Blech, not into smoked beers

[JonM]

Normally I love everything that Left Hand and Bell's put out, but I recently tried Left Hand's smoked Baltic porter and Bell's smoked Vienna lager and I can't stand that flavor that comes from the smoked malt.

But, I don't want to write a whole style of beers off just yet. Are there other commercial examples that might change my mind on smoked beers?

 

[jmo88]

Schlenkerla rauchbier

 

[JefeTheVol]

here here. Blegh!

 

[smalliewader]

I'm with you, I tried a smoked porter about 17 years ago at snake river brewery in jackson hole. First beer other than iron city I ever poured out. Haven't tried another since. Just don't dig em.

 

[HexKrak]

I had a couple rauchbier's at the last homebrew club meeting that I really liked. The smokieness was subtle and really added something nice to the beer. I've also had some smoked beers that I wasn't too fond of such as Moon Lit Sessions Black Lager by Port Brewing that tasted like it was something that just came off the grill (slightly charred). Some people said the rauchbier I tasted wasn't smokey enough, but admitted that they would probably drink smoke if it was available in concentrated liquid form.

 

[davefleck]

The first few sips sit funny with me but the oddity fades to yummy. Not a function of intoxication...

 

[lestershy]

Schlenkerla rauchbier

This one is too much for me. It tastes like drinking liquid smoke.

Try Stone or Alaska smoked porters, they are both good. There is just enough smoke flavor there with out it taking over. Also Grand Teton makes an imperial stout that has a small amount of smoked malts in it.

 

[Coldies]

Try Stone or Alaska smoked porters, they are both good. There is just enough smoke flavor there with out it taking over. .

Bingo! Alaskan smoked porter is brewed with traditional smoked malt and less "smokey" to me and Stone is brewed with Peat malt and more upfront. Me personally, I love smoked beers!!! Peat or rauch malt. Love 'em.

 

[pm5k00]

I really enjoy the Smoked Porter from Stone you should be able to find that relatively easily, and the Mesquite Smoked Porter from Ranger Creek but thats only available in Texas as far as I know.

 

[Beezy]

Schlenkerla rauchbier

I like them. I wouldn't have more than one at a time but I like. I don't mind smoked beers at all. Plus I know my wife won't drink them.

 

[passedpawn]

Schlenkerla rauchbier

Love this. I think it's a smoked marzen. They also have a smoked bock that is very good (smoked with oak instead of beechwood).

 

[Joe_K]

I haven't tried one I liked either. Had the Stone Smoked Porter and didn't like it. That's why there's so many beer styles, something for everybody.

 

[ayoungrad]

I had a Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen at a Beer Advocate-hosted dinner at a local restaurant. It was paired with charcuterie (smoked pork sausage, ciccioli, pickles, mustard, bread) and the combo was awesome. But, I'm not sure I would have liked it without the food.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Schlenkerla also has a smoked hefe.


Lots of smoked beers are beyond my threshold for smoke flavor but when it is mild or subtle it is really delicious. Several scotch ales are slightly smokey -- which I enjoy -- although many people think it does not belong.

 

[Bobby_M]

Schlenkerla is the most over the top Rauchbier there is but Spezial Rauchbier is about half a smoky and a better entrance into the style.

 

[danorocks17]

i'm that way with pumpkin beers, i've tried quite a few and have disliked every single one of them

 

[HH60gunner]

I'm going to jump on board the stone smoked porter train. I love that beer and don't feel as if the smokiness is overpowering at all in it.

 

[jonmohno]

In a porter its great its more hidden than a rauchbeer, i liked stones smoked porter. I just tried a rauchbeer Schells it was pretty good,FCB "Z" smoked amber lager was ok,not enjoying having a sixer of it really. I dont think a porter would be bad, try a rauchbeer to really see what smoked is. I added a small amount to a dunkle and loved it.
Like a porter or stout i have to be in the mood for a smoked beer.
I always passed Schells up but have recently proved myself wrong for thinking they were cheap or not quality or whatever i thought about them but turns out i loved the maifest, hoffezmaltz, rauchbeer for my first.
Just spotted this thread out because i was on a smoked beer mission last weekend and also i dont know whats up but i never can seem to find dunkleweizens anywhere.

