I’ve made my own smoked malt in the past.
The question is what temperature do you target? Cold smoking is the process, but how cold is cold?
I have a variety of woods to use. I have a couple of smoking options, and have read about a technique that is new new to me.
Looking for feedback, and jeffy has a lot of experience.
I like to smoke the malt as cold as possible so as not to change the character of the malt. Any excess heat will darken the beer color as well as change the flavor profile. It doesn’t matter if you’re making a porter, but for a Helles, it does.
When I have measured the temperature in my cold smoking box it is less than 10 degrees above ambient, which in Florida in the summer is usually at least 85F out.
At one time I was thinking of adding a heat exchanger to the smoke tube between the burning wood and the box, but that seems like a lot of trouble. Maybe if I were going to produce smoked malt for sale I would consider it.
That help, Jeff. I’m going to have to do some trial runs to see how low I can go.
In Bamberg they have the beechwood fire in a fire box. At Spezial he said the also have fans to help pull the smoke through the gran bed in the kiln. There is also an air intake between the fire and grain bed, that has an adjustable baffle to adjust the temperature. He said this about the temperature without being asked “ My secret”.
I liked an oak smoked wheat malt when I made a Grodziske - it was Weyermann, if I recall correctly. As to technique, I think you can put a container of ice cubes in the smoker to keep it cool, as well - I saw that used with cheese being smoked. I don’t know how long the ice lasts, but it certainly could be switched out as it melts.
In smoking circles less than 140F is considered cold smoke. Cheese is usually smoked below 90F.
I’ve seen a mailbox used as a firebox with a smoke tube filled with lit pellets used as a cold smoker. Dampers can be installed to control the temp over a daisy wheel.
http://www.kevinsworkbench.com/smoker_mailbox_mod/index.html
That is clever.
I have a Brinkmann water smoker. I already know I will fill the water tray with an ice bath.
I have one of the dust smokers in this link, might get the pellet one to supplement.
http://www.amazenproducts.com/category_s/12.htm
Before I buy anything I will try a technique that uses a cast iron skillet in the bottom, a fire of 4 brackets, and the wood for smoke. A trail of pellets coming out from th brickets will be tried.
Thanks everyone, the takeaway is the colder the better.