Roast 'em, Toast 'em, Smoke 'em If you Got 'em

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

So I sampled my rauchbier today. Holy smokes!!! I can’t wait until it’s done. This thing has attenuated to just over 6% so far. It should finish around 8.25 to 8.5%. Right now I’ve got it at 62° for a diacetyl rest. The smoke is just the perfect amount of smoke. It is balanced nicely by the malty back bone of the beer. I wish I could get my hands on an original Schlenkerla beer just to compare it to.

On a side note, do you keg your rauchbiers? I’m worried that if I keg it, the smoke may infuse the beer line and all my beers will end up tasting smoky. Should I be concerned about that?

 

[Schlenkerla]

So I sampled my rauchbier today. Holy smokes!!! I can’t wait until it’s done. This thing has attenuated to just over 6% so far. It should finish around 8.25 to 8.5%. Right now I’ve got it at 62° for a diacetyl rest. The smoke is just the perfect amount of smoke. It is balanced nicely by the malty back bone of the beer. I wish I could get my hands on an original Schlenkerla beer just to compare it to.

On a side note, do you keg your rauchbiers? I’m worried that if I keg it, the smoke may infuse the beer line and all my beers will end up tasting smoky. Should I be concerned about that?

That's awesome.

I keg all my beers. I also clean the lines with a beer line cleaner between kegs. If that was to happen all you'd need to do is soak the lines overnight with oxy clean to remove any residue. I have yet to have had the need to do that on my my kegerator.

I have party taps that get fouled up every now and then. It's mainly because I forget about them after I bring them home. It's not till the next time I plan to use them when I notice how dirty they are after sitting around with old beer in them. They get an oxy clean soak and they are as good as new.

Don't worry about smoke residue. Just use good sanitation between kegs and you'll be fine.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Apple cold smoking some maple breakfast sausage to go with my maple brown ale. Brew club is tomorrow. Need smoked meat to go with the beers.

Gonna do a ham shortly....

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Fermentation is complete on my Rauchbier Eiche. It fermenented down to 1.016 and 8.93% alcohol. The sample tasted glorious. As soon as my cream ale is done fermenting, I will be cold crashing, fining, and kegging this one. Any suggestions on how long I should lager this beer? Patience is not a strong suit of mine.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Fermentation is complete on my Rauchbier Eiche. It fermenented down to 1.016 and 8.93% alcohol. The sample tasted glorious. As soon as my cream ale is done fermenting, I will be cold crashing, fining, and kegging this one. Any suggestions on how long I should lager this beer? Patience is not a strong suit of mine.

I don't normally do lagers. What temp did you ferment at up to this point?

I'd say 30 days, then do a diacetyl rest for a week at your primary fermentation temps.

So, 30 days at a lagering temps followed by 7 days at room temp. Then carbonate.

Room temp to me is ale fermentation temps.

 

[Schlenkerla]

BTW - My homebrew club really liked my Apple pellet smoked beer.

 

[BeerBrewerTrain]

Ive been enjoying this thread, Im on page 2 at the moment youve given me some good idea's. I smoked 5lb of my custom Malt "pilserMalt" mesquite+History added it to my custom recipe needs more work but suprisely it tastes better and better tarty dry smokey favor complex quite smooth use all natural ingredients "limited supple and knowledge" would pair very well with red meat. Cheers

 

[Schlenkerla]

Ive been enjoying this thread, Im on page 2 at the moment youve given me some good idea's. I smoked 5lb of my custom Malt "pilserMalt" mesquite+History added it to my custom recipe needs more work but suprisely it tastes better and better tarty dry smokey favor complex quite smooth use all natural ingredients "limited supple and knowledge" would pair very well with red meat. Cheers

What beer style did you make were you used smoked malt?

Classic Rauchbier?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Drinking a pastrami pilsner. Made by Schmaltz Brewing in N.Y.

It's very horsey. The nose is horseradish and the finish is a little peppery and mustard like... Smoke very subtle.

It's weird.... It's tasty though. Might be able to drink two of these.

 

[Schlenkerla]

If you're Catholic, try drinking this tomorrow.

You'd need to drink a lot to get the right amount of protein at 3 grams each

I think the average diet requires 100 grams of protein.

You'd need to drink 33 of these.

