Rauchbier - My first recipe for liquid sausage?

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shagington

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So back...oh about 2 months ago, my friends and I went to a German Beer tasting at the local awesome beer dispensing store that is Stateline Liquors in Elkton Maryland. Anyway, my friends went berserk after trying the Rauchbier and have been on me ever since to brew a Rauchbier... Let me let you in on a little secret... I am afraid of f***ing this recipe up. I did my research, looked at a typical Rauchbier recipe, which felt like an Oktoberfest with a lot of smoked malt in it to me. And, this is what I've got...Please. I beg you. Help.

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WLP830 - German Lager Yeast
Batch Size (Gallons): 10
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.013
IBU: 27
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: 17
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 days at 60f
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 days at 50f


10 lbs. Smoked Malt
5 lbs. Pilsener Malt
4 Lbs. Munich Malt
1 lb. Special B Malt
1 lb. Carapils

2.50 oz. Tettnanger Pellet (60 min)
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer Whole (30 min)
0.50 oz. Tettnanger Pellet (10 min)

1 Tsp Irish Moss Fining (15 Min)

WLP830 German Lager Yeast


Mash Schedule
-------------
Grain Lbs: 21
Water Gal: 13

Protein Rest Temp : 130 Time: 30 min
Saccharification Rest Temp : 150 Time: 60 min
Mash-out Rest Temp : 158 Time: 15 min
Sparge Temp : 170 Time: 5 min
Boil Time: 90 min
Cool to 60F and Pitch Yeast

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
 
Wow...That is a heck of a lot of smoked malt..A HECK of a lot of smoked malt.

IIRC in most beers the smoked malt is not higher in the bill then the rest of it...

Why don't you read through some of these threads, before you commit to anything.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/search.php?searchid=2694517

Personally off the top of my head I would reverse the amounts of the pilsner and the smoked...but I've never done a true rauch beer, I've just used a pound or two here and there...
 
here's mine, turned out great so far (still lagering):

Code: 
Big Smoke

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

22-A  Smoked Flavored/Wood Aged, Classic Rauchbier

Min OG:  1.050   Max OG:  1.056
Min IBU:    20   Max IBU:    30
Min Clr:    14   Max Clr:    26  Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal):         5.50    Wort Size (Gal):    5.50
Total Grain (Lbs):       10.69
Anticipated OG:          1.055    Plato:             13.46
Anticipated SRM:          16.7
Anticipated IBU:          26.1
Brewhouse Efficiency:       78 %
Wort Boil Time:             90    Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate:      10.00    Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size:    6.47    Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity:      1.046    SG          11.52  Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used:   Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Tinseth
Tinseth Concentration Factor: 1.30


Grain/Extract/Sugar

   %     Amount     Name                          Origin        Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 51.5     5.50 lbs. Smoked(Bamberg)               Germany        1.037      9
  1.8     0.19 lbs. Carafa II (Dehusked)          Germany        1.030    400
 23.4     2.50 lbs. Pilsener                      Belgium        1.037      2
 16.4     1.75 lbs. Munich Malt(light)            America        1.033     10
  4.7     0.50 lbs. CaraMunich 60                 France         1.034     60
  2.3     0.25 lbs. Melanoidin Malt                              1.033     35

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

   Amount     Name                              Form    Alpha  IBU  Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1.75 oz.    Hallertauer                       Whole    4.00  23.6  60 min.
  0.50 oz.    Hallertauer                       Whole    4.00   2.4  10 min.


Yeast
-----

White Labs WLP838 Southern German Lager


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs:   10.69
Water Qts:   13.65 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal:    3.41 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.28 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 154  Time:  60
Mash-out Rest Temp :         158  Time:  20
Sparge Temp :                180  Time:  10


Total Mash Volume Gal: 4.27 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

Your amounts of Bamberg, Pilsner and Munich malts are spot-on for 10 gallons IMHO. Just know that it won't be as smoky as, say, Schlenkerla's Marzen---and nowhere near the same ballpark as their extremely smoky Urbock. So it really just depends on if you want a real Schlenkerla clone, or something less intense. I brewed mine less intense because the wife probably wouldn't like it if I went full-on Schlenkerla, and even myself, I can't see myself having a whole keg of schlenkerla-strength stuff around. I guess I'd develop a taste for that much smoke over time, but this being my first Rauch, I wanted to go easy and then maybe increase the smoke next time around. So, long story short, if you want a schlenkerla-type smoke character (very intense), increase the Bamberg and decrease the pilsner and munich.

