I just finished off a German style smoked ale that I made about 18 months ago. It was really good and I wish I had another case of it. After I drank that I had a barley wine. I got to thinking that smoked malts tend to stay in session beers and I don't see them as much in barley wines or RIS styles. I've still got a few pounds of homemade apple smoked malt that I'd like to use and I'm thinking of making something that's 7+ ABV for the late winter months. Is this a bad idea?
These suggest its a good idea (I love both of these beers BTW): http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1471/7697 http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/263/54731 For a stout or something big and dark with some roast, a little bit of extra sweetness or melanoidins to offset the smoke and roast might be a good bet.
i have used smoked malt with success in two beers now. all my beers seem to end up 7+ abv. go figure? my limited experience is that smoked malt holds up very well in big beers and a lot of rauch malt is not too much. just be careful not to overload the beer with hop aroma. I believe my second was 80% smoked malt. it seems like a bad idea, but if you enjoy the flavor it is really not intolerable or a bad idea. up to 100% may be used. so maybe 80% or so smoked malt, a bit of specialty for body/color/head retention? consider light/extra light DME to bring up the abv if needed. Tettnang or saaz would be appropriate or run wild but again it is a malt beer after all. a middle of the road yeast or a lager will allow the smoke to shine. truthfully, there is not much you can do to balance a big rauch malt bill and I see no point in pretending. if you can find a yeast/hop combination that plays in the symphony let us know! otherwise it is a solo brew. Cheers.
I make a smoked black IPA. ABV usually 6-6.2%. I've used between 0.5 and 1 lb of rauch malt in the recipe. I've found less is more with this beer to make sure the hops stand out. But, the smoke plays off the hops (in this case, Amarillo) really well. The beer is complex and thoroughtly enjoyable, and one of my very favorites to brew.
I have made Barley Wine with a couple pounds of Wyermann Smoked Malt. This beer has never recieved higher then an honerable mention in any competition I have entered it in ,however I am very happy with it and will brew it again.Take care.