Good luck trying. [emoji12]

 

[Schlenkerla]

Fermentation is complete on my Rauchbier Eiche. It fermenented down to 1.016 and 8.93% alcohol. The sample tasted glorious. As soon as my cream ale is done fermenting, I will be cold crashing, fining, and kegging this one. Any suggestions on how long I should lager this beer? Patience is not a strong suit of mine.

Where you at on this one?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Actually didnt brew it yet. Wife came down with a virus and then I got it, its been a shi tty couple of weeks. Went down yesterday to check on the smoked malt after seeing your quote notification, very smoky. Its only gained intensity.

Two questions;

1) You feeling better yet?

2) Did you ever brew your beer?

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Where you at on this one?

I’m still lagering it. I have one empty keg right now. I’m trying to decide if I should keg this one or keep lagering it for a while and keg my helles bock that has been lagering since the middle of November. The last dopplebock I brewed, I lagered for 6 months. I wonder what the lagering process will do to the smoke.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I’m still lagering it. I have one empty keg right now. I’m trying to decide if I should keg this one or keep lagering it for a while and keg my helles bock that has been lagering since the middle of November. The last dopplebock I brewed, I lagered for 6 months. I wonder what the lagering process will do to the smoke.

I never lager in the traditional sense. That said, I think it will only make it more smooth, as expected with lagering. The smoke went through the whole process so I doubt it would diminish any by lagering longer.

It's not like whirlpooling or dry hopping where hop freshness is a relatively short thing.

My smoke beers book claims smoke helps preserve the beer. So with that thought I think you're good to keep doing what you've done so far.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Picked up some red wheat the other day to oak smoke.

Only managed to get 3 pounds, I'd of liked to do the normal five pounds....

 

[Schlenkerla]

Starting to be sad.... [emoji23]

Second to last Eiche (oak) Schlenkerla.....

 

[Schlenkerla]

 

[Schlenkerla]

Smoking pilsner and winter red wheat malt tonight for my next rauchbier.

Using Oak for the first time!!!!

Gonna make a Grodziske (Polish) or Gratzer (Prussian). It's a light beer heavily hopped with Saaz or Lublin.

Smokey ******
1.030 OG
1.006 FG
40 IBU
SRM 3

 

[Schlenkerla]

Off to age in my grain oast...

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I kegged my rauchbier Eiche today. Can’t wait for it to get carved up to try it out.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I kegged my rauchbier Eiche today. Can’t wait for it to get carved up to try it out.

When it's ready to drink, post pictures please!

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Rauchbier Eiche
9% ABV

I managed to mess up on brew day and instead of being 26 IBUs, it ended up 40 IBUs. It’s still very tasty. I used half smoked malt and half regular. Next time, I’ll probably go 75% smoked malt as I could use a little stronger smoke taste.

 

[Schlenkerla]

View attachment 567366Rauchbier Eiche
9% ABV

I managed to mess up on brew day and instead of being 26 IBUs, it ended up 40 IBUs. It’s still very tasty. I used half smoked malt and half regular. Next time, I’ll probably go 75% smoked malt as I could use a little stronger smoke taste.

Nice looking beer.

I'm starting to think that once one warms up to the smoke taste, 100% may not be enough. LOL. It's like hops.

You have too experiment to find the limit of your palate.

Some smoking process are more immense than others. My cold apple smoked beer at 50% was very strong. It took me a bit of time to determine it was really NOT too much. For awhile I thought it was harsh.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

It was much smokier during fermentation. I lagered it for about 6 weeks. I’m sure this mellowed a lot of the smoke flavor. The oak smoke also has a different flavor than what Schlenkerla uses. It a little more acrid and sharper on the palate. However, at 50% of the malt background, the smoke is in the background, not front and center.

At 9% ABV, it’s a little bit on the hot alcohol side, but not too bad. The tettnanger hops are a perfect complement to the maltiness and smoke. I would prefer it to have just a tick more sweetness to make it taste more like a doppelbock. When I rebrew this, I’ll cut the grain back a bit to account for my efficiency and the higher attenuation I achieved. Hopefully I will be closer to 8% ABV. I’ll also cut the hops back to achieve close to 25 IBU so that the malt can shine through a little more.

All in all. for a 9% beer, it is very drinkable. It’s also very intoxicating, have to be careful with this one.

