Classic Style Smoked Beer Loon Lake Smoked Porter (Award Winner)

[pwndabear]

btw, i let someone try this beer who happened to be a certified BJCP judge and i was unaware of it. he gave it a score of about 35. sweet!

 

[hopdropper]

So I'm in the camp of "no smoke smell" at all during the mash...hoping the grain wasn't bunk. The dry grain had a slight odor of smoke pre-grind, but definitely not very strong. During the fermentation I stuck my nose over the airlock and took a good whiff....again, not even a hint of smoke. We'll see how it comes along in the bottle. Regardless, it still looks tasty...

 

[pwndabear]

i found its not the smokiest of smells unless its carbed. youre not going to get a huge nose on any beer if it isnt carbed really. give it time. mine came out great.

 

[hopdropper]

good to know regarding carbonation and odor. i might have bigger problems though...transferred to secondary yesterday and pulled a sample....does not taste good. no smoke flavor, no porter flavor...it has that sharp, acidic "twang" that tastes like ass. hoping it's not contaminated.
kind of thinking aging aint gonna fix this one...looks good and clear in the carboy though...

 

[pwndabear]

the acid says infection. give it time. you could have one hell of a smoked sour!

 

[sivdrinks]

The local micro brew here in town has an award winning smoked porter. It took a gold in the 2004 GABF. It’s mellow smoke flavor goes well with the malty flavor of this grain grist. I emailed the brewer there and he said they use up to 65% of beechwood smoked malt. While I love the rich smokiness of their beer, I wanted to tame it down just a bit to appeal to the more traditional beer drinker. I ended up using just under 50% beechwood smoked (Rauch) malt. I strongly suggest you don’t use peat smoked malt or (God forbid) try to use a smoke flavor additive. If you can’t get your hands on beechwood, try smoking your own. There are plenty of threads here that talk about the process.

There was a lengthy back and forth discussion on this recipe here, and the common theme is that you can’t fear the smoke. Anything less than 35% smoked malt and the flavor/aroma will be so slight as to be missed…depending on the grain bill.

I brewed this beer 23 days ago and have been enjoying this immensely for the last week. With a low IBU and a mellow base recipe, this is a beer that can be turned from grain to glass quickly. The smoke aroma is prominent, but not at all overpowering. The sweetness of the malt really balances this beer well. I mashed this at around 157 and held it for just 45 minutes. (I like my porters rich). This beer tastes, smells and feels like a rich porter that was brewed over an open fire in a log cabin. I’ve already placed an order for more Rauch malt because this one is a do-over.

I’ve actually bottled of a few of this batch to enter into a local competition coming up.

If you’re looking for a good winter warmer that is distinctive, this is a winner.

Loon Lake Smoked Porter

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.57 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 22.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 24.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
5.00 lb Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM
3.00 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)
0.75 lb Chocolate Malt (250.0 SRM)

0.50 oz Northern Brewer [8.50%] (60 min)
0.75 oz Williamette [5.20%] (60 min)

Safale-04 Slurry from a prior batch.

If I wanted just a Rauchbier should I just drop the Chocolate? Also, what smoke malt are you using? Apparently big differences between Weyerman and Bestmaltz.

 

[hopdropper]

yeah, acid twang = infection that's kind of what i figured. had a batch last year (cold smoke clone) that ended up with that same flavor. not even sure if i should bottle it or just dump the whole ****aroo down drain. grrrrrr....

 

[pwndabear]

i wouldnt dump personally

 

[hopdropper]

took your advice...it's happily carbonating in bottles as i type. flavor was a little "better"...hoping i just had some bad/stale grain or something. i saw a post a few pages back where a guy brewed it up and had the exact same experience as me (tasted awful out of the primary, but a few weeks in the bottle produced a drinkable porter)....so i'm hoping i'll at least get an OK product out of it. will definitely try again with better/more smoked malt...

 

[hopdropper]

update....just cracked open one of those bottles and...good news and bad news.
good news....the flavor is great, came around nicely. even have a solid hint of smoke.
bad news....it's flat. it's been priming for two weeks in the garage, temp around 60-65. maybe that's not warm enough? i seem to be having issues with either over carbonation or under carbonation lately. frustrating.

 

[sivdrinks]

update....just cracked open one of those bottles and...good news and bad news.
good news....the flavor is great, came around nicely. even have a solid hint of smoke.
bad news....it's flat. it's been priming for two weeks in the garage, temp around 60-65. maybe that's not warm enough? i seem to be having issues with either over carbonation or under carbonation lately. frustrating.

I'd try somewhere warmer. I usually use Coopers carb tabs. Haven't had an issues with them, better to wait three weeks in my experience. I did batch carb with priming sugar on my Coconut Porter and it's overcarbed. Not awful just too much. I used 5oz table sugar, probably should've used 4.

 

[hopdropper]

so i just checked my notes and i guess it's only been carbing for 10 days...so maybe not long enough? hope that's the case cause that flat beer was pretty tasty.

