Peated Malt

[reviled]

Anyone peat smoked their own malt? I know its been done with wood etc before, but what about Peat? Is it possible? Will I kill myself or make myself sick with toxic fumes?

Reason I ask is I cant seem to track any down in NZ unless i want to buy 3kg's for $50 And considering I only need about 200gms max for about 3 experimental beers, I dont wanna go down that road...

Cheers

 

[KingPython]

Seems like a lot of trouble for 200grams, might as well use one of the boards sponsors and load up on other things as well.

 

[reviled]

Seems like a lot of trouble for 200grams, might as well use one of the boards sponsors and load up on other things as well.

Getting malt through Maf is a grey area so im not too keen to risk it

 

[KingPython]

Really? That sucks.

 

[reviled]

Really? That sucks.

Yeah tell me about it Hops are fine, yeast is fine, malt apparantly is not allthough sometimes people get it through..

I just cant be assed worrying about my package every single day in fear that maf has seized it...

All sorted - Found a mate down the line whos peated his own previously, 250gms coming my way B) Awesome!

 

[Bribie G]

What is peated malt used for? Scottish ales traditionally have used the fine straight malts of the lowlands such as Golden Promise. I grew up on the products of Scottish and Newcastle breweries and to me the idea of introducing scotch flavours into beers is a bit like putting the wedge of lime in the Corona bottle.
Protz in his ultimate encylopedia of beer doesn't mention them in the Scottish Section.

Or is it a NZ tradition from Scottish emigrants the noo

 

[reviled]

What is peated malt used for? Scottish ales traditionally have used the fine straight malts of the lowlands such as Golden Promise. I grew up on the products of Scottish and Newcastle breweries and to me the idea of introducing scotch flavours into beers is a bit like putting the wedge of lime in the Corona bottle.
Protz in his ultimate encylopedia of beer doesn't mention them in the Scottish Section.

Or is it a NZ tradition from Scottish emigrants the noo

I have read alot that the smoky taste in scottish beers authentically comes from the yeast, but then I saw Newguys Scottish recipe with 0.5% peat and thought damn that looks good...

And theres a Scotch ale by http://renaissancebrewing.co.nz/ (my fave NZ craft brewery) which im almost positive has a wee bit of peated malt in there, so id be keen to replicate something like that also :beer:

 

[kook]

What is peated malt used for? Scottish ales traditionally have used the fine straight malts of the lowlands such as Golden Promise. I grew up on the products of Scottish and Newcastle breweries and to me the idea of introducing scotch flavours into beers is a bit like putting the wedge of lime in the Corona bottle.
Protz in his ultimate encylopedia of beer doesn't mention them in the Scottish Section

I think it's an American thing. American microbreweries seem to have used peated malt in small quantities for scottish ales. This has translated in the homebrew community too, through books and publications.

I've tried many Scottish beers, and very few demonstrated any form of smokiness. It is easy to get roastiness and smokiness confused too, especially if you've been told that scottish ales have a smoky character.

Most Scottish beers are no different to their English counterparts h34r:

There have been a lot of myths publicised, some of them are still in the BJCP! Good example "with less hops than their English counterparts (due to the need to import them)". Never mind the fact that the Scottish had large hop farms, and Edinburgh was a major exporter of (hoppy) Pale Ale.

 

[KingPython]

Hmm what about this caramelisation of the wort thing? Is that false too?

 

[kook]

Hmm what about this caramelisation of the wort thing? Is that false too?

Most scottish brewers don't do anything different to English brewers.

Sure, some of the small scottish breweries still use small gas fired coppers (converted from wood fired), but this is the exception rather than the norm. Most the quoted examples are from very large breweries that look more like a fosters plant. Caledonian is the exception here. Will be interesting to see if that changes now that S&N have fully taken over.

Good article here: http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer-News/Article-593.htm


edit: BTW - I'd say at least half of us homebrewers use direct fired kettles anyway Some are using electric elements or steam, but I'd say a good old gas burner is the norm.

 

[newguy]

What is peated malt used for?

Round here it's actually very common in most HBS. Generally used very sparingly in some styles, usually Scottish ales, stouts, porters, sometimes brown ales, by some homebrewers around here and elsewhere in NA. There are fans of peated malt who tend to use a very large portion in the grist for some beers. A few years back the BOS beer at our competition was a peated wee heavy (really peated, BTW).

I guess because it's easy to come by has something to do with how many people actually use it. It's definitely an acquired taste.

 

[Bribie G]

Most scottish brewers don't do anything different to English brewers.

Sure, some of the small scottish breweries still use small gas fired coppers (converted from wood fired), but this is the exception rather than the norm. Most the quoted examples are from very large breweries that look more like a fosters plant. Caledonian is the exception here. Will be interesting to see if that changes now that S&N have fully taken over.

The good news is that Caledonian was actually the former Edinburgh brewery of Vaux / Lorimers who were S&Ns competitors. Vaux in Sunderland closed down in the 90s - a crying shame because they brewed some nice beers like Samson and Double Maxim. Can't say the same for Lorimers who mostly put out a pretty bland 70 shilling 'scotch' for the sort of people who drink VB here, and also a bad lager that I can't even remember what it was called.... bing Norseman.... still some brain cells left after all that time . However the Lorimers plant was bought out by Vaux and Lorimer managers and reopened under original name of Caledonian. Not so lucky S&N who are now owned by Heineken.

And Caledonian still use direct fired open coppers.

 

[stillscottish]

What is peated malt used for?

Mash 3kg peated with 3kg ale at about 63. Ferment out with bakers yeast. Run fairly rapidly through any water purifier you may find lying around........... h34r:

And on no account let this come into contact with toasted american oak........

Campbell