Non-peat smoked beer thoughts

[Stephonovich]

I decided to brew a small batch of something I've wanted to try. Originally it was to be with peat-smoked malt, but LHBS didn't have that, so plain smoked malt it is. I'm going to add Lapsang Souchong to it and see how that goes. If I like the end result, I'll make a full-size one.

Recipe is for a 1-gallon batch

* 0.6# 2-Row
* 1.6# Smoked Malt
* 1 ozs. Fuggles (4.5%), 35 minutes
* S-05 (I used ~1/5 a pack)

O.G. 1.052, F.G. 1.011

Note on the Fuggles, initially I meant to only have about 1/3 that amount, but I wasn't thinking, and dumped it all in. Combine that with the MASSIVE evaporation loss of the pot on the stove, and I said screw it, punched the new numbers into BeerSmith, and decided a 35-minute boil was good enough. Gave me 65 IBUs, which the smokiness hides very well.

Initial taste impressions without the Lapsang, from the primary are as follows:

With no tea added, the smokiness is there, but it's not at all like peat, or even a campfire. It's like burned dough, from a charcoal fire. Could be the yeast, but I wouldn't think S-05 would do that. Going to add 1 tsp Lapsang (steeped at about 100 F for 10 minutes) to see how that works out.

 

[giraffe]

With only a 35 minute boil, you may get DMS.

Be glad you didnt get the peated malt, 25% peated malt would have been indescribably gross. 25% regular smoked malt should be a pleasant smoky note. Like a smoked sausage type of smoke.

 

[Calder]

That amount of peat smoked malt would have been high in a 5 gallon batch, let alone a 1 gallon batch. Good job the LHBS was out of it.

 

[Stephonovich]

Oh, no, no, no - should have mentioned that. The original 1 gallon recipe with the peated malt had way less peat-smoked malt. 0.25 ozs, I think.

As to the DMS, haven't picked any up yet. I will say this is too smoky, but not in the way I would like. I love Lapsang Souchong, and Islay Scotch; the doughy flavor in this is blending in an interesting way, but not what I'm looking for.

I might try it again with the opposite ratios, and perhaps also a little C20. EDIT: Just realized I typed it in wrong. I made smoked malt the dominant one. I agree that the other way around may be nice.