I brewed the Smokestra Porter detailed in the Jan/Feb 2021 Zymurgy. My grainbill was slightly lower than the 22 lbs noted in the recipe but the smoked malt was still at around 33% of the bill. I fermented it with Lutra for 2 weeks. Getting ready to cold-crash it. I took a sample to get FG readings and IT"S REALLY SMOKY!!! The aroma is like smelling liquid smoke! Surprisingly, the smoky nose does not over-power the flavor and I can still taste molasses/raisins.
As noted in the recipe, I will lager it for a couple of months. Will that be enough to mellow out this beer? If it doesn’t, I’m looking for suggestions on what to add to the beer to counter-balance the smokiness. Cold-brewed coffee? Vanilla tincture? I’m open to suggestions.
Found that issue this morning. The malt listed is Weyermann smoked malt.
If it is really smokey you got very fresh Rauchmalz. The other possibility is that you are sensitive to smoke. I have a Rauchbier Lagering now that is 99% smoked malt, I like Rauchbier.
Made Stjordol with 100% alder smoked sainhuss malt. Smokiest thing I’ve had. I’ve found it takes about half a pint to “acclimate”, and after that it’s incredible. I would recommend letting it carb and trying it, you might like it. Otherwise I’d recommend blending or maybe some bourbon soaked oak.
I read the article you mentioned. Should have realized the Sugar Creek malt. I know many homebrewed in Indiana that talk of their malt. Where did you purchase it?
Freshness is key for smoked malt. That is why I’m smoking my own these days.
The last smoked beer I brewed was a porter with smoked grain that was a bit long in the tooth and the smoke was almost undetectable. I ended up adding some smoke via a lapsang soucshong tea infusion.
Started with pointers from Ray Daniels Smoked Beer Book.
Spray grains with Dechlorinated water. Put grains on a screen over the smoking wood. I use an old water smoker.
The wood is burned in a smoke tubes, or an SS maze. The grains are kept under 100F. Turned severersl times over an hour plus vs with a big spoon. More water sprayed on if needed.
Grains are allowed to condition in a paper bag for a week or so. Hope this helps.
One experiment was to build a frame and screen to smoke more on the grill. It work, but I have to improve it.
If you ever watched the Good Eats episode where Alton Brown smokes food using a cardboard box, well, I bought stuff to do just that. Cardboard box was free.
