Smoked Maple Saison

[HawleyFarms]

Ok so I'm going to be headed to one of the lhbs's today after we go to my sister-in-laws for lunch. I want to make a test batch of a smoked maple ale before sugaring season starts so that I know if I want to devote large amounts of sap to brewing. Kind of basing this off the smoked maple amber ale on BYO

I have it narrowed it down to this recipe:

1 gallon batch

1.2lbs golden light or amber dme
3.5oz crystal60
.8oz smoked malt

My question is should I use german rauchmalz or a cherrywood smoked malt?

Going to use centennial hops to get to around 40-50 IBU's.

I don't want it too bitter but I also don't want it overly sweet and malty. Will 3.5oz crystal60 be too much?

Plan on using about 8oz maple syrup at high krausen and then bottling with maple syrup.

I'm really loving the saison meads, cysers and acermels I've been working on but not sure how it will taste in a smoked maple beer so maybe I will see if they have a different yeast.

Critiques/advice appreciated!

 

[govner1]

8 oz of smoked malt for one gallon seems pretty high. Especially if you're thinking of using cherry or one of the more heavily smokes malts.
I just did a 6 gal batch of a Smoked Rue IPA. I use slightly over a pound of beechwood smoked malt. I just moved it to kegs & the smokiness seems just right.

 

[BierGut]

I prefer the Rauchmalt over the Cherrywood. I think it'll work better with the maple.

 

[HawleyFarms]

8 oz of smoked malt for one gallon seems pretty high. Especially if you're thinking of using cherry or one of the more heavily smokes malts.
I just did a 6 gal batch of a Smoked Rue IPA. I use slightly over a pound of beechwood smoked malt. I just moved it to kegs & the smokiness seems just right.

.8oz not 8oz, so less than an oz lol I don't want it to taste like a firepit.

 

[HawleyFarms]

I prefer the Rauchmalt over the Cherrywood. I think it'll work better with the maple.

Thanks for the input! I'm hoping they have the rauchmalz, I haven't bought grains at this one before. If they only have the cherry wood smoked should I cut back a little? I believe I've heard it's a little stronger.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Basically looking for a hint of smoke in both taste and aroma but not so much that it overpowers the maple flavor. Basically looking for someone to say "Wow I feel like I'm standing in a sugar shack" with the hint of a wood fire burning and the smell and taste of sap cooking down.

I know, I'm a dreamer right?!

 

[HawleyFarms]

Wow I am extremely frustrated with this lhbs. Tonight I had trouble finding the items I wanted so ended up with some substitutes. They are a beers of the world satellite store. I ask why their brew supplies are so low. The kid at the counter who could barely understand what I wanted when I asked where all the crystal60 was, tells me "we're going towards a more 'by request only' on our brew supplies" ...... There is only 1 other store that is also less than an hour away but completely devoted to wine supplies and only 1 shelf of beer supplies.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Long story short, they had no regular ale yeast strains. Ended up only getting another packet of belle and a pack of safbrew t-58 which I've never used. The other store won't be open again til Monday so it'll be a few days til I can brew this since they didn't even have any 1 gallon carboys left.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Ok, so now that I am over my LHBS frustrations, when I get my Red Radish Acer-Sai-ser bottled this week, here is my 2nd take on creating my next recipe: a Smoked Maple Saison:

Drunken Farmer's Sugar Shack

Method: Extract
Style: Belgian Specialty
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 1g
Boil Size: 2g
OG: 1.063
FG: 1.018
ABV: 5.94%
IBU: 48.87
SRM: 20.22

1lb Amber DME - 50.3%
7oz Caramunich I - 22%
.8oz German Smoked Malt - 2.5%

.2oz Centennial Hops (60min)
.2oz Centennial Hops (15min)
.5lb Grade B Maple Syrup (5min) 25.2%

Fermentis Safbrew T-58
Fermented at 65-70F

Bottle Primed with Grade B Maple Syrup

What does everyone think of this recipe? Any critiques or advice? I'd appreciate hearing whatever you got to say about it!

 

[HawleyFarms]

Anyone have an opinion on this recipe? Have my radish acer-sai-ser cold crashing as we speak so either Monday or Tuesday night when I have time to bottle I will be starting this one. Would love to have some critiques.

 

[joerose]

In my experience maple ferments out and the flavor goes with it. I've added it at flameout and primed with it and got some slight woodiness out of it and that's about it. I just made a maple cream blond ale where I used maple extract and the flavor was much more pronounced and detectable. All in all I think your recipe is fine. Just wanted to share my maple experience.

