Recipe

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Ruthless Rye IPA clone

Ruthless Rye IPA clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.061 FG = 1.012
IBU = 55 SRM = 16 ABV = 6.6%

Ingredients
11.25 lbs. (5.1 kg) 2-row pale malt
13 oz. (0.36 kg) rye malt
11 oz. (0.32 kg) caramel malt (40 °L)
1.5 oz. (43 kg) chocolate malt
8 AAU Bravo hops (90 min.) (0.50 oz./14 g of 16% alpha acids)
9 AAU US Magnum hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 12% alpha acids)
9 AAU Chinook hops (5 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 12% alpha acids)
3 AAU US Magnum hops (5 min.) (0.25 oz./7.1 g of 12% alpha acids)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Chinook hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) US Magnum hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast (1.33 qt./1.33 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make the yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast. On brew day, mash in at 153.5 °F (67.5 °C) in 16 qts. (15 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 170 °F (77 °C), hold for 5 minutes then recirculate. Run off wort and sparge with water hot enough to keep the grain bed around 170 °F (77 °C). Collect 7.0 gallons (26 L) of wort. (Check that final runnings do not drop below SG 1.010.) Boil wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Ferment at 68 °F(20 °C). Dry hop in secondary for 5 days.

Ruthless Rye IPA clone

(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.061 FG = 1.012
IBU = 55 SRM = 16 ABV = 6.6%

Ingredients
2 lb. 6 oz. (1.1 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.5 lbs (0.68 kg) light dried malt extract
4.5 lbs. (2.0 kg) light liquid malt extract
13 oz. (0.36 kg) rye malt
11 oz. (0.32 kg) caramel malt (40 °L)
1.5 oz. (43 kg) chocolate malt
8 AAU Bravo hops (90 min.) (0.50 oz./14 g of 16% alpha acids)
9 AAU US Magnum hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 12% alpha acids)
9 AAU Chinook hops (5 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 12% alpha acids)
3 AAU US Magnum hops (5 min.) (0.25 oz./7.1 g of 12% alpha acids)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Chinook hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) US Magnum hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast (1.33 qt./1.33 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
Mash grains at 153.5 °F (67.5 °C) in 5.5 qts. (5.2 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 45 minutes. Collect 2.25 gallons (8.5 L) of wort. Add water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Stir in dried malt extract and boil wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add liquid malt extract in the final 15 minutes of the boil. Chill wort, transfer to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L). Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Dry hop in secondary fermenter for 5 days.

Ruthless Rye IPA clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.061 FG = 1.012
IBU = 55 SRM = 16 ABV = 6.6%

Ingredients
6 oz. (0.18 kg) 2-row pale malt
2.0 lbs (0.91 kg) light dried malt extract
5.25 lbs. (2.4 kg) light liquid malt extract
13 oz. (0.36 kg) rye malt
11 oz. (0.32 kg) caramel malt (40 °L)
1.5 oz. (43 kg) chocolate malt
8 AAU Bravo hops (90 min.) (0.50 oz./14 g of 16% alpha acids)
9 AAU US Magnum hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 12% alpha acids)
9 AAU Chinook hops (5 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g of 12% alpha acids)
3 AAU US Magnum hops (5 min.) (0.25 oz./7.1 g of 12% alpha acids)
1.0 oz. (28 g) Chinook hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) US Magnum hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast (1.33 qt./1.33 L yeast starter)
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
Steep grains at 153.5 °F (67.5 °C) in 3.0 qts. (2.9 L) of water. Rinse grains with 2 qts. (2 L) of 170 °F (77 °C) water. Add water to brewpot to make at least 3.0 gallons (11 L) of wort. Stir in dried malt extract and boil wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add liquid malt extract in the final 15 minutes of the boil. Chill wort and transfer to fermenter. Top fermenter up to 5.0 gallons (19 L). Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Dry hop in secondary fermenter for 5 days.

Issue: December 2012

While production of Ruthless Rye was discontinued in 2015, fans can still brew this beer. Chinook, Citra®, and US Magnum hops are the shining star in this Rye IPA with a little rye kick that rounds out the hop profile.