Smoking malt

[McMullan]

Anyone used a bbq to smoke their own malt? I'm interested in which type (oak, apple, cherry, etc.) of wood chips you used, type of grain smoked, whether you milled the grains prior to smoking, how long you smoked the grain and any additional knowledge you'd care to share?

I tried a HaandBryggeriet 'Norwegian Wood' a month or so ago. It was different, in an interesting way, but it reminded me of drinking a 'bonfire' until I got about half way through it. A bit too 'smokey' for me, TBH. Tonight I tried a HaandBryggeriet Bestefar, which was very nice, IMO. It had a definite hint of smoked malt that went really well with this dark 9% ale.

I found this http://byo.com/hops/item/306-brewing-sm ... m-the-pros and this http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Download ... rChart.pdf

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

 

[clibit]

No-can-do sorry. I think you've gone through the wardrobe into Narnia, bro. :lol:

 

[McMullan]

You might be right, clibit. Our garden looks the part...

 

[McMullan]

I'll give it a go in the spring... after defeating the White Witch :thumb:

 

[clibit]

Fantastic, and quite different from my Old Trafford back yard. Where I ought to keep pigeons really, in homage to the late Jack Duckworth.

For me, though, your rotary drier undermines the Narnia claims, unfortunately. I was almost fooled!

 

[Cwrw666]

I'd be interested in trying this as well. I'd guess you wouldn't need a lot of smoke if you don't want it overpowering. Again guessing but it would probably be best to smoke something like crystal malt so you don't have to worry about destroying the enzyme capability of your malt.
I had a couple of pints of smoked lager on haloween at a do held by the pipes brewery in Cardiff. I'd say it was the best of their beers that I tried. Personally I could hardly taste the smokiness, but the rest of the family reckoned it reeked.:

 

[McMullan]

Fantastic, and quite different from my Old Trafford back yard. Where I ought to keep pigeons really, in homage to the late Jack Duckworth.

For me, though, your rotary drier undermines the Narnia claims, unfortunately. I was almost fooled!

It looks like a windmill when it's covered in snow. Honest. Bloody global warming melting the snow again... -12 to +6 in a day or two!

 

[McMullan]

I'd be interested in trying this as well. I'd guess you wouldn't need a lot of smoke if you don't want it overpowering. Again guessing but it would probably be best to smoke something like crystal malt so you don't have to worry about destroying the enzyme capability of your malt.
I had a couple of pints of smoked lager on haloween at a do held by the pipes brewery in Cardiff. I'd say it was the best of their beers that I tried. Personally I could hardly taste the smokiness, but the rest of the family reckoned it reeked.:

I'm enjoying it when it's subtle. It'll be interesting to try different wood species. To get away from the 'burning pallet' effect, though. :thumb:

 

[clibit]

http://beerandwinejournal.com/smoking-malt/

Check this out, by Chris Colby. He da man. :thumb:

 

[geetee]

I Tried smoking malt but it just kept falling out the end of the Rizla!

 

[McMullan]

I Tried smoking malt but it just kept falling out the end of the Rizla!

I reckon a pipe would be better :lol:

 

[JohnB]

I'd rather like to revive some thoughts on home smoking malt. I like history and was reading that all beer brewed: ' ... way back when' used smoked malt because that was about all there was due to the processes of the day. Now, I can imagine it tasting pretty rough, but I smoke stuff at home; trout, salmon when I can get hold of some decent stuff, bacon, home-made chorizo (which is bloody fab!). I'd thought of giving a couple of pounds of malt a try and mixing it in with a bit of MO or GP and some crystal. But I'd be interested if anyone out there has any recipes? I've looked at Rauchsmalt, and I take it the Rauchsmalt takes it's name from the German, 'smoke' and is a smoked malt. Just thought maybe lighter, or darker, smoking may introduce some interesting flavours.