I read Dave’s comments on peat smoke grains with a wry smile. I spent years swearing that peat smoked grain would taste nasty in beer: until tasting one at an ORCA homebrew club meeting, before the pandemic. Turns out a light touch of peat can enhance the right beer.
It sure can. I brewed a peated dry stout, using 1 oz./gallon (~3%) peated malt, several times. It was always a hit with everyone who tried it. I wouldn’t recommend more than that.
when one is tasting it, does it remind you of peated scotch? peat malt is always such a taboo thing, i cant think of a less-studied malt to be hoenst.
Hmm? I’d rather put the fear of god…ok, fear of peat, into most brewers knowledge since it takes so little of that malt to screw up a beer. I’m glad to hear that the right ‘touch’ is pleasant and appealing. The problem is that some use the ‘if a little is good, more is better’ philosophy. Hopefully the editor’s note helps brewers avoid that.
I cant stand the flavor of smoke in beer, but I had a stout at a brewery that had a tiny amount of peated malt in it, a very very tiny amount, and it seemed to accentuate the roasted malts and I enjoyed the beer quite a bit.