Smokey Falvor?

[Simphoto02]

I am looking to add a touch of smokey flavoring to my APA.

Any suggestions on what and when to add to my brutus 10+gallon batches?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Smoked malt seems to do the trick.

 

[Julohan]

or peat or a scottish ale yeast

 

[Pat_13]

I have been thinking of using some liquid smoke...not sure how much...anyone try it?

 

[Edcculus]

Best bet is rauchmalt, or smoked malt. For the love of all that is good and holy, keep peated malt as far away from beer as possible. That stuff is foul. Scottish ale yeast would probably be weird in an APA, and IMO, doesn't give as much of a smokey flavor as some say.

Also, for the love of all that is good and holy, do not use liquid smoke. The stuff you buy in the store is made for cooking. It usually has vinegar and other flavorings. You could make smoke distillate. Look up the Good Eats episode "Q". Alton explains how to make your own smoke "extract". That would probably work.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

+1 on not using peat. I'm still not sure how the smoked beers became so popular in the last few years. My local brewpub had one on top a few years ago called "get smoked". It tasted like I was sucking on a stick that was in a fireplace. I asked for a sample, but since the owner is a jerk, he wouldn't let me (he even charges his brewers when they need to test batches from what I've heard). I ended up buying a small glass for $4 and after one sip, I couldn't finish it. Tried to pawn if off and no one would touch it. I ended up walking behind the bar and pouring it out right in front of the brewer. I figured if he was a jerk, I was going return the favor.

Wow..sorry for the long post.

 

[david_42]

1/2 pound of rauchmalt would probably be plenty for an APA. Mash or steeped, you'll get the flavor. You could use peat smoked, but you'd have to count the grains out carefully.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Rauchmalt for the win. I used 56% rauchmalt in a BM Loonlkae porter and it had a lot of smoke flavor. For a pale ale with a subtle smoke hint I'd shoot for maybe 20-25% of the grain bill?? Look for other suggestions though, I've only used it once.

 

[Simphoto02]

Rauchmalt? Like ....

"Smoked Malt
Origin: German
Supplier: Weyermann

German-grown two-row spring barley (2004 harvest). Product Characteristics: Unique in the world. Initially formulated specifically for the traditional Bamberg Rauchbier....."

As taken from BeerToolsPro

Is this a good malt to use?
Is it easy to find?

 

[homebrewer_99]

I used to work about 1.5 km from the Weyermann Malzerei in Bamberg.

Use the Rauch malt if you can.

If you use the liquid smoke be sure to get the one without vinegar and you'll only need a teaspoon per gallon. It's not the same, but it'll work.

Peak is a completely different flavor that's used in Scottish beer.

 

[Simphoto02]

I used to work about 1.5 km from the Weyermann Malzerei in Bamberg.

Use the Rauch malt if you can.

If you use the liquid smoke be sure to get the one without vinegar and you'll only need a teaspoon per gallon. It's not the same, but it'll work.

Peak is a completely different flavor that's used in Scottish beer.

So it is the same stuff? cool, thanks, anybody know how hard it is to get?

 

[Edcculus]

Most LHBS's should have it. I haven't seen any online supplier that doesn't carry it. Its either labeled "rauch malt" or smoked malt.

Here is an example from Brewmasters Warehouse: Weyermann Smoked Malt

Peak is a completely different flavor that's used in Scottish beer.

Peat malt is not supposed to be used in Scottish ales. Sorry to go off topic, but I feel strongly about this. It was mentioned in an old BJCP style guideline, and brewers really took off with it. Just because its used in whiskey, doesn't mean Scottish ales use it!

 

[Simphoto02]

COOL, Thanks for the input.

I brewed Homebrew Heavens "Smokey the Beer" kit a while back and thought it was GREAT. WOuld love to do a winter, smokey flavor that doen't drink like a log fresh out of the fire.

 

[bendavanza]

My friend did a IIPA with smoked grain and it was delicious. I don't know how much smoked grain he used, but it was smoky without being overpowering. He then made an "old ale" with twice the smoked grain, it was a bit much, but once it mellowed out, it was a tasty brew.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Peat malt is not supposed to be used in Scottish ales. Sorry to go off topic, but I feel strongly about this. It was mentioned in an old BJCP style guideline, and brewers really took off with it. Just because its used in whiskey, doesn't mean Scottish ales use it!

I hear you, but we both know there are recipes out there that use it.

I just wanted to draw the OP away from using it in a Rauchbier.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Just because its used in whiskey, doesn't mean Scottish ales use it!

I find it amusing going out to the local micro pub and listening to someone who's drinking a scotch ale say "wow, I can taste the scotch!" I laugh a little inside everytime. I suppose it's not their fault... when you put scotch in the name, people assume whiskey. I just get annoyed having to explain to people that there's not actual scotch in it, it's just the name of the beer style.

 

[IrregularPulse]

You can also smoke your own grain. Keep that in mind. Just toss some 2 row in the smoker. There are threads here about that. You could then control what kind of flavor you get by what kind of wood you use to smoke the grain.