 

[Schlenkerla]

It was much smokier during fermentation. I lagered it for about 6 weeks. I’m sure this mellowed a lot of the smoke flavor. The oak smoke also has a different flavor than what Schlenkerla uses. It a little more acrid and sharper on the palate. However, at 50% of the malt background, the smoke is in the background, not front and center.

At 9% ABV, it’s a little bit on the hot alcohol side, but not too bad. The tettnanger hops are a perfect complement to the maltiness and smoke. I would prefer it to have just a tick more sweetness to make it taste more like a doppelbock. When I rebrew this, I’ll cut the grain back a bit to account for my efficiency and the higher attenuation I achieved. Hopefully I will be closer to 8% ABV. I’ll also cut the hops back to achieve close to 25 IBU so that the malt can shine through a little more.

All in all. for a 9% beer, it is very drinkable. It’s also very intoxicating, have to be careful with this one.

Sounds awesome.

Remember you can always mash higher for more body and use a lower attenuating yeast.

You have to love a big beer that's tasty and dangerous. That's why you age them save them for special occasions. Time will mellow that beer. My "Smoke Beers" book says that smoked beers have a better shelf life from smoke.

Your beer will change over time as you drink it. It will be less hot, the smoke will mellow and the malt will pick up . Oak is supposed to be a more subdued smoke profile. You can try other woods too.

Oak is my next rauch bier. Gratzer(Prussian) or Grodziske(Polish).

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

So I’m smoking some pork butts and spare ribs today and I thought what a great excuse to drink a rauchbier. I carbed my rauchbier Eiche and have not had one since then. The keg has been sitting at 32° for about a week after carbonation. The beer has mellowed and the hot alcohol taste is completely gone. The beer is actually quite smooth. The smoke flavor is very faint on the back end and way back on the pallet...until you belch, and then it’s front and center.

This would be a great beer to introduce someone to a rauchbier as it is not a smoke smack down. I will definitely be brewing this again, however I will go at least 75% smoked malt. Knowing me, I will probably actually go 100% smoked malt. I’m a huge fan of strong, in your face flavors.

This thing could be deadly. It’s 9% and drinks like a 3.2

 

[Schlenkerla]

So I’m smoking some pork butts and spare ribs today and I thought what a great excuse to drink a rauchbier. I carbed my rauchbier Eiche and have not had one since then. The keg has been sitting at 32° for about a week after carbonation. The beer has mellowed and the hot alcohol taste is completely gone. The beer is actually quite smooth. The smoke flavor is very faint on the back end and way back on the pallet...until you belch, and then it’s front and center.

This would be a great beer to introduce someone to a rauchbier as it is not a smoke smack down. I will definitely be brewing this again, however I will go at least 75% smoked malt. Knowing me, I will probably actually go 100% smoked malt. I’m a huge fan of strong, in your face flavors.

This thing could be deadly. It’s 9% and drinks like a 3.2

LOL. - Love the smoke burps!!!! It's a nice reminder of what you're drinking. I'd say, me too on the in your face flavors.

Rauchbier is so awesome when you're tending to the smoker. I'm glad yours turned out well. Yes, if you like your first try on smoking your own, it's time to push the envelope.

I kegged my classic stout. I had about two pints that didn't fit in the keg. The first taste was a pleasant shock. I forgot I put a pound of maple rauch malt in the beer. The smoke is pretty noticeable for a stout. Was drinking it flat, hopefully this gasses up fast.

Brewing my Grazter tomorrow. Its a oak smoked wheat. It's half pilsner and half wheat. 6 lbs of 100% oak smoked. Using two ounces of saaz at first wort hoping. It'll be 10.043 with 35 IBU. I've been smelling the grain every few days just to quell my excitement for this beer!

 

[Schlenkerla]

This is my Classic Stout with maple smoked malt!!!!

Tasty almost a touch of chocolate in the finish. Used a pound of homemade black malt and homemade crystal 120L.

Basically 100% pale malt, that I converted in some fashion.

 

[Schlenkerla]

@Blackdirt_cowboy

I doughed in with my oak barley and wheat grist for my Grazter/Grodziskie. The oak smoke smell was awesome!!!

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I had my FIL and BIL taste my rauchbier this weekend. I knew they wouldn’t like it as they are not big on smoked anything. They were able to identify it as oak smoke. They were also surprised how smooth it was for a 9% beer. Your stout looks great!!