I've run out of smoked malt and I hope to do a few Rauchbiers soon. I've got wood pellets for several flavors and I'm hoping to get some feedback on which flavors I should try. I've got: Apple (came out great last time) Alder (I think I wan to try this, but I'm worried about a beer tasting like salmon) Hickory Oak Mesquite Pecan Thoughs?
What is your process, and what temp do you smoke at? I am looking at pellet smokers now, so brand and procedure is of interest. Alder is great in a smoked porter, AK smoked porter has won a ton of awards using alder smoked grains. Oak/pecan would be fine. Mesquite can be too sharpe, but could be OK with a light hand in the grain bill. Shiner Smokehouse used Mesquite. Hickory might be to strong for a classic rauchbier.
My process goes against a lot of peoples' grain. I'll use Munich and soak it an a bucket for 5 minutes. I'll strain the water out and put the gains in a very large metal (lasagna?) pan. I won't poke any holes in it, I'll just take a little longer with the process and stir more frequently. I have an A MAZE N pellet tray that is sort of a maze for wood pellets. I've had lots of success with smoking salmon, pork shoulders, so on so forth. There won't be any heat, other than the pellet tray. I think it only adds like 10-15F ambient anyway. I'll just spray the grains as needed, stir the grains as needed and I'll probably be smoking for a few hours. Into the oven, low and slow after that to help them dry. Into the brew kettle for a week with stirring to help them air out after that. NO CHLORINATED WATER THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS. I've tried other ways where it seems like you're spraying the grains really often and I don't think you get as strong of a smoke flavor from doing it this way. This is fine, if you want to up the % of grain you add to the next batch. I'll probably do about 6# and expect to get 2 batches out of it.
I've used oak, pecan and apple before. Oak was too harsh, apple good but the pecan is everybody's favorite. I've used it in a few styles and people have always liked it more than the apple or oak.
I've done oak, pecan, apple, cherry, alder. I think all worked out really well. Really depends on the type of base beer you're brewing.. Lighter beers work better with the fruit wood, darker/maltier beers work really well with the oak/pecan/alder woods IMO.
I'm not one for smoked beers, but I do smoke alot of proteins on my BGE's. I'd skip the mesquite, IMO. It's a good wood for the right food, but I can't imagine it in a beer that would taste good. Try some bourbon barrel chunks, that would be interesting.
I guy I know talks of the Amazing Smoker for some things. Might have to get one. He says it is good for smoked cheese.
^ That's what I was going to say, beechwood is the traditional wood for smoked malt. I personally haven't smoked any malt yet, but ever since my trip to DE and BE I've been using beechwood in smoked pork applications. It's really good, a little harsh upfront, but with a sweet, complex backend. Visited a couple of schenkenraucherei's while there and had ham, ribs, bacon, all smoked with beech. Kind of got addicted to it. And it's made me appreciate Schlenkerla more, also.
Anything that needs cold smoke can work out well. I did lox twice. Once with alder wood and it came out amazing. Dry brine is the way to go. I haven't tried cheese, but I've seen pics of people suspending the cheese over a tray of ice to help keep the cheese cool during the process. Smoked Gouda sounds pretty good.
