Home-Smoked Malt

[Brewsmith]

Anyone that has smoked their own malt, help me out on this one. I was with a friend who has started smoking meat and I told him we could smoke some malt and make a smoked beer out of it. He thought it would be a great idea. I'm thinking about 5 lbs of base malt. My friend was assuming that you would need the temp low. About how long should it smoke?

 

[Buzzy]

I made a smoked Porter a few months back. That is a great beer! I bought my grains from the brew store already smoked. I would like to smoke some grains also. Where do you begin? What kind of wood? How hot?

 

[Iordz]

I have done it, but I did not use an outdoor smoker. But I know you have to keep the temp down, the cooler the smoke, the smoother the taste. 5lb could be a lot, depends on the recipe volume, efficiency, etc, also depends on how long you smoke the grains for. I used 10% of the grist and smoked it over alder wood for 15min, next time I will bring the percentage down to 5, 10% seemed to be a little too much.

 

[Evets]

So, do you crack the grain befor smoking, or keep them whole?

 

[Iordz]

Smoke them whole. Soak them in water, smoke them till very low moisture remains, then let them dry naturally or bake them on low for 30min, which adds another flavor in the mix.

 

[Ryan_PA]

I think I remember reading that you should crus first to allow more surface area. I hope someone can chime in since I am not 100% confident contradicting Iordz

 

[Dude]

I wouldn't crush it because you'll need the grain to sit for a week or so to mellow.

A great reference is a book called "Smoked Beers" in the classic style series. It is written by Geoff Larson and Ray Daniels (both brewers of excellent smoked beers)--and is an excellent read. It goes into great depth on different ways to smoke the malts and even how to build the smoker.

FWIW, I cold smoke my malts in a separate smoker box away from the heat of the grill. I attach a dryer hose to the smoker box from the grill and it doesn't get more than 10° above outside ambient air temp.

 

[Brewsmith]

Thanks Dude. I knew that you had done it before. How long do you smoke it for?

 

[Dude]

Thanks Dude. I knew that you had done it before. How long do you smoke it for?

The first time, I smoked 5 lbs for 2 hours, the second time I did 9 lbs for 2 hours. The smoke was pretty intense but it goes away a bit over time.

I'm about ready to rack the latest to a keg. I can't wait to try it.

 

[criptrap]

Just thought I would share a method I used to home smoke malt. I used oak wood in a fire pit, grain un-crushed and wet hung in a pillow case over the smoldering oak fire with a tarp to keep all the smoke from blowing away.

The grain is pale two row malt 5 lbs and was smoked for two hours the last hour was with the tarp. Occasionally a chunk of snow was thrown on the fire to keep the flames low steam also kept the grain wet.

The recipe- for 5 gallons
5 lbs oak smoked two row pale malt
5 lbs pale two row malt
7 oz crystal 60L
2.5 special B
2.5 oz crystal 120L
4 oz victory 25L

mashed at 155 F for 1 hour

1.5 oz Celeia 90 min 2.8%aa
1.5 oz Celeia 30 min 2.8%aa

Yeast Nottingham dry
OG 1.060
FG 1.012
IBU 36

Brewed 2-12-2011/ bottled 3-6-2011

Tasted 3/23/2011
Strong smoke flavor like cured meat, some astringency, malt forward, needs time, improvement likely.

 

[kilted-txn]

I smoked my last batch 9 lbs. of pale malt for a smoked brown ale. I did not soak, I wet the grains & let them drip the excess to the smoker. Set the electric smoker to 150F and smoked for 3 hours. They were pretty much dry by then. I spread them out to finish drying and bagged them into a Zip-lock for a week.

Be careful not to let them get too dry or you will end up roasting them.