Smoky Robust Porter

I brewed a pretty good Robust Porter a few months ago. It's just coming around but I may have screwed up the carbonation as it has no head yet and tastes flat, (but good).

So now I'm thinking of adding smoked malt to the recipe. I've never used it before so do you think it's to much for a 1.5 gallon brew? Recipe is in the attached picture.

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i'd say throwing in some smoked oak chips at burnout or maybe 5 mins on the boil would add a smoky note, but i'd guess maybe .25 oz of it

Three items stand out to me:

1) What type of smoked malt are you using? If it's peat smoked, you have way too much; I would use about 4 ozs in 5 gallons for a nice flavor. If it's cherry or beechwood, you are probably in the ball-park.

2) I think you are low on Chocolate malt. I'd double it.

3) Why only 1.5 gallons.

Calder said:

Three items stand out to me:

1) What type of smoked malt are you using? If it's peat smoked, you have way too much; I would use about 4 ozs in 5 gallons for a nice flavor. If it's cherry or beechwood, you are probably in the ball-park.

2) I think you are low on Chocolate malt. I'd double it.

3) Why only 1.5 gallons.

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1) Just noticed my LHBS doesn't carry smoked malt. MIdWest has a Briss malt smoked on Cherry wood. Guess I'd order a pound. So what do you think about 12 oz of this one?

2) I'll try that in Beersmith and see what it looks like.

3) I like lots of different beers to drink. This is a good size produces about 12 bottles and I don't have to worry about going thru 50 bottles of something I'm not crazy about. I'm pretty much designing my own and could get something I don't like.

Right now I'm stuck w/10 bottles of a sweet stout I made in a 5 gal batch. Came out two sweet. I gave away a lot, but still drink maybe one a week. I like the idea of a variety in my pipeline and drinking fridge. As you see below I have a lot to choose when I open my fridge.

Thanks for the advise.

20% of your grain bill will be pretty smoky...I used a pound in a 5 gallon batch and it was pleasant but not overpowering. Can't remember the OG at the moment.

Theres's a smoked ale on northern brewer's site. Check out their ingredients list and some of the reviews to figure out if you've got more than you're hoping for.

heckels said:

20% of your grain bill will be pretty smoky...I used a pound in a 5 gallon batch and it was pleasant but not overpowering. Can't remember the OG at the moment.

Theres's a smoked ale on northern brewer's site. Check out their ingredients list and some of the reviews to figure out if you've got more than you're hoping for.

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Thanks, perhaps I need to find a commercial smoked porter and see what it tastes like first. Any brands come to mind?

I used 2 lbs of the cherry in a 6.5 gallon batch and it came out OK. I used 3 lbs of beechwood smoked in a 6.5 gallon batch and it came out OK. I used 5.5 ozs of peat smoked in a 6.5 gallon batch of a clone of stone smoked Porter, and it came out fantastic.

Calder said:

I used 2 lbs of the cherry in a 6.5 gallon batch and it came out OK. I used 3 lbs of beechwood smoked in a 6.5 gallon batch and it came out OK. I used 5.5 ozs of peat smoked in a 6.5 gallon batch of a clone of stone smoked Porter, and it came out fantastic.

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Thanks Calder, I'll have to scale that down to my 1.5 gallon brewing. I won't be doing this till late Sept. Will repost here when I finalize the recipe.

Well it's done, bottled and ready to drink. Came out pretty dam good if I have to say so myself. There's a nice malty taste to begin w/and later the smoke comes through. Here is the revised recipe and a bunch of pictures in the following posts.

3 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 75.3 %
8.0 oz Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.8 %
5.9 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 8.0 %
4.5 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 4 6.0 %
1.40 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 66.8 IBUs
0.00 oz Malto-Dextrine (Boil 5.0 mins) Other 6 -
0.30 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Aroma Steep 10.0 min Hop 7 0.0 IBUs
0.15 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Aroma Steep 5.0 min Hop 8 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) [25.00 ml] Yeast 9 -

Est Original Gravity: 1.066 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.059 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.2 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.4 %
Bitterness: 66.8 IBUs Est Color: 30.2 SRM

More photos

The end of the work, the beginning of delight!

If you like the smoke, don't be afraid to use more smoked malt.

Just finished a pint of smoked ale, 98% weyermann smoked, 2% weyermann carafa II dehusked, Hallertau, Safale 04.

Currently drinking a smoked lager, 98% weyermann smoked, 2% weyermann carafa II dehusked, Hallertau, WL820.

TheZer said:

If you like the smoke, don't be afraid to use more smoked malt.

Just finished a pint of smoked ale, 98% weyermann smoked, 2% weyermann carafa II dehusked, Hallertau, Safale 04.

Currently drinking a smoked lager, 98% weyermann smoked, 2% weyermann carafa II dehusked, Hallertau, WL820.

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I"m planning what I'll call Wai`anae Summer Ale. It will be a smoky brown ale. The name goes along w/our summers on the dry side of the island. The mountains turn brown as much of the plant life goes dormant in the lower reaches and brush fires also come w/the dry brush. Will us a full lb of a Mesquite smoked 2 row from Austin Brewing.

The Weyermann smoked malt is really not that smokey. Wanted to gauge its smokiness by using the maximum amount of smoked malt in my recipe. I may have to try the mesquite smoked malt.

I do enjoy the WL820 lager much more than the ale using safale04.

TheZer said:

The Weyermann smoked malt is really not that smokey. Wanted to gauge its smokiness by using the maximum amount of smoked malt in my recipe. I may have to try the mesquite smoked malt.

I do enjoy the WL820 lager much more than the ale using safale04.

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I'm not into lagering.

Great pics C-Rider. Sure you've finished this batch and I bet it was good lol. I surf too. I live in Titusville, FL. I like the idea of small batches, less than 5 gallons. It's also more economical for those of us who don't have lots of $$ right now. Cheers.

hepcat said:

Great pics C-Rider. Sure you've finished this batch and I bet it was good lol. I surf too. I live in Titusville, FL. I like the idea of small batches, less than 5 gallons. It's also more economical for those of us who don't have lots of $$ right now. Cheers.

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Yup, came out pretty good. Just had a big fire in the valley early this month. Hmmmm perhaps I need to brew another Summer Ale.