 

[Chavi]

I brewed a 5 gal partial mash of this with the recipe below.

5 lbs Rauch malt
1 lbs caramunich
1 lbs Crystal 40
1 lbs American Chocolate
4 lbs Liquid Light Extract
0.5 oz Northern Brewer pellets (60 min)
0.75 oz Willamette pellets (60 min)
WLP007 Dry English Ale

OG 1.052
FG 1.018

I fermented for 3 weeks; primed it with a pre-measured packet of priming sugar from a Williams Brewing kit; conditioned for 3 weeks.

The first taste was awesome. Now the beer is over carbonated and foams like crazy when opened and poured (no explosions yet). It still tastes good but has a very weak mouthfeel.

I'm not sure if it wasn't finished fermenting when I bottled it or if a slight heat spell is the cause of the over carbonation. I've moved this summer and haven't got a good read on temperature ranges of the new apartment.

I will definitely brew this again come late fall early winter. I'm thinking of upping the smoked malt as I would like a smokier taste but I'm not sure if the super-fizz is burning off some of the smoke or not. I may also use a different yeast as I chose to dry ale to build up a cake for an imperial porter.

I am very interested in making this smoked porter. Is this a good partial grain recipe? Can anyone comment on it?

 

[Nine_Notches]

I made this recipe with 50% smoked malt Green Bullet and Goldings as my hops. OG 1.051 FG 1.017 mashing at 158.

There was no noticeable smoke taste or smell during the mash. After reading some of the other experiences within this thread, I was interested in how the flavour would develop throughout fermentation hence I tasted this regularly throughout fermentation. It took about two days before the smoke taste really started to come through and after a week it was tasting incredible straight out of the carboy with an obvious but not overpowering smoke flavour - just what I was after. I fermented for two weeks, however over the last two days the smoke flavour disappeared - at bottling it was barely noticeable.

After two weeks in the bottle the smoke flavour was still non existant. At three weeks I can just pick it out, but it is only barely detectable and if I didn't know it was there I would probably miss it. The basic porter flavour is great and so I will be happy if it remains as is. However I was aiming for an obvious smoke flavour so am hoping that it will punch through with a few more weeks in the bottle.

I am guessing that the smoke flavour varies from grain to grain and also age, I got mine from the link below (from NZ). I guess I will know for next time whether to use more or not. Will post back if the smoke flavour gets any stronger. I should also note that I primed for 2.1 volumes and this batch is still under carbonated. Though it was my first time batch priming and I am a little scared I didn't mix the priming solution enough. With more drinking I guess I will find out !!

http://www.thebrewhouse.co.nz/webapps/p/88908/215726/613548

 

[sivdrinks]

Are the hops important here? I plan on bittering with whatever since there's no flavor or aroma additions, probably Chinook or Nugget. Considering two pounds of Rye in here also, DuClaw's Imperial Chocolate Rye Porter is awesome.

 

[BierMuncher]

Are the hops important here? I plan on bittering with whatever since there's no flavor or aroma additions, probably Chinook or Nugget. Considering two pounds of Rye in here also, DuClaw's Imperial Chocolate Rye Porter is awesome.

No. This is not a hop-centric beer. Use whatever you have to achieve the proper IBU's. That said, I'd shy away from the "stronger" flavor hops (like nugget). Even at 60 minutes, that strong aroma profile might come through and interfere with the subtle smoke tones.

 

[KidDynamite]

I brewed this a few weeks ago and just cracked my first bottle: it tastes friggin' AWESOME right now.

my question for the field is: will the smoke taste intensify over the next few weeks? or will it fade?

I bottled and bottle conditioned (with maple syrup, cause that's how I roll)

 

[sivdrinks]

I brewed this a few weeks ago and just cracked my first bottle: it tastes friggin' AWESOME right now.

my question for the field is: will the smoke taste intensify over the next few weeks? or will it fade?

I bottled and bottle conditioned (with maple syrup, cause that's how I roll)

What recipe did you use, the OP? I plan on using 5lbs of Briess smoked when I make this.

 

[KidDynamite]

What recipe did you use, the OP? I plan on using 5lbs of Briess smoked when I make this.

yeah - I scaled down the OP's recipe to my 2.5 gallon size.

 

[Bamsdealer]

Question for those who kegged this. Did you notice any lingering smokiness in the lines or keg after moving on to your next beer? I plan on trying a smoked beer in the next few months, but wasn't sure if I should keg or bottle...

 

[Frikkieman]

I'm planning to make this recipe this weekend. Wanting to know how vigorous a fermentation it's going to be. I made the "Bee Cave Brewery Robust Porter" a while back and it lost its mind, blew the lid off, even at 66F. Given, the OG was higher and it was Nottingham yeast. Still, will I need a blow off tube for this bad boy or will a normal s-shaped ailock suffice?

 

[woknblues]

i haven't had the Loon Lake porter that BM used as a reference for this, but if anyone has made this, and had Stone's smoked porter, how does the smokiness compare? I love that beer and wold at least want that much smoke.



