How much smoke?

I'm planning a Smokebeer recipe for this weekend and I'd like some
thoughts on the amount of "smoke" in the grainbill. I'm doing a 3
gallon batch because I'm boiling AG on the stove.

Currently my Smoke is 25% of the grain:

4.4 lbs. 2-row pale
1.6 lbs. Beechwood smoked malt
.25 lbs German Caramunich
.25 lbs. Munich Light
.5 oz Styrian Goldings (60)
.25 oz Styrian Goldings (15)
.25 oz Styrian Goldings(1)
1/2 tsp. Irish Moss(15)
Wyeast 1007 German Ale
OG 1.054 FG 1.014
5.2% ABV
9 SRM
21 IBU

Is 25% too much? I'd like to make a classic Rauchbier.

I've only ever used Liquid Smoke at 1/4 tsp for 5 liters. It had a very lightly smoked flavor, but it was evident that it was smoke.

That would equal 1 tsp for 5 gals.

My German recipe says:

2,3 kg Pilsmalt (Pilsner malt)
1,2 kg Munchener malz (Munich)
400 g Rauchmalz (Smoke malt)
100 g Caramel Dunkel (Dark Caramel)

I've seen rauchbier recipes that call for 50% rauchmalt, so I think you're fine. I know Dude used a crapload in his IPA, a lot more than 25%. If anything, you may be a little light on the rauch.

The Google conversion is 1 lb = 453.59237 grams.

The German recipe says to use 400 grams.

I know what the bird says, but it's your call.

Well, I like lots of smoke and it'll give me a benchmark. Plus it's only 3 gallons so I could probably stomach the whole batch if it's too much.

The descriptions says:

"Best used to create smoked beers, Lagerbier, and Kellerbier. Derived from Alexis, Steffi, and Krona varieties.Smoked with beechwood. Use up to 20% in the grist to deliver a unique smoky flavour. Can use 100% for a strongly smoky Rauchbier. (Germany) Weyermann"

That is at the high end but not too much for a rauch. Just don't try it with peat-smoked!

david_42 said:

That is at the high end but not too much for a rauch. Just don't try it with peat-smoked!

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LOL! Yeah I heard that stuff is deadly. I'm not Irish enough.

After looking at the website for the beer I'm modeling this after(one of the best beers I've ever tasted, if not the best), it appears the smokebeer is 100% smoked malt.

http://www.schlenkerla.de/rauchbier/prozess/prozesse.html

Is peat smoked real strong? I have a recipe that calls for 6 oz of rauch, and he said I would be better off with peat smoked. If I was to use the peat should I lower it to 4oz?

Lower, much lower. Peat is POTENT. I used 2oz in a porter, and it was definately noticable. Not overpowering, but it was there. 6oz of rauchmalt really isn't that much, so if you do sub in peat, I'd go to an ounce, MAYBE two at the most. It's real easy to overdo.

In my smoked porter I used 5 lbs in 5 gallons. At first it was fairly smokey, but it has mellowed out some. 25% will give you some smoke without being overwhelming.

Sounds good. Thanks Brewsmith.

david_42 said:

That is at the high end but not too much for a rauch. Just don't try it with peat-smoked!

Click to expand...

*shudder* I tried some Scotch (I have no idea why) that has a really particular peat smoked flavor. What a horrible taste.

I haven't made a smoked beer yet. I'll be interested to hear how this turns out!

i haven't tried peat-smoked beer, but if you can get some of the beer from the link I posted on the previous page, try it. it's like smoked meat or fish in a beer. Awesome!

If you've had Stone Smoked Porter (one of the best beers I've ever had), that's peat-smoked malt they use. The key is - you can SO EASILY overwhelm the beer with the peat, you need to use far, far, far less of it than you would expect. I like my smoked porter, it's really coming along, and it's got just the right amount of aroma and flavor with only the two ounces. It's not a rauchbier - you wouldn't make a rauchbier with peat, I don't think it would taste right if you wanted the smoke to be dominant.