Brewday - Denny Conn's Rye IPA

Notes
I first read about Denny Conn's "Rye Smile" on Homebrewtalk.com.  The recipe is unique on many levels.  First and foremost, Rye Malt.  Accounting for near 18% of the total grist, I suspect Rye to play a major roll in this IPA's flavour profile.  Secondly, Mt. Hood hops, prominently used in lagers, are the featured hop.  The quality's of the rye malt are said to be grainy and slightly spicy.  The Mt. Hood hops are said to impart a spicy, earthy, somewhat fresh noble aroma. Sounds like a fantastic combo and well suited to an IPA!  

The recipe also calls for First Wort Hops (FWH).  1oz of Mt. Hood are added to the boil kettle while collecting the mashes first run-off.  The FWH technique is said to provide subtle, smoother bitterness similar to that of a 20 minute addition.  Dedicated FWHoppers claim an improvement in flavour or aroma as well.  I've configured my brew software accordingly, the anticipated IBU's are noted in the recipe details below.  I understand this number to be an estimation based on much theory and speculation, I am not aware of the science behind such theories. Since I believe everything I read on the Internet, I say "let's roll with it"! 

I needed to make a few changes to the grain bill on account of low inventory.  68% of the grist was intended to be your basic, everyday Domestic 2-row.  I was only able to muster up a couple of kilos.  I subbed in some Light Munich to pick up the slack.  Also, wheat malt in place of flaked wheat.  The recipe was scaled down to 20L post boil.  I would have liked to brew my typical 23-24L but adjustments were needed on account of inventory on hand .

I bought my Mt Hood hops in anticipation of this brew well in advance (uh, like April 2011), as such, using my brewing software's hop storage index calculator, I've approximated the residual AA% .  The resulting total IBU's are a touch lower than Denny's original recipe specs.

American IPA (14B)
Recipe Type: All Grain

Yeast: Fermentis US-05
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast : Re-pitched from Little Devil APA
Batch Size (Post Boil): 20L
Original Gravity: 1.060
Final Gravity: 1.014 (est)
IBU: 52
Boiling Time (Minutes): 65
Colour (SRM): 7.6 (est)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 15 @ 64F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 12 @ 64F 
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21 @ 64F

Ingredients

45.5% Domestic 2-Row (OiO)
20.9% Light Munich (Weyermann)
19.5% Rye Malt (Weyermann)
08.7% Crystal 110 (Muntons)
04.3% CaraFoam (Weyermann)

04.3% Wheat Malt (OiO)

01.7% Acid Malt (Weyermann)

10.6 IBU Mt. Hood @ FWH (1oz)
34.6 IBU Columbus @ 60 min (1oz)
Gypsum (1/2 tsp added @ 60 min)
1/2oz Mt. Hood @ 30 min
1.5oz Mt. Hood @ 1 min)
1oz Columbus (12 day Dry-hop)

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Acid Malt, Calcium Chloride, Gypsum and Epsom Salt added, pH 5.50

Ca-113/Mg-17/Na-18/Cl-63/S04-166

Mash Instructions
Single Infusion, 60 minutes (153F), 1.25qt/lb
Double batch sparge (170F), collected ~23L into the boil kettle

15/07/2012 - Recipe brewed

16/07/2012 - Yeast pitched, wort aerated

01/08/2012 - Racked to secondary

13/08/2012 - 2oz of Columbus hops added to the secondary 

29/08/2012 - Racked of Dry-hops to brite tank 

03/09/2012 - Bottled (possible infection)