27H - Roggenbier

ABV: 4.5-6%
OG/FG: 1.046-1.056/1.01-1.014
SRM: 14-19
IBU: 10-20

Overall Impression

A dunkelweizen made with rye rather than wheat, but with greater body and light finishing hops.

Appearance

Light coppery-orange to very dark reddish or coppery-brown color. Large creamy off-white to tan head, quite dense and persistent, often thick and rocky. Cloudy, hazy appearance from yeast and rye flour. Effervescent.

Aroma

Light to moderate spicy rye aroma intermingled with light to moderate weizen yeast aromatics (spicy clove and fruity esters, either banana or citrus). Light noble hops are acceptable. Can have a somewhat acidic aroma from rye and yeast. No diacetyl.

Flavor

Grainy, moderately-low to moderately-strong spicy rye flavor, often having a hearty flavor reminiscent of rye or pumpernickel bread. Medium to medium-low bitterness allows an initial and lingering malty sweetness (including caramel and toffee notes) to be tasted before yeast and rye character takes over. Low to moderate weizen yeast character (banana, clove), although the balance can vary. Medium-dry, grainy finish with a tangy, lightly bitter (from rye) aftertaste. Low to moderate spicy, herbal, or floral hop flavor acceptable, and can persist into aftertaste. No diacetyl.

Mouthfeel

Medium to medium-full body. High carbonation. Moderately creamy.

Style Comparison

A more distinctive variant of a dunkelweizen using malted rye instead of malted wheat. American Rye Beers or Rye IPAs are quite different, having much more hop character and no weizen yeast character.

Ingredients

Malted rye, up to 60% of grist. Pale and wheat malts. Crystal-type malts. Debittered dark malts. Weizen yeast. German or noble-type hops. Could be produced as either a decoction or infusion mash.

History

A specialty German rye beer originally brewed in Regensburg, Bavaria as a more distinctive variant of a dunkelweizen using malted rye instead of malted wheat. Never a widely popular style, it has all but disappeared in modern times.

Comments

Rye is a huskless grain and is difficult to mash, often resulting in a gummy mash texture that is prone to sticking. Rye has been characterized as having the most assertive flavor of all cereal grains. It is inappropriate to add caraway seeds, as some American brewers do; the rye character is traditionally from the rye grain only.

Commercial Examples

Bürgerbräu Wolznacher Roggenbier, Paulaner Roggen