Smokey Merlot

[Sapper713]

I am looking for a way to produce a nice full bodied dry wine with a good smokey flavor. something akin to a merlot with the smoke of a good scotch, such as Bowmore or Laphroaig. thinking about steeping some smoked malt and starting the fermentation process with that. any thoughts and/or suggestions?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Generally, wine gets its smoky flavor from toasted oak, but I see no reason why toasted malt wouldn't work.
You wouldn't get any of the oak characteristics, though. You might want to throw some untoasted oak in just for that.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

My SWMBO favorite wine is a nice oak aged syrah that ive always found to have a great smokey element to it, just the other day I was thinking to myself how a more intense peated flavor would do in a wine like this. Interested to see your experiment or what other people think about this!

I wonder if there would be someway to steep the smoked malt? I assume this makes it not wine anymore?
Would there still be a need to sanitize the grains in order to get rid of the lacto naturally present on the grain?

 

[Sapper713]

Generally, wine gets its smoky flavor from toasted oak, but I see no reason why toasted malt wouldn't work.
You wouldn't get any of the oak characteristics, though. You might want to throw some untoasted oak in just for that.

Doctor, I follow what you are saying, but the problem is the oak is 'toasted'. The peaty smoke of a good bottle of scotch is completely different. thanks though. I appreciate all feedback.

 

[Sapper713]

My SWMBO favorite wine is a nice oak aged syrah that ive always found to have a great smokey element to it, just the other day I was thinking to myself how a more intense peated flavor would do in a wine like this. Interested to see your experiment or what other people think about this!

I wonder if there would be someway to steep the smoked malt? I assume this makes it not wine anymore?
Would there still be a need to sanitize the grains in order to get rid of the lacto naturally present on the grain?

This has been on my mind since January and I'm just about ready to mix snit of Laphroaig with some merlot just to see what happens. I will wait though. I am using a merlot concentrate to start and steeping the smokey malt, then putting aside the malt and just using the water from the steeping.
I plan on starting this weekend and will post here as I go along. it would e interesting to see what others have to say.
Just imagine, a peaty Merlot with a good Cuban cigar. aahhhhh.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

This has been on my mind since January and I'm just about ready to mix snit of Laphroaig with some merlot just to see what happens. I will wait though. I am using a merlot concentrate to start and steeping the smokey malt, then putting aside the malt and just using the water from the steeping.
I plan on starting this weekend and will post here as I go along. it would e interesting to see what others have to say.
Just imagine, a peaty Merlot with a good Cuban cigar. aahhhhh.

Well you can put a drop of laphroaig in a couple oz of merlot and see how it comes out but im looking for a subtle peaty smoke not a scotch wine. lol

Please report all findings!
I dont smoke but that sounds great! lol

 

[DoctorCAD]

Doctor, I follow what you are saying, but the problem is the oak is 'toasted'. The peaty smoke of a good bottle of scotch is completely different. thanks though. I appreciate all feedback.

Not a Scotch fan, so I wouldn't know the difference, just assumed "smoke" was the same as oak "smoke".

 

[Sapper713]

I finally started my first batch today.
1 46 oz can Alexander's Merlot concentrate
8 oz Briess Smoke Malt
1 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 pkg Nottingham yeast
4 cups sugar
2 1/2 gal water

I crushed the malt and steeped in 1 3/4 gal water bringing the water to 170 deg.
After twelve hours, mixed all ingredients and have a started SG of 1.07.

I have never steeped malt before and not sure which direction to go, I threw out most of the malt left in pot after steeping.

 

[TexasWine]

I've got a couple questions for ya. Not trying to be a killjoy, just wanting to make sure you've thought through all this.

One, do you think your OG gravity is a little low? Starting with 1.070, you'll only get 10.5% ABV if you were to take it all the way down to .990. Typical Merlot will be in the range of 13.5% and up. Also, you might want to check what the alcohol tolerance is of the Nottingham because I'm not sure it'll take it to that point.

Along those lines, I've never heard of someone using Nottingham for wine. Typically it's used in ales, and some folks swear by it in cider. I've actually got a spiced pumpkin cider fermenting right now with it.

So just a couple things to think about. Hopefully it helps.

 

[Sapper713]

Hey, Texas. No killjoy going on here. I'm playing with the making of an alcoholic beverage here. If it doesn't work....I just have to try again.
Anyhow, very good points there. I'm new at some of these things and have yet to find someone with the answers I have been looking for concerning a smokey merlot. So, trial and error time. If the flavor I am looking for is even close with

 

[Sapper713]

Didn't let me finish my thought.
If the flavor is anything close to what I am looking for, here, I can start playing with everything else.
I do have another can of merlot concentrate and more malt, so it's easy enough to start another batch, though all primaries are full right now. I could also add sugar to the existing batch to raise the OG I would imagine.
This is new territory and no one had any answers to making a smokey merlot, so here I am. If you have any suggestions, recommendations, they would be most appreciated.

 

[mdstrobe]

I would actually consider adding the smokiness another way. Just like you would add smokiness to a cocktail, I might try to induce the smokiness using burnt wood chips (on fire) and letting the smoke settle within the fermenter.

 

[Mismost]

My first thought when I read this was Liquid Smoke...I KNOW that would add a smoke flavor....very powerful stuff....think in terms of drops not ounces! I have seen it in hickory, oak, apple, and cherry wood. Powerful stuff....like 2 ozs in 25# of sausage meat is smokey flavored...very easy to go over board.

Not a scotch drinker either, so I can't say this what you're looking for.

 

[Finli]

I like Mdstrobe's idea of adding flaming wood chips to the carboy. Would it go in secondary? or just before bottling? Maybe oak blocks in vodka to sanitize then ignite and add - immediately cover. 20-30 days before bottle.

Liquid smoke, I agree with Mismost, is indeed a dangerous ingredient to play with

 

[mdstrobe]

This is what I'm thinkin.

I haven't tested this, but I'm sure it'll work. Essentially I would avoid throwing the extinguished wood chips in the carboy. You really just want the smoke to seep into the liquid. Thoughts?

 

[Finli]

So did some googling and saw this Lapsang Souchong tea, dried over pinewood fires. This may be a good way to get both smokiness and some tannins into the wine.