Classic Rauchbier

The problem with predicting Rauchmalz character lays in the variability, large due to age. I know some folks out there do nothing but 100% rauch for their true smoke beers and report back that their beers are smokey, but not over the top. Personally, I'm convinced those people may have short circuited their nose via cigs, the cousin or years of bacon abuse.

If this is your first go-around with the Rauchmalt, I'd cut her to 50%, subbing pils for the remainder 33% and then let it develop and see what you get. If it's not smokey enough, lesson learned and you still have a drinkable beer.

Decoction is always nice if you have the time, even if I'm not convinced of their usefulness.

 

The grain bill you have listed will result in an extremely smoky beer. I've done smoked beers with 45% beechwood malt and they are very smoke-forward, so you could easily cut the amount in half and still have a nicely smoky beer.

 

Classic Rauchbier does not use rye, as it is not allowed in a lager under the German tax laws. It is your beer and you can do it if you want. A little caramunich is not a bad thing either, but use a light hand, maybe 3% or a little less.

You can cold steep the carafa, no problem, just add the cold steep at the start of mashout.

A decoction is more work, have you done one before?

 

100% rauchmalt + mesh screen + smoker + apple and cherry wood = blue ribbon at three different competitions.

Smoking malt that's already been smoked might sound over the top, but it worked for me.

 

Double decoction is traditional. After all of my many attempts, I've come to the conclusion that it's essential to nail the base Maerzen style first. What this translates to is around 70% Weyermann smoked malt and then a combination of Pils and Munich malt (say 14-15% each) and a bit less than a pound of Caramunich II or Caravienne and just enough Carafa dehusked special (note, must be dehusked, otherwise you'll get a harsh roasted character that clashes with the smoke) to get around 20 SRM. The primary thing preventing you from making a classic Rauchbier is that you're not using a lager yeast. Still, I think the Koelsch yeast could be interesting...the Rittmayer Rauchbier I just had this past summer had something slightly fruity about it that worked well; perhaps the 2565 can give you that.

 

Yea, temperature control is key. It has only been after getting a temperature regulator and heating pad "installed" in the chest freezer that I've been able to regulate temps within 1 degree C with consistency. And, man, has it made a difference in the finished product! Will be very interested to hear how the 2565 works, as I regularly brew a Koelsch and would like to be able to (re)use that yeast for my Rauchbier.

 

Here is a homebrew recipe that did OK in the 2011 NHC. It has some Cara-Vienna as HerrBurgess suggests, and a decoction.
http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/SmokeScreen

 

If you are thinking of competing with this beer, I suggest you not be shy about the smoke. I only speak form a small amount of experience though. I entered one competition with my only smoked beer I ever made and it did OK, about a 33 IIRC. Both judges commented that there was only a hint of smoke. Yet to me, not well-experienced in smoke beers, and never being one to abuse bacon (see Drewbage's comment), well, this beer was as smokey as I would want it. Every commercial smoked beer I ever had (which is maybe two) was too smokey for me.

EDIT: In my beer (smoked schwarzbier), I used 1# if cherrywood smoked malt (Briess) with one 1 can of Munich extract (also Briess).

 

It was in the Classic Rauchbier category. Picked up first place in every competition I entered it in. That being said, if you don't like Schlenkerla, it's probably not for you. It sounds like you want to bring out more of the Marzen flavors; if you do that, I'd go with 66% rauchmalt, 17% vienna malt, and 17% munich. Also, I'd suggest Tett hops over Hallertau for a more classic profile. The rule with this style is to keep things as simple as possible.

 

Did the apple-/cherrywood flavor come through much? With the Briess cherrywood-smoked malt I find the tartness of the cherry very prominent in the smoke profile, to such a degree that I wouldn't classify any beer with those characteristics as a "classic" Rauchbier. Still, I've very interested to hear about how the smoking of the Weyermann Rauchmalz turned out, as I've thought about doing this myself (but only with beechwood).

 

It comes through as a very mellow sweetness (and I'd say that I used 75% applewood, 25% cherrywood). In my mind, it just helps round out the naturally luscious malt character of the traditional Marzen base-style. I don't know that I'd do a 100% applewood/cherrywood brew, because you're right -- that wouldn't be rauchbier. But re-smoking the traditional rauchmalz, it works every time.

Oh -- another thing you might want to try, in moderation, is old grapevines, which have a really nice, almost tobacco-leaf smoke character.

 

I don't wanna know, not gonna ask.