

Appearance (0-3): Except for a slight chill haze, this poured up a crystal clear bronze color with ruby hightlights. There is a lingering offwhite head that laces up the sides of the glass. 3 points

Aroma/Bouquet (0-4): Smells of malt, some yeastiness, and a very slight pepper aroma. Of course, that may be because I know it's in there. . . 3 points

Taste: Hop Malt Balance (0-4): Very well balanced. There is some residual malt sweetness. This isn't an extremely hoppy beer, so the sweetness isn't too cloying. 3.5 points

Aftertaste (0-3): Finishes with a peppery flavor, probably from the rye, and accented by the pepper. Not a spicy peppery flavor, but a subtle background flavor. 3 points

Mouthfeel (0-3): Perfect mouthfeel. 3 points

Overall Impression (0-3): I think it's the best beer I've ever brewed. 3 points

Total: 18.5

I am sending this to Nationals.

Sampling Peppercorn Rye Bock

It's a cloudy orange color with a very thin head, next to no carbonation. (I thought I had that figured out!) Aroma is slightly sweet with some alcohol at the end. Very mild aroma. Tastes very clean. Maybe a hint of the pepper in the finish, but other than that it's pretty smooth. I think the pepper might be more in my head than on my tongue, if you know what I mean. It does have that extract tang, a residual sweetness that comes from a concentrated boil. Could have some more carbonation. I will let it age a few more weeks. And I bumped the CO2 up from ten psi to fourteen.

Seeing the Light

At the NHC in Denver, I learned about using gelatin to fine my beer. It's taken me almost five months to actually do it.

I tried it in a California Common kit a couple of weeks ago, which I kegged on 11/26. It was a gorgeous beer. Sparkling and bright. And it tasted good too! On the 26th, I added 1/2 teaspoon of gelatin to 1/2 cup of hot water, and added it to the Peppercorn Rye-Bock. I was talking to my buddy at Honey Creek Brewery (the name I use to refer to his barn where we brew), and he said, "That just sounds delicious." I conceded the point and confessed I was eagerly anticipating getting it into a keg.

Well, I kegged it on the 1st!

Peppercorn Rye Bock

The last time I went to Austin Homebrew, I succumbed to temptation and bought Extreme Brewing by Sam Caligione, and found this recipe. I modified it based on available hops, and I had a half pound of Crystal 40L malt. Although the recipe called for lager yeast, I thought I would try it with a Kolsch yeast, since it's pretty clean.

ProMash Brewing Session Printout
--------------------------------

Brewing Date: Friday November 16, 2007
Head Brewer: Jeff
Asst Brewer:
Recipe: Peppercorn Rye Bock

ProMash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Printout
-------------------------------------------------

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

14-A Bock, Traditional Bock

Min OG: 1.064 Max OG: 1.072
Min IBU: 20 Max IBU: 35
Min Clr: 14 Max Clr: 30 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Extract (LBS): 9.50
Anticipated OG: 1.065 Plato: 15.80
Anticipated SRM: 9.5
Anticipated IBU: 31.8
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Actual OG: 1.055 Plato: 13.50
Actual FG: 1.012 Plato: 3.07

Alcohol, Est.: 6.77 By Weight 8.53 By Volume - Full Attenuation.
Alcohol, Actual: 4.42 By Weight 5.64 By Volume - Measured Actuals.


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Gravity SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
10.5 1.00 lbs. Flaked Rye America 1.034 2
5.3 0.50 lbs. Munich Malt(2-row) America 1.035 6
68.4 6.50 lbs. Light Liquid Malt Extract 1.035 7
10.5 1.00 lbs. Light Dry Malt Extract 1.046 7


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Chinook Pellet 12.20 11.2 10 min.
1.00 oz. Willamette Pellet 4.50 20.6 60 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.00 Tsp Peppercorn Melange Spice 2 Min.(boil)
1.00 Tsp Irish Moss Fining 10 Min.(boil)


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kolsch



Notes
-----

Bring grains in 2 gal water to 170. remove grains. Add extract. boil 5 m
inutes. Add hops and start 60 minute timer.

I missed my OG by 100th of a point. I got 1054 instead of the estimated 1064. So we'll see what happens. When I told Satan, he said, "Maybe if you boil longer it will raise the OG? 15 minutes at a rolling boil may make all the difference in the world!!!!"

So that's for next time!