@Frikkiemn When I use s-04, I am usually pretty safe with an airlock. I think it is a wonderful vigorous yeast, but it doesn't seem to blow the lid off like notty. In my experience anyway.

 

[sivdrinks]

i haven't had the Loon Lake porter that BM used as a reference for this, but if anyone has made this, and had Stone's smoked porter, how does the smokiness compare? I love that beer and wold at least want that much smoke.

@Frikkiemn When I use s-04, I am usually pretty safe with an airlock. I think it is a wonderful vigorous yeast, but it doesn't seem to blow the lid off like notty. In my experience anyway.

I have this on tap now, made with very slight changes. It's at least as smokey as Stone, I actually don't get any smoke with Stone myself. I'm not sure how it will age but it tastes kinda like liquid bacon right now. Mine finished at 1.023 with one pack of S04 mashed around 153, ABV just under 5%. Personally I'd try for an OG closer to 1.060 next time, get it closer to the 6% ABV range. Had a slight pellicle thing going on in secondary but hasn't affected the beers taste. It does have a fast disappearing head with no lacing though, on gas for about two weeks so far. Could be the pellicle or just that dark beers take longer to carb up, so I've heard.

 

[DPBISME]

Nice

 

[Frikkieman]

Thanks woknblues for the reply. Good to hear as I havn't actually gotten around to doing the beer. sivdrinks, what was your OG that your FG was so high? I'm concerned as the OP said "I mashed this at around 157 and held it for just 45 minutes" but shows a FG of about 1.012. I'm afraid if I mas hat 157, my FG might be way too high. I made the Ó Flannagáin Standard (with S-04) and mashed at 157 and my OG was 1.048 and FG 1.023. Just wondering, cause I dont want to have too low an ABV. Any other people have results on mash temps and OG/FG values? Would appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[sivdrinks]

Thanks woknblues for the reply. Good to hear as I havn't actually gotten around to doing the beer. sivdrinks, what was your OG that your FG was so high? I'm concerned as the OP said "I mashed this at around 157 and held it for just 45 minutes" but shows a FG of about 1.012. I'm afraid if I mas hat 157, my FG might be way too high. I made the Ó Flannagáin Standard (with S-04) and mashed at 157 and my OG was 1.048 and FG 1.023. Just wondering, cause I dont want to have too low an ABV. Any other people have results on mash temps and OG/FG values? Would appreciate it.

Thanks

My recipe, guess that's a lot of crystal for a lower attenuating yeast at a temp of 154ish.

http://hopville.com/recipe/1652294

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

I am about to make a batch of this but am apprehensive about using S-04, as it has been the worst performing yeast I have ever used. I saw mention of WLP-007 Dry English Ale. I also have a pkg of Nottingham waiting to be used. If not S-04, any recommendations on a different yeast for this recipe? Thanks all!

 

[woknblues]

I just used wlp004 Irish ale yeast on a stout recently and found it to be a strong performer. I think it would be at home here in this recipe (I see people use it for almost anything not necessarily "hop forward"). Having said that, I have faith in sa-04, it always works for me... Do you rehydrate? I used a product called ferm-gro, (I think it was some kind of nutrient) when I rehydrated and got wonderful vigorous fermentation (60 minute lag) going on an IPA I brewed.

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

I do rehydrate and the S-04 I used was my fourth and final LME kit before I went to partial mash and allgrain brew kits and recipes. I know I fermented too warm on those first four batches and that is why I was ending up with so much acetaldehyde, but the S-04 jus was so slow and sluggish. I do remember thinking that if i ever used it again it would be only with yeast nutrient and maybe even some energizer. Are porters by design an english ale? Is this beer, because of the smoked malt, more likely to be considered a a german ale? I thought the Nottingham might be a good choice because it is both an english yeast and it doesnt leave much for esters behind. And I already have a pack of it

 

[woknblues]

Full disclosure, I haven't brewed this beer!!

Porters are English originally, for sure. I feel that English and UK styles can have some mild ester profile, and are more malt forward. That is not to say that American style porters (or pales or IPAs for that matter) that favor a cleaner finishing yeast that is hop driven are not good or right, and of course, use what you like or have on hand! Notty would be an obvious choice to use, if I had it on hand, I wouldn't hesitate to use it here... I have been using sa-04 quite a bit because my LHBS is perpetually out of sa-05. Someone comes by and scoops them all up just before I get there. Consequently, I have begun to get familiar and appreciate the sa-04 strain. It is certainly less predictable than the old stand-by's (sa-05, notty). I don't use notty for fear of a blow out. I ferment in the house for ales in general and can't afford to piss off the wife.

I have been super pleased with BM's recipes. He will mix grains from other countries it seems to get the right balance in his brews. Also, he is likely brewing with what he has on hand. I think his brews are unique in that he can take a malt not normally used in a style and make beautiful beers with them. His blonde ale, for example has vienna malt in it.