Also, I'd use caramunich rather than carapils. Just more maltiness. Not sure how the burnt cookie/plummy character of special B will do with the smoke, but it should work okay. Finally, there's no reason for the 30 minute NB addition. Just go with one bittering and one flavor addition, with German noble hops if possible.
 
Revvy said:
Wow...That is a heck of a lot of smoked malt..A HECK of a lot of smoked malt.

IIRC in most beers the smoked malt is not higher in the bill then the rest of it...

Why don't you read through some of these threads, before you commit to anything.

]https://www.homebrewtalk.com/search.php?searchid=2694517

Personally off the top of my head I would reverse the amounts of the pilsner and the smoked...
Click to expand...

No. Look at my recipe above, Rev. That Bamberg isn't as smoky as people think. Hell, I do believe that the entirety of the base grain in Schlenkerla's Urbock is Bamberg malt! My recipe is smoky, but it's certainly not as smoky as their Marzen. For a moderately smoky beer, the OP's base grain bill is spot on. If anything, he could go heavier.
 
I haven't tried to make a smoked yet, but I've heard others say that if you don't use a minimum of 50% smoked malt, the smokey flavor/aroma will dissipate into nothing after a while.

Just someone else's $0.02.

Edit: Am i confusing smoked malt with rauchmalt?
 
I'd cut back on the Special B. That's a pretty high amount for a fairly assertive malt, and I'm not sure you really want or need all of those dark fruit notes in there with everything else going on. I'd cut that at least in half, and you really don't NEED it in there (remember, it's a Belgian malt you're putting into basically a German beer; it's not traditional in either rauchbiers or Oktoberfests/Marzens).

EDIT: And I'll vote for using a crapton of rauchmalt. Frankly, if you love rauchbiers, you really can't put too much in there. Hell, one of these days I'm doing a beer that's 100% rauchmalt.
 
Traditional Rauchbiers are made of 100% rauch malt, or just a shade under 100%. This is what my pro brewer friend tells me who spent a year apprenticing in Germany.


Get that special B out of there................gheeee that seems way off to me.
 
I've made a batch from a post on another site and it was a really good copy of Schlenkerla Marzen
Quote from MullerBrau on NB Forums

"Last night I kegged 21 gallons of my Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier. I used 100% Smoked malt from Bamberg (Weyermann's) with a touch of Carafa Special 2 for color. It is a really great beer.
 
Go for it - that looks good - that beer should retain its smoked flavor well.
 
From the gist of it, I feel like I should drop the Special B. I was think the warm flavors from it might help, but it seems more like a Carahell might fit better into this recipe. I wanted to use the Carapils to help with the body and foam stability, would a carafoam be better? And should I add some melanoidin malt and caramunich to the recipe to give a maltier character? Also, I feel like I am low on the smoked malt. And, it seems that I should really use hops for bittering and maybe a late flavor / early aroma addition. So I was looking at the recipe and wondered if I should change it to something like this....


13 lbs. Smoked Malt
5 lbs. Pilsener Malt
3 Lbs. Munich Malt
1 lb. Carahell
1 lb. Caramunich
.5 lb. Melanoidin Malt
1 lb. Carafoam

3 oz. Tettnanger Pellet (60 min)
1 oz. Hallertau Pellet (15 min)

1 Tsp Irish Moss Fining (15 Min)

WLP830 German Lager Yeast
 
Lose all but one of the cara-somethings as well as the melanoidin (you're already using Munich malt).

Psst...carapils and carafoam are virtually identical...
 
No late hop additions. Oktoberfests only get a bittering addition, and with a rauchbier you REALLY don't want hop flavor conflicting with the smoke. You can just mash a little higher than usual instead of using the carapils, as well.

Personally, I'd limit my grains to the rauchmalt, some Munich, MAYBE some Pils, and the Caramunich. Single hop addition, to probably 20-25IBUs (depending on your OG, just enough to offset the sweetness). Use as much rauchmalt as you want, you could use all rauchmalt, munich, caramunich, and no pils if you chose. The melanoiding is fine, too, but not 100% necessary with all the other deep malty flavors you'll have going on. A half pound or so would be fine, although you MIGHT be almost getting closer in flavor profile to a smoked bock (which would also be awesome) if you start adding TOO many melanoidin characteristics.
 
hmmm....thank you for the insight.

