The description of John Palmer’s Elevenses looked excellent, until I saw the reference to the smoked malt. How smoky is it?
I’ve only tried one beer before with smoke in the flavor profile. I think it was an Imperial Porter that was loaded with a smoked-wood flavor. I didn’t find it appealing at all.
If someone tells me the smokiness is pretty subtle, I might give Elevenses a try.
It’s there, but I’d say it’s in the background. It’s a pretty good beer, but I’d be hard pressed to have more than one at a time.
What about it would keep you from having a second?
I did it two years ago. The smoke is very subtle. I consider it a real nice English Brown. In fact I met J.P. at a Brewfest and actually gave him a bottle. Surprised the heck out of me that he accepted it. Don’t know if he dumped it out back, but we had a pretty nice little chat. Nice guy.
Brewed this back in December and it was a very nice beer that I had 3-4 at a time. The smoke is very subtle, but you know it’s there and adds extra complexity. As it warms, the smoke level also increases.
Great beer!!
Just received this kit today. I’m pretty excited about it, but I am a fan of smoked porters and such. Did those of you who have made this beer toast the oats before, and does that add to the perception of smoke flavor at all?
Partially just the style, but I found it pretty full bodied for a low-ABV ale. Lots of flavor in there, too.
DrGonzo, I toasted the oats when I made it, but I think it contributed more fullness of flavor. Not really increased smokiness.
I toasted the oats. Didn’t add any smoke flavor(unless you burn them 
), but it seems like it added a little sweetness and nuttiness.
By the way, since doing that kit, I’ve ordered the Cherrywood Smoked malt, and now add it to Porter, Bock, Altbier, Scottish Wee Heavy, and Caribou Slobber. Really like it at about 1/4-1/2 lb per 5G batch
[quote=“JimRMaine”]
I toasted the oats. Didn’t add any smoke flavor(unless you burn them ), but it seems like it added a little sweetness and nuttiness.
By the way, since doing that kit, I’ve ordered the Cherrywood Smoked malt, and now add it to Porter, Bock, Altbier, Scottish Wee Heavy, and Caribou Slobber. Really like it at about 1/4-1/2 lb per 5G batch[/quote]
Thank you sir!! That sounds quite good…and I’m gonna havta steal that.
Been lurking on this forum for some time now. Learned lots that has contributed to me making excellent beer.
Anyhow thought I could chime in here since the wife and I consider Elevenses to be a house favorite. Done the partial mash twice now and the first time I tried it, well all I can say is wow not really a brown ale in my eyes, more like a good pint of Yorkshire bitter like I would get in the pub back home.
Come to find out when I brewed it the second time and read over the instructions that I had made a mistake on the first brew. I had added all the bittering hops, 1 oz instead of 3/4 oz. This may explain why it tastes more like a bitter than a brown ale. Of course from hear on out I will add all the hops every time.
Since I am pretty new at this I bottled 12oz from the keg to take to a friends (long time expert brewer) for him to try and critique. I poured it out into his pint glass and then produced a syringe to simulate a beer pulled from a beer engine or pushed by nitro. He wondered what the hell I was doing . He had never seen or heard of this being done before and was amazed at the results.
So for you guys brewing this I highly recommend using the syringe trick. It makes a huge difference to the mouthfeel of this beer.
Cheers, Paul
[quote=“Brews-R-us”]
So for you guys brewing this I highly recommend using the syringe trick. It makes a huge difference to the mouthfeel of this beer.
Cheers, Paul[/quote]
How does your syringe trick work?
As for the OP, I brewed Elevenses this winter and it was great. Very subtle smoke flavor. I would totally recommend toasting the oats. I didn’t have any problem drinking several of these in a session. Good stuff.
El Capitan
I use an injet cartridge refill syringe which has about a 4" long blunt needle. You suck up about 10ml of beer and air (must have some air) from the glass, stick the needle down into the beer and shoot the beer/air mix into your glass pretty quickly. The result is exactly like a pint you would get in the pub.
Paul
[quote=“Brews-R-us”]El Capitan
I use an injet cartridge refill syringe which has about a 4" long blunt needle. You suck up about 10ml of beer and air (must have some air) from the glass, stick the needle down into the beer and shoot the beer/air mix into your glass pretty quickly. The result is exactly like a pint you would get in the pub.
Paul[/quote]
I do this for all of my stouts and milds. It’s fantastic!
