Smoked Homebrew - Post Fermentation

This year I'm going to venture off into making some radically different beers. Starting with a variety of smoked beers, maybe a smoked cider and a smoked mead. Sounds out there, like who the hell would smoke cider or mead, but I got a new cooking gadget for x-mas that is still unused. Beer is coming to mind before food. (Been eating out too much lately)


This is a smoking gun made for smoking food and drink in the kitchen. I plan to try using this in a non-traditional sense first before smoking wet two-row or 6-row. The thought is to try multiple smoke varieties on a base beer like an amber wheat or helles.

The process I envision is starting off by smoking just pint glasses then filling them to find out how it fits with the beer. All you need is a empty glass to smoke, pinch of wood chips, a lighter and the gun. Obviously, a 12oz beer worthy of drinking in a smoked glass.


This could lead to smoking a freshly sanitized keg or carboy.

The smoke types I have readily available; (They come in shavings from Polyscience)

• Hickory
• Mesquite
• Apple
• Cherry

You can smoke spices too; (Anything that will burn)

• Black Pepper - Any Pale Ales or Wheat
• Rosemary - Any Pale Ales
• Coriander - Wheat Beer
• HOPS - Not sure yet.
• Vanilla Beans - Cider, Mead or Dark Ales
• Coffee Beans - Stouts & Porters
• Chai Tea - Mead or Wheat Beer
• Cinnamon - Cider

I'm thinking I can use my malt liquor first to start smoking. Its very low hopped and it has a reddish maltyness from roasted barley.

I'm excited about trying the traditional smokes, but black pepper and rosemary and coffee sound intriguing. Hops sound kind of crazy but taste is 90% smell. If the smell of burning hops is not bad, then maybe.... it would be kind of cool to have a beer that been smoked with hops. Its novelty of it sharing it with fellow homebrewers who have a WTF look in their eyes...

The good thing if all else fails I'm only going to waste one 12oz beer on any wild idea.

ipe: BTW - I saw a video on this website above where some guy used a piece of cuban cigar to smoke chicken... Get your cigar cutter out ....
There are also videos on You tube on smoking whiskey with this thing. Some guy is smoking a half gallon with hickory or mesquite out of a glass milk jug.

Thoughts and comments welcome. I will post my results and tasting notes after new years...

That's so freaky it just might be awesome! Consider pumping it (Infusing it into the finish beer) in a corny or secondary after your testing, unless that would oxygenate it too much. I'm interested in your results, never seen such a gadget.

I could do the smoking one of a few ways. In the carboy that's empty. In a carboy that's full. Then exactly the same thing in a keg or bottle. Either way the hose should NOT be submerged into the beer. Doing so would cause oxidation. Might be ok with whisky but not beer or wine.

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OK - I did it....

I smoked some empty glasses. Two beer glasses then two mugs. Then some whiskey.

I used mesquite...



Turned it on and lit the mesquite



Started smoking glasses



Pumps lots of smoke quickly

The first beer had the glass smoked for about 30 seconds then I filled it with beer. It had a subtle smoke smell and taste but it was mostly smell and aftertaste where it was noticeable.

The second beer was smoked for about 30 seconds too, but I let the smoke sit in the glass upside down for about 30 minutes while I drank the first. The second beer was much more smokey in smell and taste. Almost like as if one used smoked malt.

I have a third glass that just like the 2nd but I changed the wood to apple.

Yet to try it but I bet it will be about the same however a bit milder.

I did some whiskey in salad shaker for later. The whiskey was in the shaker with a blow hose going into the whiskey and the glass completely full of smoke.

Anyhow it seems pretty cool. A carboy or keg will work for smoking. :rockin:

I would like to know how it would taste aged in the smoked carboy. Could be interesting.

In the very near future, I am gonna a do a smoked octoberfest wheat... Smoking the keg.