Peat-Smoked Porter (extract)

[redzeker]

I'm a big - if not especially knowledgeable - scotch fan (especially peat monsters like Ardbeg and Laphroaig) and thought about trying my hand at a smoked porter this weekend. This is what I have so far for a 5-gallon batch:

6lbs dark LME
2lbs dark DME
1lb black malt
0.25lb caramel 80L
0.25lb peated malt

2oz Cluster @ 60 min
1oz Willamette @ 40 min
1oz Willamette @ 15 min

I have Brandon O's Graff in a carboy right now, ready to bottle, so I'm planning on washing the Safale US-05 yeast from that and using it (my first time washing yeast!).

Thoughts? I am not trying to make a peat or smoke monster of a beer, but I do want the flavor in there. I think the peated malt brings both the brine and smoke flavors, and I know that it doesn't take much. I was hoping to get some feedback on possibly adding some cherrywood for a bit more smoke/bacon flavor, but I'm not sure if that's too much.

TIA!

 

[MrSnacks]

Looks pretty good to me but I love black malt! .25lb of peated malt is a great start and if for some reason you want more, you can always steep it and add it later.

I guess one could quibble about whether that's a stout or a porter, but that's neither here nor there.

 

[brokebucket]

Here is Jamil's recipe for a smoked porter...it's what I would start with. The consensus of many is that peat has no place in beer, but you should use other smoked malts that arent so harsh. Follow this and I bet you will have a damn fine beer....Jamil's recipes are solid.

6 lbs 8.0 oz UK Pale Ale Malt Extract(3.0 SRM)
2 lbs 16.0 oz German Smoked Malt (2.5 SRM)
16.0 oz US Caramel 40L Malt (40.0 SRM)
16.0 oz US Caramel 80L Malt (80.0 SRM)
16.0 oz US Munich 10L Malt (10.0 SRM)
12.0 oz US Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
8.0 oz US Black Malt (500.0 SRM)
1.3 oz UK Golding [5.0%] - Boil 60 min
0.8 oz US Willamette [5.0%] - Boil 30 min
0.8 oz US Willamette [5.0%] - Boil 15 min
0.4 oz UK Golding [5.0%] - Boil 0 min
0.4 oz US Willamette [5.0%] - Boil 0 min

 

[MrSnacks]

Here is Jamil's recipe for a smoked porter...it's what I would start with. The consensus of many is that peat has no place in beer, but you should use other smoked malts that arent so harsh. Follow this and I bet you will have a damn fine beer....Jamil's recipes are solid.

6 lbs 8.0 oz UK Pale Ale Malt Extract(3.0 SRM)
2 lbs 16.0 oz German Smoked Malt (2.5 SRM)
16.0 oz US Caramel 40L Malt (40.0 SRM)
16.0 oz US Caramel 80L Malt (80.0 SRM)
16.0 oz US Munich 10L Malt (10.0 SRM)
12.0 oz US Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
8.0 oz US Black Malt (500.0 SRM)
1.3 oz UK Golding [5.0%] - Boil 60 min
0.8 oz US Willamette [5.0%] - Boil 30 min
0.8 oz US Willamette [5.0%] - Boil 15 min
0.4 oz UK Golding [5.0%] - Boil 0 min
0.4 oz US Willamette [5.0%] - Boil 0 min

That's a totally and completely different beer though. He specifically mentions that he enjoys the taste of peat--german smoked malt's not going to get you anywhere near that flavor. They're not interchangeable malts.

 

[JKaranka]

If you like peaty whiskies, have you considered turning this into a double stout? I think the black malt should be ok for it. Bring the OG to around 1.070 with light LME and maybe a pound of corn sugar. Bring up the bittering hops slightly too. The alcohol and the peat would go more hand in hand than in a 1.055-1.060 brew.

 

[brokebucket]

That's a totally and completely different beer though. He specifically mentions that he enjoys the taste of peat--german smoked malt's not going to get you anywhere near that flavor. They're not interchangeable malts.

You are right, completely different beer. I was trying to impart some wisdom that greater brewers have discovered....Peat malt doesn't do well in beers....by offering an alternative.

 

[redzeker]

Here is Jamil's recipe for a smoked porter...it's what I would start with. The consensus of many is that peat has no place in beer, but you should use other smoked malts that arent so harsh. Follow this and I bet you will have a damn fine beer....Jamil's recipes are solid.

That's a totally and completely different beer though. He specifically mentions that he enjoys the taste of peat--german smoked malt's not going to get you anywhere near that flavor. They're not interchangeable malts.

