How much smoked malt to add?

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I've made this a number of times, it's the standard house porter. It's reasonably smokey, but no rauchbier.
I found the recipe years ago, and never recorded the original author.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 31.09 l
Post Boil Volume: 26.82 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 22.00 l
Bottling Volume: 19.16 l
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 33.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 29.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
3.60 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 62.2 %
0.47 kg Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.1 %
0.42 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.3 %
0.42 kg Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 4 7.3 %
0.38 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5 6.6 %
0.30 kg Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 6 5.2 %
0.20 kg Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 7 3.5 %
29.57 g Goldings, East Kent [4.70 %] - Boil 60.0 Hop 8 14.7 IBUs
17.74 g Willamette [7.10 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 9 10.2 IBUs
17.74 g Goldings, East Kent [4.70 %] - Boil 15.0 Hop 10 4.4 IBUs
18.26 g Willamette [7.10 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
9.13 g Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 0.0 Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg London (Danstar #-) [23.66 ml] Yeast 13 -


I just have the brewshop make up the grain bill for me, so I don't know what sort of smoked malt he uses.
But given it's nearly 1/2 a kilo, it's probably not peat smoked malt. I will ask next time I'm in.
 
If you like Rex or the more power Xerrex peated ale from the Yeastie Boys, you might also like the Adelscot clone in Brew Classic Euro Beers book (Protz & Wheeler).
It contains about 80% peated malt (i have used medium peated) and the remaining grist is flaked maize (actually about 18% and the remainder is the peated).
Bittered to 23 IBU with a combination of Hallertau and Styrians. Dry English ale yeast. Alcohol comes out at about 6%, depending on how dry the beer ferments.

Very smoky/peaty/ band-aid at first sip but it grows on you rapidly. Planning to have it on tap as one of my house beers, due to it's addictive flavour and shock factor for guests.
 
Beech is the typical wood used to smoke malts for beer.

Peat (not a wood) is used for smoking distilling malts - where only some of the extreme flavor gets carried along with the distillate.

There is obviously a huge difference between wood smoke and coal-precursor smoke.

You can make a mild post-smoked (ie smoked after kilning) malt yourself if you can be bothered. Smoke gentle-wetted grains to dryness in a smoker.

Otherwise the easiest way to reach a good level is to simply ad "liquid smoke" until it's to taste. These are used by home distillers and should be easily available at home brew stores.
 
Weyermann also make an oak smoked wheat malt which is milder than their beech smoked malt and made to be used up to 100% of the malt bill
 
If anyone around wollongong wants to try some smoked ale, I've got 2 fresh cornies of smoked red amber ale. Finished fermenting maybe 2 weeks ago, 1 fully carbed, 1 not. I'm not really a fan of the smokiness, happy to trade it for something different is someone wants to do a swap. The wort was brewed by 5 barrels brewery last month at an open day they had and shared the wort to homebrewers.
 
I remember about 50yrs back when Tony made some smoked malt using Ironbark and smoking wet grain

That stuff was intense...really intense
 
If using a liquid smoke just make sure its a quality one without any vinegars or other additives, the best description I've heard for a good liquid smoke is "Bong water from a hickory wood fire". Cant remember where I read that but it made me laugh.

I found this stuff ok, best to go easy with it though. I love a smoked beer but this stuff can get pretty harsh.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Want-The-Best-Natural-100-Pure-Aust-made-Commercial-Grade-Hickory-Liquid-Smoke-/161692887650?hash=item25a5a5aa62:g:lIgAAOSwShJXLrak
 
I love the taste of peat I love Isla Whiskeys with their salty iodine seaweed & smoky flavours. I made two smoked beers the first one was just blah, to many ingredients no single style idea. My second attempt was an English Smoked Stock Ale. With 35% Simpsons peat malt, Simpson Dark Caramel Malt, Gladfield Munich, Dark Brown Sugar, Simpson Black Malt. I boiled / caramelised the first 10 litre of the wart drawn from the mash tun. It was my best beer ever, even non smoked fans enjoyed it.

Next time I will push the Peated Malt to 45%. I think the beer worked because the caramel notes played against the smoked earthy notes. The Simpson Peat is two times the PPM that of the Gladfield Peat. So you could go even higher then 35% if you use the Gladfield Peat.

If you love smoked meat, bbq, bacon & Isla Whiskeys, then the sky is the limits, if you dislike salty iodine seaweed & smoky flavours I would just skip this style.

I have drunk the Yeasty Boys 100% Simpson Peat malt beer, it was to just a little overboard. After drinking a single bottle I felt like I had just eaten a few kg's of heavy smoked red meat. Not a bad thing but not so good out of a small bottle.

I would say 30% to 60% is a good range depending on your palate.

PS. I am an ex smoker, cigars & tobacco this has skew my palate. Be warned.

Looking at your recipe I would drop the chocolate, with the smoked flavours you have enough going on.
 
Is there a fade in the "smokiness" over time after bottling, as occurs with hops aroma?
If so, can this be compensated with higher % addition?


Noobie warning ..peated malt isn't really for beer. Unless you know it well avoid at all costs.

Weyermanns smoked (rauchmalt) .. I love this stuff. When fresh, 20% is a good start. Used up to 50% on older stock in porters and in a chilli porter.

Sniff your malt. The amount of smoke you get (old stock looses its aroma) will tell you how much to use.
 

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