 

[HawleyFarms]

In my experience maple ferments out and the flavor goes with it. I've added it at flameout and primed with it and got some slight woodiness out of it and that's about it. I just made a maple cream blond ale where I used maple extract and the flavor was much more pronounced and detectable. All in all I think your recipe is fine. Just wanted to share my maple experience.

Thanks for the input! I have tried a few other added extracts in some brews and always found them to have a slight almost chemically finish. Did you note any off tastes when you used the maple extract?

I originally got the idea from a bar in pigeon forge or sevierville, TN where I had tasted a maple ale back a few years ago. It was made in house and I believe they used syrup post fermentation. Not a lot of maple flavor but definitely a clean maple finish. I wish I could remember the name.

 

[joerose]

I used the natural extract from King Arthur flour. 2 bottles( which I believe are 1 ounce each) per the 5 gallons. I agree that many extracts leave a chemical taste but these did not. I also added 1 vanilla bean to try to round out the flavor. A lot of times that'll work, though not always.

 

[mdbrewer1]

Thanks for the input! I have tried a few other added extracts in some brews and always found them to have a slight almost chemically finish. Did you note any off tastes when you used the maple extract?

I originally got the idea from a bar in pigeon forge or sevierville, TN where I had tasted a maple ale back a few years ago. It was made in house and I believe they used syrup post fermentation. Not a lot of maple flavor but definitely a clean maple finish. I wish I could remember the name.

I tried the high krausen method on the maple pecan porter I just did. I primed with maple syrup as well. They've been in the bottles for 3 weeks and I'm not getting any hints of maple at this point. Granted, I only used 12 oz. in a 5 gallon batch, so it is possible I just didn't use enough.

If you try the high krausen method, be prepared for a vigorous restart of fermentation. Just the 12 oz. I added to the 5 gallon batch caused it to re-krausen to the point that it clogged my airlock and bowed the lid of my bucket upward. Luckily I caught it before the big bang, but pulling out the airlock caused beer/krausen to go everywhere. I had to leave the lid resting on the bucket the rest of the day before sealing it back up that night.

If you do the 8 oz. I saw on the first page in a one gallon batch, I'm guessing you'll stand a better chance of getting maple flavor, but you'll also really be drying out your beer. That is a large amount of sugar in relation to the sugar you're getting from the extract. The hop/malt/alcohol balance will be much different than just using the extract and steeping grains.

 

[mdbrewer1]

Also, I used Grade B maple syrup, as suggested to me by posters on here. It definitely has a stronger maple flavor and we much prefer it over the Grade A version we get at Costco.

I'll be trying the recipe again and increasing the syrup amount and seeing what I get.

Good luck!

 

[HawleyFarms]

I used the natural extract from King Arthur flour. 2 bottles( which I believe are 1 ounce each) per the 5 gallons. I agree that many extracts leave a chemical taste but these did not. I also added 1 vanilla bean to try to round out the flavor. A lot of times that'll work, though not always.

Thanks for the help! I had no idea King Arthur made extracts, we've been buying their bread flour for years! When do you add it into your wort?

 

[HawleyFarms]

Also, I used Grade B maple syrup, as suggested to me by posters on here. It definitely has a stronger maple flavor and we much prefer it over the Grade A version we get at Costco.

I'll be trying the recipe again and increasing the syrup amount and seeing what I get.

Good luck!

Yes, we usually end up with 3-4 gallons of Grade B the last week or two that we sugar and it's usually all we end up keeping except for some light amber that we use for pancakes.

Keep me updated how your next batch turns out! Going to start this one tonight!

 

[joerose]

Thanks for the help! I had no idea King Arthur made extracts, we've been buying their bread flour for years! When do you add it into your wort?

I added it to secondary after 2 weeks. If you want I could send you one to try. See if it's up your alley.

 

[HawleyFarms]

I added it to secondary after 2 weeks. If you want I could send you one to try. See if it's up your alley.

That would be awesome! Only if you'd take some hombrew in exchange! I've been looking for some notes on my saison cysers anyway.

 

[joerose]

Sure! Pm me your address and I'll send you a couple. Anything in exchange is fine! I'm not picky.

 

[The10mmKid]

Sub'd

I'll be collecting sap this year and want to play with any extra.