In researching recipes, I definitely came across the anti-peat sentiment. I did not, however, find anyone who said they liked peaty scotch who was also against peated malt in beer

I really don't want this to be crazy, just a little different. It might be a bust, but at the very least I'll learn what doesn't work and get to try my hand at washing my yeast! The hardest part of this recipe was deciding whether I wanted to do a peat-smoked porter/stout or peat-smoked pale ale.

If you like peaty whiskies, have you considered turning this into a double stout? I think the black malt should be ok for it. Bring the OG to around 1.070 with light LME and maybe a pound of corn sugar. Bring up the bittering hops slightly too. The alcohol and the peat would go more hand in hand than in a 1.055-1.060 brew.

Ooh, I like that idea! That said, I've never done an imperial brew before. I thought adding sugar might dry it out too much. Not something to worry about?

So, new recipe: doubled the dark DME (2lbs -> 4lbs), added 1lb sugar, increased bittering hops by 1/2oz. Too much? Not enough?

6lbs dark LME
4lbs dark DME
1lb sugar
1lb black malt
0.25lb caramel 80L
0.25lb peated malt

2.5oz Cluster @ 60 min
1oz Willamette @ 40 min
1oz Willamette @ 15 min

OG: 1.087
FG: 1.022
IBU: 94
ABV: 8.4%
SRM: 50

I'd like to avoid needing to age this very long in order for it to be drinkable, hence the lower FG and ABV...but I do want to get the mouthfeel right. Think it'll still be good?

Also, I've been getting lazy and avoiding secondaries lately (unless I wanted to add something extra)...think I can avoid it for this brew or would it really benefit from some time in a secondary?

One final question: how do we feel about corn syrup instead of cane or corn sugar? I've got some in the pantry and we never use it, so I'd love to use it if (and only if!) it won't negatively affect my beer.

Thanks again for all of the advice!

 

[brokebucket]

Out of curiosity, I did a search on peat malt...lots of bad, but then found this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f77/100-peated-ale-276443/

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you find it to your liking. Best of luck!

 

[MrSnacks]

Out of curiosity, I did a search on peat malt...lots of bad, but then found this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f77/100-peated-ale-276443/

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you find it to your liking. Best of luck!

Peat can go bad real quick. On the other hand, it can be transcendent: see, for example, HOTD Adam.

 

[redzeker]

Okay, I've revised...yet again. I reduced the sugar a bit, upped the DME, and added some flaked/instant oats for more body without much added flavor.

Batch size: 5 gallons
OG: 1.094
FG: 1.024
IBU: 92
ABV: 9.0%
SRM: 50

6lbs dark LME
5lbs dark DME
0.75lb cane sugar
0.5lb flaked oats
0.25lb black malt
0.25lb caramel 80L
0.25lb peated malt

2.5oz Cluster @ 60 min
1oz Willamette @ 40 min
1oz Willamette @ 15 min

Eh?

 

[JF_HBrews]

I think your recipe looks good. The peated malt at 4 oz. won't ruin anything about your beer (IMO of course) especially since you love the more heavily peated scotch. That said, I wouldn't go past 4 oz. of peated malt for a 5 gallon batch. I'd love to see a picture of the color of your beer and I'm looking forward to how you like it.

 

[Calder]

You are right, completely different beer. I was trying to impart some wisdom that greater brewers have discovered....Peat malt doesn't do well in beers....by offering an alternative.

I made a great clone of "Stone smoked porter" with peat malt. You can make excellent beers with it.

Batch size: 5 gallons
OG: 1.094
FG: 1.024
IBU: 92
ABV: 9.0%
SRM: 50

6lbs dark LME
5lbs dark DME
0.75lb cane sugar
0.5lb flaked oats
0.25lb black malt
0.25lb caramel 80L
0.25lb peated malt

2.5oz Cluster @ 60 min
1oz Willamette @ 40 min
1oz Willamette @ 15 min

Dark LME , dark DME, and a pound of black. That is firmly in stout territory. My biggest suggestion would be to drop the black and replace it with a pound or more of chocolate malt.

 

[Malty_Dog]

Peat malt is recommended in virtually all the wee heavy recipes from the book Beer Captured, which kind of surprised me given Jamil's apparent objections. I've also heard its tasty - but seriously overpowering if not used sparingly. Was reading that 2 oz is enough...I'll have to try it at some point to see. Recently made an old chub clone without any peat and its smoky/savory enough for me. More savory than smoky, but pretty spot on. Tasty.