 

[usfmikeb]

Just to reinforce, Alaskan Smoked Porter is pretty good. Wife and I visited the brewery while on a cruise, and I drank a pretty good amount of this in a short time.

 

[LVBen]

I'm somewhat disappointed in the smoked wee heavy I made. I thought I would get a Scotch Whiskey flavor from the smoked malt, but I was wrong. I made it several months ago, and I've been letting it age. I really hope the smokiness blends in or fades away.

 

[jonmohno]

I'm somewhat disappointed in the smoked wee heavy I made. I thought I would get a Scotch Whiskey flavor from the smoked malt, but I was wrong. I made it several months ago, and I've been letting it age. I really hope the smokiness blends in or fades away.

Most likley its like a barleywine and will age well,do yourself a favor and forget about them for a while. High gravity beer=long time.

 

[JonM]

Great suggestions, all! I'll keep my eyes open for the subtle smoked beers and give em a try. The really smoky smoked beers just make me think of Bac-Os but I bet if it's done subtly, it'll be great.

 

[lou2row]

Stones Smoked porter is one I'd like to make. I could cruise through five gallons of that!

 

[jonmohno]

Seriously, give others a try, i had the hardest time trying to find a porter worth while to me. Its really about finding one you like and not deciding you hate a style because of a few you tried, they are all very different. If you like malty beers, try a scotch beer, some of them have some smokeyness to them usually mild too.In fact i just made one and cant wait to bottle it.

 

[Erroneous]

I liked oskar blues old chub. Very light smokey flavor.

 

[jonmohno]

I like smiley beerz.

 

[Erroneous]

I like smiley beerz.

Edited. Stinking new keyboardon my phone

 

[jonmohno]

Great suggestions, all! I'll keep my eyes open for the subtle smoked beers and give em a try. The really smoky smoked beers just make me think of Bac-Os but I bet if it's done subtly, it'll be great.

Try Schells stag series rauchbier,its like a really good amber with smoked malt, hopefully you like it, i just think its amazing, i almost get that kind of i love this like a oaked arrogant bastard , but maybe your just not ito this type of beer. I just think if you like a bold beer like arrogant this is less bold but just great.I just have a schells infatuation right now they are new to me and have had really good beer from them, just lettin ya know.
Dont think of BAc-o's think " Campfire!" Sm0ked salmon. smoked anything tasty. baco's fako's smako's

 

[osagedr]

Made a rauchbier recently; it's kegged right now. Not something I would get hammered on but I do enjoy it. I would say one of the best beers I've made--but the smoked malt was < 50% of the grain bill.

 

[arturo7]

Smoked meats - awesome

Smoked fish - also awesome

Smoked cheese - OK, in moderation why not

Smoked beer - why, just why would you want to bless up a beer?

Smoke meat to compensate for a poor, fatty cut

Smoke fish to preserve it.

Smoke cheese to... OK, no reason but why not...

But smoking the malt? Seriously? Maybe aging in a smoked barrel, but actually smoking the malt? There is no need to bless up an otherwise good beer by making it taste like a campfire.

 

[emjay]

^Agree

I could see myself liking some smoked malt MAYBE if it was a tiny part of the grist, and gave a little bit more complexity without the drinker even being able to definitively say there's smoked malt in there (kind of like the rule of thumb with spices, where being able to identify them means you've used too much), but I can't even be sure about that as I've never tried anything like that.

I guess the closest thing would be some Scottish beers which have a slightly smoky hint *NOT FROM ANY ACTUAL SMOKED MALT*, but that has just led to people adding smoked malt (in increasingly greater proportions, it seems), either out of some desire to emulate the smoky hint by cheating, or just out of ignorance that smoked malt doesn't actually belong in those beers.

 

[Erroneous]

I love smoked cheeses...in limited quantities. Everything needs to be in balance and smoke can be overpowering. Before pouring out a smoked beer though maybe cook some pork in it with some bbq sauce. I've had a beer that tasted more like fermented peat than barley but I bet you could cook something great with it