'da Kid

 

[HawleyFarms]

That is my game plan for this brew once the sap starts flowing so hopefully this test batch works out, otherwise i'm going with the smoked maple amber ale off BYO.

 

[joerose]

On a related note I can't wait for sugar season. Got 3 gallons of syrup from 5 trees last year.

 

[HawleyFarms]

On a related note I can't wait for sugar season. Got 3 gallons of syrup from 5 trees last year.

Same here. We only tapped 7 trees last year and would have got 10 gallons but I ended up burning the last 3. Stayed up late the last night, had a few beers and fall asleep. Woke up an hour too late and ended up smoke poisoning a ton of green house plants .... Was not happy and my wife was not impressed to say the least lol

 

[HawleyFarms]

Ugh ... Already 9pm and just starting my boil. Ended up crushing and steeping the Caramunich and smoked malt in a bag. Used a full ounce of the smoked instead of .8, I think the smoked might have been on the shelf for a while.

 

[BierGut]

did you end up using the rauchmalt or cherrywood?

 

[HawleyFarms]

did you end up using the rauchmalt or cherrywood?

Basic Weyermann smoked malt was all the lhbs had so that's what I got ... Still pretty frustrated with that place

 

[HawleyFarms]

Wow. Angotti Beverage really knows how to grind my gears. I'm just as much to blame for being in a hurry the day I went to the lhbs but seriously? Not only was my smoked malt seemingly stale but i'm about ready to pitch my yeast and I look at the package of T-58 and the date is ... 10/2012 ........ Really?

Should I pitch it anyway? Maybe over pitch? Or just go with the fresh Belle Saison?

 

[HawleyFarms]

I will say I ended up dead-on my target OG so I'm set there. Pitched half a packet of the out of date T-58 into a small starter of wort. If I don't see any activity tomorrow, I'm just going to pitch the Belle Saison.

 

[The10mmKid]

Ou, ou Belle Saison . . . . I love that yeast.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Ou, ou Belle Saison . . . . I love that yeast.

Same here, I have been using it in a ton of cysers and meads and it always turns out well.

I'm actually surprised tho, the over-pitched T-58 starter is already working so I'll probably toss it in the carboy in the morning. Thinking about a blow off tube for this one.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Well notice that my yeast starter went crazy overnight, pitched it into the carboy at about 6:30 this morning and went to work. Went home at 8 to pick up my wife, took one look at the carboy and put it into the sink.

Violent fermentation! I knew I should have put a blow off tube on this morning but didn't have time so just screwed the airlock on. Airlock is now full of beer. Come lunch time going to get the tube on.

Not sure what I was thinking. Should have only use a little bit of that starter since I used damn near half a packet of yeast. No more early morning pitching!

 

[HawleyFarms]

Ran home on lunch and looks like the most explosive part of ferment is over, cleaned and replaced airlock, still bubbling 2-3 times a second but I think it'll be fine. Worst case I'll have to clean it again, definitely leaving it in the sink for the day.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Well, it looks like my massive overpitch didn't hurt things much. 2 days in a row at 1.015, only overshot fg by .003 and nearly cleared already. It does have a slight maple flavor but not as much as I hoped for. As I suspected, I think the smoked malt was old and stale, not even a hint of it. A little over-bittered. I think next time I will only do the one addition of hops or cut both additions in half maybe. Going to give it another week before I do much with it.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Looks like this brew is going to sit til at least this weekend. Going to get some lactose and some Watkins maple extract and rack it into a secondary with the 2. Let it set another week and see if it's ready for bottling. Tastes pretty good right now but i'd like a little more maple flavor and a touch more sweetness. Also thinking about steeping a touch more of the smoked malt when I boil the lactose since there is no smokiness to the beer. Pretty sure the smoked malt was old and stale.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Well I got this bottled last weekend and cracked one open last night. A little undercarbed. And way over-smoked. Have never used smoked malt before but I know now that the flavor and aroma doesn't really hit you until its been bottled.

I bottled with 2 tablespoons honey and 1tsp maple extract. The maple doesn't hit you in the face like the smoke does. When I brew this again, i'm going to cut down to 1.5oz on the smoked malt and prime with maple syrup. Will also probably increase maple extract to 1.5 teaspoons. Will post a pour tonight.

 

[HawleyFarms]

Edit 3/3/15: Now that this is carbed and in the fridge, I would probably not change anything more than adding a little more maple extract before bottling. This stuff tastes great, even if its a little heavy on the smoke.