 

[bendavanza]

He used 1lb in a ~8% ABV IIPA.
Smoking your own sounds good. Apple wood?

 

[COLObrewer]

Peat malt is not supposed to be used in Scottish ales. Sorry to go off topic, but I feel strongly about this. It was mentioned in an old BJCP style guideline, and brewers really took off with it. Just because its used in whiskey, doesn't mean Scottish ales use it!

This has always been interesting to me, I actually have not seen it written that peated malt is not supposed to be used in scottish/scotch ales. That being said, I do not use peated malt in my scottish or scotch ales.

I further believe that some of the peated flavor of scottish ales (from Scotland) have a hint of this flavor but only because the barley there that has NOT been kilned with peat (probably very little) was nevertheless grown there and pick up the flavor influenced by the "terroir" (peat bogs etc.) and the water.

I think maybe some scottish ale brewers use it to try and capture this flavor because they are not using any malted barley that was grown in scotland.
Or maybe I'm just stoopud.
Still I have a hard time believing that no breweries in scotland use peated malt in their scotch ales or scottish ales, because of all the scotch liquor maltings in the country.
I am also sorry for the thread hijack.

 

[khiddy]

Rauchmalt for the win. I used 56% rauchmalt in a BM Loonlkae porter and it had a lot of smoke flavor. For a pale ale with a subtle smoke hint I'd shoot for maybe 20-25% of the grain bill?? Look for other suggestions though, I've only used it once.

I used 4lbs in a beer, composing 39% of the grain bill, and, frankly, I can't taste the smoke at all. It was very disappointing. Make sure that the rest of the mash bill is fairly clean-tasting. I had used a good amount of Caramunich (30% of the bill), which was much too sweet. If I'd just used 2-row in place of the Caramunich, the rauch malt would've been more prominent and not wasted. I will say that the mash smelled marvelous, it had a delicious aroma that simply got overpowered by the sweetness of the malt on the tongue.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I used 4lbs in a beer, composing 39% of the grain bill, and, frankly, I can't taste the smoke at all. It was very disappointing. Make sure that the rest of the mash bill is fairly clean-tasting. I had used a good amount of Caramunich (30% of the bill), which was much too sweet. If I'd just used 2-row in place of the Caramunich, the rauch malt would've been more prominent and not wasted. I will say that the mash smelled marvelous, it had a delicious aroma that simply got overpowered by the sweetness of the malt on the tongue.

I made a batch of the Kaizerdom Rauchbier (Clone Brews) which uses only 1 lb of rauch malt and I can taste it...albeit, it is on the low end of rauch flavor.

 

[khiddy]

One other thing: smoked beers change in the bottle very quickly - that is, they don't necessarily age well, like a fresh-hopped beer. If it's too smoky when you first taste it, go back a month or two later, and it will be a different beer, with less smoke character.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

It my recipe dropdown, if you go to Smokey Boggart Porter, I explain how I smoke my own malts. I have been very happy with the results.

 

[COLObrewer]

I used two pounds of home smoked malt in a porter a few days ago, can't get any smoke flavor there but I smoked kilned it a few months back. I'm wondering if it matters that it was not fresh? Will the smoke come out after fermentation or should it be there out of the tun?

 

[masonsjax]

I have a recipe in my drop-down for a smoked porter (based on Stone Smoked Porter) that uses peat malt. I absolutely love it. 3 oz is the perfect amount for that recipe. I have to admit that I am a huge fan of smoky single malt scotch though, and can appreciate that it's not for everyone. If you like that flavor, it can make for an excellent beer. Just use it sparingly and ramp up if you need more.

 

[Edcculus]

I used two pounds of home smoked malt in a porter a few days ago, can't get any smoke flavor there but I smoked kilned it a few months back. I'm wondering if it matters that it was not fresh? Will the smoke come out after fermentation or should it be there out of the tun?

I've noticed the smoke flavor coming out more in the finished beer opposed to raw wort or even young beer. Also 2lbs in a porter is a little low. I used 5lbs in mine, and its not even that pronounced.

 

[COLObrewer]

I've noticed the smoke flavor coming out more in the finished beer opposed to raw wort or even young beer. Also 2lbs in a porter is a little low. I used 5lbs in mine, and its not even that pronounced.

Dangit! I should have searched a little harder, I wanted a "smoked" porter, sounds like at best this will be just a porter. A well nxt time I'll know,
Brew on my friends

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Peat malt is not supposed to be used in Scottish ales. Sorry to go off topic, but I feel strongly about this. It was mentioned in an old BJCP style guideline, and brewers really took off with it. Just because its used in whiskey, doesn't mean Scottish ales use it!

While I've already said I agree about peat malt not being good in scottish ales, I wanted to double check. I've personally never used it, but I cracked open the old "Designing Great Beers" book and sure enough...it suggests the use of smoked or peat malt in scottish or scotch ales.