Greetings, I am working on an extract (w/speciality grains) recipe for a smoked porter. I plan on using the Briess Cherrywood Smoked malt to acquire the smoke flavor. Question is 1) approximately how much should I use in for a five gallon batch? Dont want an overwhelming, intense smoke flavor but something a bit light and mellow. I also intend to add some additional grains including carapils to up the body. Question #2) What type of hops and boil times would you recommend? Many thanks!!!
I’d use about 3 or 4 pounds of smoked malt in 5 gallons. Less than that, and it will be pretty hard to detect, believe it or not. I have tasted 100% smoked malt beers before, and even then it is not what I would consider to be overpowering. Tastes like liquid bacon – yum.
Perhaps unfortunate for an extract brewer, I do believe that smoked malt NEEDS to be mashed. AND, I am not sure offhand if smoked malt even has enough enzymes to convert starch to sugar. So at a minimum, you’re looking at a partial mash beer here, as far as I can tell – you might need to mash with some more 2-row to get the enzymes. That being said, this is not that big of a deal. Basically you can do a giant steep at 150 F, “brew in a bag” (BIAB), let the crushed grains steep at 150 F for at least 30 minutes, and then pull the bag out, add your extract, and boil and brew as normal. Pretty easy to do, really. I would encourage you to give it a whirl.
As for hops, German types such as Hallertau, Tettnanger, or Spalt would be most traditional for a rauchbier. But since you are doing a porter which is more an English style, I do think something like Fuggles or Willamette would do very nicely as well.
Best of luck to you.
3-4lbs seem like it would be the same taste as licking the side of a smoker.
I would start at .5lb. If not enough increase it on your next batch.
Of course if it’s to strong you can blend it with a straight Porter.
The listing for smoked malt on NB’s site say that they can be used as 100% of the grain. So I don’t see any issues.
I think Peated malt is more appropriate for a Smoked Porter. For extract with grains, I would use:
12 oz crystal 75
1.5lb chocolate malt
4.0 oz lightly peated malt
along with your malt extract.
I make Rauchbier which is 100% Weyermann’s Rauchmalt along with a littl Carafa II for color. It converts fine.
i agree with Greg!
A half pound of rauchmalt won’t be enough. Just sayin’, based on experience. You’ll want to use at least a couple pounds of it to be noticeable.
I would stay far away from peat smoked malt. Yuck. Tastes like electrical fire. If you do want to give it a try, use no more than 0.5 oz per 5 gallons. I am not exaggerating – it is very very strong stuff. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! It’s a love/hate thing. Some people don’t mind it. I hate it. One thing is for certain – a very little goes a very long way. Totally different from rauchmalt / German smoked malt that tastes great up to 100% of the grist.
From the Brewer’s Best Smoked Porter:
SPECIALTY GRAINS
1 lb. Smoked
8 oz. Chocolate
8 oz. Caramel 80L
I made a batch about a year ago and like the smoke balance that’s going on right now. Perfect cold weather beer.
