Podcasts: Oregon
Ruse Brewing
Craft Beer and Brewing Podcast 428
Malt Bill
- Base Malts:
- Primary: Gambrinus Pilsner – preferred for being lean and predictable
- Alternate: Great Western Pilsner
- Occasional: Weyermann Extra Pale
- Adjuncts & Specialty Grains:
- Flaked rice and flaked wheat – sometimes used together
- Raw wheat, malted wheat, and white wheat – for softer mouthfeel
- Flaked rice also reduces FAN (Free Amino Nitrogen) and adds a “snap” character
Water Profile
- Sulfate to Chloride Ratio: 2:1
- Mash pH: 5.3 – 5.4
Bittering Strategy
- First Wort or Beginning of Boil:
- Early-pick Columbus – preferred for more polyphenol bitterness
- Flex (CO2 extract) also used
- Target 35 IBU
Late Boil Additions
- At 5–10 minutes remaining:
- CO2 extract is favored for a resinous character
Whirlpool & Knockout
- Whirlpool Dose: 2 lbs/bbl
- Use cryo hops in whirlpool
- Occasionally add Dynaboost at knockout
- Emphasis on big hot side additions due to loss of aroma/flavor from cold side hops
Dry Hopping
- Dry Hop Rate: 3–4 lbs/bbl
Hop Varietals & Blends
- Simcoe:
- Works especially well when it’s not the dominant hop
- Example: Blends nicely with Nectaron in NZ IPAs
- Krush:
- Pairs well with Simcoe, Mosaic, and other classics
- Adds a red berry flavor
- 1019 (Dolcita):
- Effective at around 25% of the hop bill
Special Methods
- Dynaboost Dosage: 1 kg per 10 bbl
- Used with dip hop method (Kelsey McNair style)
Grand Fir
General Brewing Approach
- Uses Pilsner malt for all IPAs
- Prefers Gambrinus → “nice little honey flavor” that pairs well with hops
- Also uses Northstar Pils and Weyermann Pilsner
- Often blends Gambrinus, Northstar, and Weyermann
- Weyermann Pilsner: darker, more depth → used in session IPA for structure
- Adds a little wheat to session IPA
American IPA
- Has a touch of Maris Otter → adds complexity
Slug Life IPA
- Hops:
- Centennial Cryo from YCH → lime peel flavor
- Cascade from Crosby → unmatched floral flavor
Lichen IPA / General IPA Process
- Cool pool at 185°F
- Adds hops at 30 minutes
- Mentioned 5 lbs/bbl (unsure if total or just dry hop)
- Double dry hop:
- First addition at terminal gravity
- Let sit, then drop the cone
- 48 hours later, second dry hop
- Rouse with CO₂ after each hop addition
Water Chemistry
- 2:1 sulfate to chloride ratio
- Focus on mash/water pH, doesn’t acidify sparge water
- Pitch pH: 5.0
- No pH adjustments in fermenter
Ponga IPA
Grain Bill
- Rahr 2-Row (she loves it)
- Gambrinus IPA malt
- A little wheat
- Chose 2-Row instead of Pilsner for more malt flavor to balance heavy hopping
Hops
- Simcoe and Krush as base
- Krush: works best at 20% or less, adds some woody notes
- Can be overdone—best used in a mix
- Nectaron and Nelson as top notes
- A little Mosaic to tie it together
- NZ hops (Nectaron, Nelson): cool-pooled and dry-hopped
- Mosaic and Simcoe help prevent vegetal character
- Uses regular Nelson, no special lots
Fermentation & Balance
- Finishes at 1.5° Plato (driest beer)
- 50 lbs sugar added to help hop expression without over-drying
- Rahr 2-Row and Gambrinus keep it from tasting too dry
- Higher chloride in this one to prevent oily mouthfeel
Best of the West Collab IPA
Hot Side
- Columbus for bittering and at end of boil
- Simcoe at end of boil
- Chinook + Krush also added on hot side
Dry Hop
- Mosaic to tie it together
- Krush
- Top note: Strata + Nelson Kief from Freestyle
Export Stout Base (used for Coconut Stout)
Malt Bill
- High Color Pale Malt as base
- Briess for dark malts:
- Roasted Barley
- Chocolate Malt → milk chocolate flavor, no astringency
- AddsTouch of mid-caramel
- Tiny bit of Carafa 2 (espresso notes)
- Flaked barley
Fermentation
- OG: 18° Plato
- FG: Mid 4s
- Yeast: Chico
Coconut Stout Process
- Made by transferring export stout base onto unsweetened, un-toasted flaked coconut
- Used to toast all → then some → now none → found perfect flavor
- Coconut contact time: ~24 hours, then ready to package