Czecham Rye

Ken Bazley (right) receives the London Amateur Brewers 2025 Hayesenbrau Award from the Chairman, Jacques Marais (left), for his Rye Czech Amber "Czechham Rye"

By Ken Bazley

Recipe is part of Recipe Index

BJCP 2021 Style 31A Alternative Grain Beer

The beer was based on BJCP style 3C. Czech Amber Lager, of which I've only ever tasted homebrewed versions. This was a stovetop brew using a coolbox mash tun and stockpots. Those of keen iconoclastic bent will note the only thing Czech about this beer is a few grams of hops.

Awards

Hayesenbrau 2025 (Mash Paddle Brewery, Bermondsey, London)

1st - Hayesenbrau Award

Measures

• IBU 33
• ABV 5.8%
• OG 1.056
• FG 1.012
• EBC 20
• pre-boil 15l @ 1.050
• post-boil 10l @ 1.067 liquored back with tap water to 12l @ 1.056

Ingredients

Water

• SES water acidified to hit 5.25 mash pH
• Sodium metabisulphite – pinch into brewing liquor and again for sparge
• Lactic acid, 4.6ml in the mash
• Lactic Acid, 2.2ml in the sparge
• No other adjustments

Malt

• Crisp Europils Malt - 3.4EBC, 2100g, 71%
• Simpson's Malted Rye - 4EBC, 750g, 25.5%
• Simpson's Red Rye Crystal - 273.5EBC, 100g, 3.5%

Hops

• 10g Most (whole leaf) @ 60min FW
• 5g Most (whole leaf) @ FO

Yeast

• Repitched Copenhagen lager (WLP850)

Process

Mash

• Single step infusion at 66.5C (ish) for 60 minutes.

Boil

• 60 minute boil
• Protofloc, servomyces and yeast nutrient added @ 10 minutes.

Ferment

• Pitched yeast at 16C
• Fermented at 12C for 4 days
• Ramp to 16C for one day
• 20C for the last two days.

Serving

• Transferred to keg and lagered in the British winter for at least 5 weeks.
• Carbonated to approximately 2.0vols.
• Bottled from keg by counter-pressure Nukatap.