Heavy peated distiiling malt (Bairds)

[Hoppomatic]

Hey guys, long time reader but virgin poster!

I've been brewing for a while using the Grainfather and have done well in a few comps so far but wanted some thoughts from the community. I previously brewed a chocolate chilli porter but after about 3 weeks in the keg the nice smokiness went to bacon only (used cherry and beechwood malt).

I would like to rebrew this in the future using the Bairds heavy peated and wondering if any punters have used this before. I like peaty single malt whiskies but i dont want it so over powering that the average drinker wouldn't go near it. How much would be enough in a 23L batch to give definitely noticeable smoke but not over whelming. ..i'm thinking Garage Project 'Day of the Dead' (keg version ) as an example of the smoke level.

Thanks for any help guyd.

Bottoms up!

 

[wessmith]

Heavily peated malts are intended for distilling which gets rid of the phenols. I have always advised against using these peated malts for brewing because of this. Try something different and closer to home, Gladfield Manuka smoked malt. Smelt terrific the day I visited the maltings recently when they had a batch smoking in the kiln. I would also have a close look at your recipe - chocolate chili and smoked malt? What are the details and we may be able to better advise. Be aware that most smoked brews have limited appeal.

Wes

 

[manticle]

I agree. Love islay but peat and beer mix badly.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

Heavily peated malts are intended for distilling which gets rid of the phenols.

Distilling reduces the level of phenol but does not get rid of it. The phenol concentration in the raw spirit is usually about half of that in the malt. It reduces further with age, again roughly halving in 10 years.

 

[MartinOC]

Leave the phenolic-charged distillers malt to the distillers. It has no place in brewing. Just too intense for our purposes.

 

[bjbear77]

Made an imperial rauchbier with about 2%, and it was about 2% too much

 

[sp0rk]

Distilling reduces the level of phenol but does not get rid of it. The phenol concentration in the raw spirit is usually about half of that in the malt. It reduces further with age, again roughly halving in 10 years.

Is that due to an actual degradation taking that long or is it to do with surface area in a ~200L barrel taking that long (possibly shorter with higher surface area contact?)

 

[HBHB]

In the never ending quest for making something that stands out in a loud crowd, some commercial brewers use peated malt.

It's very much an individual thing as to what defines beautiful and what defines downright ugly in beer. Each to their own. I tasted a Wee Heavy with just a touch of peat malt in it last year and it was pretty decent. Then I tasted a 70% smoked beer made on the medium peated Bairds and quite frankly i'd rather not repeat the experience. (don't hate me) I love a smokey beer, I love a really smokey beer, but I really wanted to spit the 70% peated malt one.

For me personally, the weyermann beech smoked and the best malz rauch are better for the higher % smoked beers - but that's just me. In porters, I tend to use either Briess Cherry wood smoked malt, their Mesquite smoked malt or the Manuka Smoked from Gladfield.

 

[earle]

I would go very easy with peated malt. A Brisbane based commercial brewery had a beer with peated malt at Brewoomba in 2015. Most of it ended up sitting in glasses around the venue, with one mouthful being taken and then being put aside to never be picked up again.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

Is that due to an actual degradation taking that long or is it to do with surface area in a ~200L barrel taking that long (possibly shorter with higher surface area contact?)

I do not know. I suspect it's a degradation reaction, phenol is reasonably easily oxidised to quinone.

I'll ask my son if he knows (he drinks single malt, I don't).

 

[Weizguy]

Yeastie Boys Rex Attitude uses smoked malt, as does their Imperial version, named Xerrex.
Adelscot from the Adelshof Brewery in France makes a much-revered peated ale.
I have brewed the Adelscot here, but I used the medium-peated malt, fwiw. I enjoyed the flavour, but entered in a comp as a specialty, judges did not seem as impressed.

I suggest you make a small batch (or whatever style you choose) for your self and see if you like it. Others opinions (respectfully) be buggered...

 

[Weizguy]

Heavily peated malts are intended for distilling which gets rid of the phenols. I have always advised against using these peated malts for brewing because of this. Try something different and closer to home, Gladfield Manuka smoked malt. Smelt terrific the day I visited the maltings recently when they had a batch smoking in the kiln. I would also have a close look at your recipe - chocolate chili and smoked malt? What are the details and we may be able to better advise. Be aware that most smoked brews have limited appeal.

Wes

Limited appeal, but lots of interaction will get you acclimated.

 

[Reg Holt]

WTF?

 

[An Ankoù]

Back in my rookie days, I made a 5 gallon batch of dark mild with mostly peat smoked malt and put it in a pressure barrel. We drank every drop of the stuff, but it took a few months. I suppose there was too much phenol in there for it to go off. As somebody said above, once you'd had one, the second wasn't too bad, but you'd struggle with three.
Interestingly, beer made with birch smoked malt is a lot is genuinely good. Legend has it that if you visit the Schlenkerla brewery pub in Bamberg, you have to commit to drinking three glasses in order to get used to and start enjoying their smoked beer.