Hey Merkin,
I recently made a rauchbier this past fall. I mixed my 50%Vienna 50%Munich grain bill and took 20% out. I smoked it in pie pans with Hickory chips (Not very traditional I know) over one of those cheap mini UFO shaped grills while camping.
The reason I smoked 20% was because I wanted to drink it after fermentation and 1 month of lagering. I also wanted to share it with people who have never tasted a smoke beer so I wanted it on the mild side. I was very happy with the smoke but it didn't taste as full as a schlenkerla. You would need to smoke 100% for that.
A couple commented on a slight bandaid like phenol. I think it was either the hickory or because they were looking for it. I have tasted some bad bandaid beers before and I couldn't detect it in this one. in any case when making a smoke beer it is important to treat your water with a campden tablet to get the chlorines out. They can make that chlorophenol bandaid flavor and can ruin the tasty smoke.
If you plan to smoke 100% be prepared to wait a LONG time before it's calm enough to drink. I know a guy in Indy who won 1st place at the state fair for his, well deserved, but he had to wait a year before it calmed down. Also be prepared for the munich sweetness to stick around. Update with what you did and how it worked when you're done.