I tend to add too many malts, when keeping it simple does more than enough.
 
I think you'll find that if you start looking at recipes for classic German beers, they almost always have very simple grain bills. Pilsners are usually 100% pilsner malt, for example.
 
shagington said:
From the gist of it, I feel like I should drop the Special B. I was think the warm flavors from it might help, but it seems more like a Carahell might fit better into this recipe. I wanted to use the Carapils to help with the body and foam stability, would a carafoam be better? And should I add some melanoidin malt and caramunich to the recipe to give a maltier character? Also, I feel like I am low on the smoked malt. And, it seems that I should really use hops for bittering and maybe a late flavor / early aroma addition. So I was looking at the recipe and wondered if I should change it to something like this....


13 lbs. Smoked Malt
5 lbs. Pilsener Malt
3 Lbs. Munich Malt
1 lb. Carahell
1 lb. Caramunich
.5 lb. Melanoidin Malt
1 lb. Carafoam

3 oz. Tettnanger Pellet (60 min)
1 oz. Hallertau Pellet (15 min)

1 Tsp Irish Moss Fining (15 Min)

WLP830 German Lager Yeast
Click to expand...


If made properly you should not need anything to aid in head retention. Duvel is Pilsner malt and sugar and arguably one of the thickest head you'll find.
As for body raise the mash 1-2 degrees to add a little more unfermatables. For a recipe like this, simple is better.
 
Ok, so I think the stress hives have all but disappeared, I feel pumped and ready to do this. Who knew brewing a Rauchbier would cause a total freak out. Hahaha...Anyway, here is the final recipe I'm brewing it on Friday. I want to say thanks to all those who helped me formulate it.

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WLP830 - German Lager Yeast
Batch Size (Gallons): 10
Original Gravity: 1.061
Final Gravity: 1.015
IBU: 25
Boiling Time (Minutes): 90
Color: 14
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 days at 60
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 days at 50


15 lbs. Smoked Malt
3 lbs. Pilsener Malt
5 Lbs. Munich Malt
1 lb. Caramunich Malt
.5 lb. Carahell Malt

3.0 oz. Tettnanger Whole Hops (60 min)
1.00 oz. Hallertau Whole Hops (15 min)

1 Tsp Irish Moss Fining (15 Min)

WLP830 German Lager Yeast


Mash Schedule
-------------
Grain Lbs: 24.5
Water Gal: 13

Protein Rest Temp : 130 Time: 30 min
Saccharification Rest Temp : 156 Time: 60 min
Mash-out Rest Temp : 166 Time: 20 min
Sparge Temp : 175 Time: 10 min
Boil Time: 90 min
Cool to 60F and Pitch Yeast

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
 
I recently tapped a keg of my smoked ale. I didn't do enough research and was afraid of it being too smoky. I only had 12.5% smoked malt. that was no where near enough. It is barely noticable. Aside from that, the beer tastes great. I am going to rebrew thae recipe with 40% - 50% smoked malt. I think your recipe looks great.

I'm starting to feel smoked malt is like starsan. Don't fear the foam, and don't fear the smoke.
 
stevea1210 said:
I recently tapped a keg of my smoked ale. I didn't do enough research and was afraid of it being too smoky. I only had 12.5% smoked malt. that was no where near enough. It is barely noticable. Aside from that, the beer tastes great. I am going to rebrew thae recipe with 40% - 50% smoked malt. I think your recipe looks great.

I'm starting to feel smoked malt is like starsan. Don't fear the foam, and don't fear the smoke.
Click to expand...

I think 40-50% is the minimum percentage if you want a "smoked" beer. I brew a smoked porter with 40% and even that fades with time.
 
Old thread, but I'll bite.

I've made several rauchbiers, with up to 50% smoked malt, and they are never smokey enough for me (there's an BOS award winner in my recipe pulldown <---). For those brewers considering making a rauchbier, pick up a Schlenkerla Marzen. If you like it, you can probably go 100% smoked malt. 50% will make it more drinkable for your friends and family, but in my experience few non-brewers drink the smoke beers, so just please yourself here ( heh ).

BTW, Alchemist on this board made a 100% peated malt beer and swore it was great.
 
I typically use 98% weyermann smoked malt and 2% carafa I or II dehusked. Still not near the smokiness of the marzer, much less the urbock.
 

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