Smoked pete for a Scottish ale

I am interested in brewing an all grain Scottish ale. I would like to add smoked pete to the recipe. My question is how much to add. I understand a small amount goes a long way. Is this true? Can anyone recommend a nice Scottish ale recipe that uses smoked pete?
thanks
Brad

Full disclosure: I’ve never used peat-smoked malt. But I have read posts from LOTS of brewers that regret using it. I’ve never heard anyone say anything positive about it when used in beer. It is made to be used in whiskey.

If you want to brew a fabulous Scottish Ale, I’d recommend something based on Sotrat’s concept:

http://www.skotrat.com/go/default/beer- ... -archives/

That one is for 11 gallons of Wee Heavy, but I make 5 gallons of a Scottish heavy every year that is basically a toned-down version of it:

OG: 1.036, IBUs: 15, SRM: 11, Efficiency: 80%
6 lbs 10 oz Pale Malt (British), 99%
2.5 oz Roasted Barley, 1%

Northern Brewer, EKG, Fuggles, Willamette or Styrian Goldens at 60 minutes. Quantity depending on AA rating.

Mash at 156 for 60 minutes (Adjust mash down if making a higher OG version, or up slightly if making a light)
Collect 4 liters of first runnings, and boil hard until less than 1 liter of caramelized syrup is left, then add back into the main boil (already in progress).

Boil for 2 hours total. Ferment with any British Ale yeast, or a cleaner yeast if preferred, at the lower end of the yeast’s fermentation temperature range.

Smoked malt is no longer recommended for Scottish ales. That being said, I have been quite successful using peat smoked malt, as long as the amount is limited to 0.5 OUNCE in 5 gallons. Any more than that and it becomes very distracting. I once used 2 ounces and the beer was nearly undrinkable. But if you want just the slightest hint of it, a half ounce is “O.K.” in my book. But personally I won’t use any anymore, and I really do NOT recommend anyone else to use any. It can be very nasty.

I’m planing a smoked porter but I intend to use a bit of smokey scotch. Something from Islay Lagavulin or lafroug are quite smokey .

I used peated malt in a porter and there was just enough to taste it in the background. I’ll have to check my notes as to how much – it was more than Dave’s half ounce, but not a huge amount more.

Thank you everyone. To be honest, I’m not sure if I ever tasted Pete malt or if I would even like it. I had Belhaven Scottish ale last summer and saw somewhere, and I can’t for the life of me remember where, but there was supposed to be smoked Pete in that brew.I thought if I found a recipe close to Belhaven I would add the smoked Pete. I haven’t landed a solid recipe for that beer so I may just pick a Scottish ale recipe and go with it. Maybe change it up and do a wee heavy.
Thanks again everyone for your help.
Brad

To my knowledge, the commercial Scottish ales including Belhaven do NOT contain peat smoked malt. It’s an old homebrewer’s tale that has recently been proven false by Ron Pattinson and others.

I would second the recommendation above to look to a good smokey scotch like lagavulin 16 year old which has a lot of peat flavor. I have been using good scotch and oak and blending into my wee heavy when i keg. I put 2 oz oak cubes, usually medium toast in a mason jar with 8-10 oz or more of whatever scotch I like and let that sit for several weeks, giving it a gentle shake every now and then. Depending on the character i am looking for i have taken the oak cubes only and introduced them to secondary for a few weeks or i have added the scotch infused with oak straight to the keg by taste, or added the scotch and oak to secondary for a aging before kegging. It is a great way to control the flavor of the oak and scotch. I have a wee heavy that I did this to prior to bottling. It is 6 months in the bottle and the oak flavor has receded but but the hints of scotch compliment the big malt of the beer like a marriage in heaven! If you have a beer you plan to cellar for along time don’t be afraid to be aggressive with the oak keeping in mind that it will mellow and fade to perfection given enough time.

+1 to what Dave said. A teeny bit of smoked malt may be OK in a Scottish, but it should be barely perceptible. Peat smoked malt is a fairly objectionable malt at low levels and intolerable above that. I do not recommend its use in beer brewing. I recently used brown malt from Crisp that has a minor smokey note in a Scottish 70 that was interesting. But it does need to be at low level.

Sounds like you know good scotch. I will follow your lead. Thanks :cheers:

Another option, if you really want a hint of smokey flavor, is to use the Briess Cherrywood Smoked malt. Our host carries it, and I really like it a lot. In fact, I’d be tempted to add milk and eat it for breakfast. :smiley: I’ve used 1/2 lb. in Porters, Stouts, a Dopplebock, and a Wee Heavy. Gives a hint of smoke without the obnoxiousness of the peat stuff.

One of my top two favorite beers of all time uses Peat Smoked Malt. Four Peaks Kiltlifter. I have made this clone and it is fantastic:

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Safale S-04
Yeast Starter: Only if you use liquid
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.060
Final Gravity: 1.014
IBU: 22
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 16SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 2 Weeks
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 2 Weeks
Tasting Notes: Smokey, fairly malty, a little toasty, but very clean

Assuming 82% efficiency (Add 2-row if you get less):

9.5lbs 2-Row
1lb Crystal 80L
8oz Carapils
2oz Roasted Barely (This is the 300L RB. If you have 500L cut it back to 1.5oz, or maybe even 1oz)
0.5-1oz Peat Smoked Malt. This part is personal preference, I like a little less peat (0.5oz). Don’t go over 1oz, this stuff is potent.
1.5oz Kent Goldings @ 60min
Mash @ 151*

Ferment with Safale S-04, WLP007, or your favorite highly flocculate British strain @ 62-64*. Definitely ferment this on the cool side. I’d even be tempted to go as low as 60*. I’d lean towards WLP002 or WLP007 rather than S04, which tends to leave a tart ‘twang’ to the beer. The cleaner english yeasts are better for this beer.

Targets: OG:1.060, FG: 1.014, SRM: 16, IBU: 22, ABV: 6.0%

You will not be disappointed.

I got the recipe from here:http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f65/four-peaks-kiltlifter-clone-224020/