Brewed a smokey lager and the smoke flavor disappeared?!

[hufcat05]

So I decided to experiment with a smokey lager. Started with a Munich Helles and tossed in some peated malts for the smoke flavor. About 5 days into carbonation phase (12 days into lager rest) I lost patience and tapped it. It had a distinct smoke flavor to it that was very pleasant. It's now 4 days later and I can't taste any smoke at all! Any ideas why this would happen?

The beer is still very good, but now tastes like a slightly sweet Spaten... I'm disappointed that I lost the smoke flavor.

Grain bill and schedule below:

7lb German pilsner
.25 lb peat malt
1.83 Pilsen Light DME
1 oz Hallertau (3.6% AA) - 60 minutes
.5 oz Hersbrucker (2.3% AA) - 30 minutes

Yeast: WLP 830 German Lager Yeast

Mash:
2.8 gallons @ 155 - 45 minutes
2.3 gallons @ 168 - 10 minutes

Fermentation:

55 degrees - 2 weeks
68 degrees - 1 week (diacetyl rest)
52 degrees - 1 week
35 degrees - 5 days (carbonation and lager finish)

OG: 1.046
FG: 1.014
ABV: 4.2

 

[homebrewer_99]

I've used peat (Scotch Silly) and Rauchmalz (Bamberg Rauchbier) in the past and I have to say that you didn't use nearly enough smoke malt.

I've used 2# of rauchmalz (smoked malt) and most of the flavor and aroma was gone in a year (kegged). I say "most", there was still some smoke "presence", but only on the light side.