16 replies to this topic

[3rd party JKor]

I've got a 55 pound sack of rauchmalt headed my way and I've got Schlenkerla on the brain. Anyone got a good classic rauch recipe? I'm considering just doing 100% rauch and letting the chips fall where they may.

[North]

could be very smokey. ive done one and i was not a fan. rauch is german for smoke

[3rd party JKor]

Do you like schlenkerla? It's really smoky, but I love it. I've heard that they use rauchmalt for 100% of the basemalt.

[Slainte]

The problem with using 100% Rauchmalt (Weyermann) is that it's not very dark. It's like 2 SRM, and doesn't really give you any of the rich malty flavors required for the style. The other problem is that it's not smokey enough, and in order to get an beer as intense as Schlenkerla, you need to use a lot of it. Schlenkerla does use a lot of smoked malt, but they smoked it in house and it's different from the commercially available malt.I've used it around 40% of the grain bill, and have gotten great results (and won a few competitions with)...but real smokeheads like me desire more.I'm going to beechwood smoke some malt, and use that along with some Rauchmalt in a Rauchbier this weekend. Hopefully this brings the smoke character to the intensity I want.

[3rd party JKor]

The sack I'm getting is from Best Malz via North Country Malt. I've heard it's pretty good, but I haven't found a lot of references on it. I used the Weyermann rauch in a smoked porter last year, it turned out nice, but at 20% of the grist it wasn't near smoky enough for me. The other thing I've picked up on, with some research, is that the smokiness from batch to batch (even from the same maltster) can vary greatly and it also dissipates significantly over time. It seems like a tough malt to work with in that respect. It's really tough to judge what you have.I may end up going the home smoked route, if that's what it takes. I certainly have the equipment to do it. What are malt are you going to use? Munich?

[Slainte]

I was thinking Vienna, since the heat from the smoker will probably toast the grain some.Didn't know Best Malz made a Rauchmalt, you'll have to report back on how it works out for you.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I was thinking Vienna, since the heat from the smoker will probably toast the grain some. Didn't know Best Malz made a Rauchmalt, you'll have to report back on how it works out for you.

I'd like to take a whiff of this malt if you have it when I pick up my grain tomorrow

[3rd party JKor]

The Best Malz Rauch is listed as 2-3.5°L. So, it is pretty lightly kilned. How about this:80% Rauch19% Munich1% Carafa Special

[3rd party JKor]

I'm going to brew this recipe up tomorrow:20 lb (80%) Rauch malt (3°L)4 lb (16%) Lt. Munich (8°L)0.5 lb. (2%) Melanoidin (35°L)0.5 lb. (2%) Carafa Special I (350°L)30 gr. Magnum (11.8% AA, 60 min)30 gr. N. Brewer (7.2% AA, 10 min)Mash 60 min @ 154FEst. OG: 1.061Est. IBU: 27Est. SRM: 13WLP830 German Lager @ 50FAny thoughts?

Edited by JKoravos, 17 June 2010 - 06:41 PM.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I'm going to brew this recipe up tomorrow: 20 lb (80%) Rauch malt (3°L) 4 lb (16%) Lt. Munich (8°L) 0.5 lb. (2%) Melanoidin (35°L) 0.5 lb. (2%) Carafa Special I (350°L) 30 gr. Magnum (11.8% AA, 60 min) 30 gr. N. Brewer (7.2% AA, 10 min) Mash 60 min @ 154F Est. OG: 1.061 Est. IBU: 27 Est. SRM: 13 WLP830 German Lager @ 50F Any thoughts?

sounds really nice but why northern brewer instead of something like hallertau or some other noble variety?

[3rd party JKor]

sounds really nice but why northern brewer instead of something like hallertau or some other noble variety?

Because that's what I have. NB has some noble character to it. I have some Saaz, but I don't know if that would fit as well.

[Slainte]

I'd like to take a whiff of this malt if you have it when I pick up my grain tomorrow

I think you might've had me confused with someone else.

I'm going to brew this recipe up tomorrow: 20 lb (80%) Rauch malt (3°L) 4 lb (16%) Lt. Munich (8°L) 0.5 lb. (2%) Melanoidin (35°L) 0.5 lb. (2%) Carafa Special I (350°L) 30 gr. Magnum (11.8% AA, 60 min) 30 gr. N. Brewer (7.2% AA, 10 min) Mash 60 min @ 154F Est. OG: 1.061 Est. IBU: 27 Est. SRM: 13 WLP830 German Lager @ 50F Any thoughts?

Recipe looks good. If anything I might add 0.25-0.5 lb of a medium dark crystal (75-80 lov), but that's just me. I think the Northern Brewer could work well. It has kind of a woody/earthy character that might be nice with the smoke. Very interested to hear how the Best Malz Rauchmalt works for you. I ended up brewing this one a week an a half ago: 1.057 19.3 SRM 26.2 IBUs 6 lb Munich (5 lb lightly homesmoked with beechwood) 5 lb Weyermann Rauchmalt 6 oz Caramunich III (57 L) 6 oz Simpsons Dark Crystal (75 L) 5 oz Carafa Special II 1.5 oz Hallertauer Mittehfruh WLP 833 German Bock Lager The grain smoking went very well. I was able to hook up my Ranco thermostat to my electric smoker, and use that to keep the heat low. Very excited about this one.

[3rd party JKor]

That looks awesome. I can't wait to hear the outcome. I definitely think my future rauchbiers are going to be with home smoked malt. Nothing against the Best Malz Rauch, I just think it's the right thing to do .


I'm boiling right now. My gravity came in a little high, about 1.065. I just upped the magnum a couple of grams. I'm really excited about this. The wort smells great, almost like taking a whiff of a fully smoked brisket. I'm pretty sure you could boil this wort down and baste your BBQ meats with it (...*files patent*). It's glorious.

[3rd party JKor]

I think you might've had me confused with someone else.

He was talking to me. We were just in on a North Country Malt group buy and I was dropping off his grain the day after he posted that.

[Slainte]

I'm boiling right now. My gravity came in a little high, about 1.065. I just upped the magnum a couple of grams. I'm really excited about this. The wort smells great, almost like taking a whiff of a fully smoked brisket. I'm pretty sure you could boil this wort down and baste your BBQ meats with it (...*files patent*). It's glorious.

That sounds awesome.

Occasionally I get cravings for smoked beer, and just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

He was talking to me. We were just in on a North Country Malt group buy and I was dropping off his grain the day after he posted that.

Ahh ok. I was a little confused because Zym quoted my post when saying that.

[3rd party JKor]

I do have to say that I was a little disappointed with the aroma after the boil. The 1hr boil definitely drove off a lot of the smoky aroma that was in the runoff. I'll have to see how it comes out, but I have a feeling that it isn't going to be smoky enough for me.

[3rd party JKor]

I'm about ready to keg this beer. I lost control of the fermentation early on due to my AC freezing up. The temp got up to 76 the second day after pitching (it was super hot and humid). I was able to reign it back in but it obviously shows some side effects of that ordeal. Not as bad as I thought it would, but noticeable. I think the overall recipe was pretty good though. It did turn out with some great aroma, really Schlenkerla-esque. It finished pretty high at 1.021, but it doesn't seem underattenuated. I actually think I would brew this beer exactly the same next time around so I can see how it would come out with a well controlled fermentation.