The Session #26: Smoked Beers

The topic for this 26th edition of The Session comes to us from Lew Bryson and it is “Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!“:

You can read more about Beer Blogging Friday a.k.a. The Session over on the Brookston Beer Bulletin.

First, some math.  Smoke+Meat=Awesome!  Beer+Meat=Awesome!  So does this mean that Smoke+Beer=Awesome?  To find out, let’s start by taking a look at some examples.

Smoked beers seem to fall into 2 main categories; An existing style with a small percentage of smoked malt added for flavor (like you would a caramel or roasted malt) or the classic German Rauchbier, which is usually 100% smoked base malt.  If anyone knows of a different combination please let me know – I would love to try it.

So first up in this Session tasting is a Stone Smoked Porter.  If you’ve never tried a smoked beer before – this would be a good place to start.  Visually it looks just like you’d expect from a porter.  One hit from your sniffy sniff though and you’ll immediately notice the distinctive smoked malt aroma.  Take a sip and you’ll find the smoke again – this time hiding behind the roast and chocolate.

Its fairly subtle – but after several sips the smoke begins to coat the back of your throat – like too much time in a smoky bar.  Or like the alcohol from a strong liquor.  That strange sensation when you exhale and can taste it on your own breath.  That doesn’t sound very good does it?

Overall though, the base porter is a great example and the smoked flavor is fairly subtle and approachable – unlike the next beer.

There are several traditional Aecht Schlenkerla rauchbier styles from Brauerei Heller.  I’ve previously tried the Ur-bock so this time I decided to have a go with the Weizen.

It pours out quite a bit darker than your standard weizen – which you can see in the picture – but with a nice fluffy head.  Quite clear in comparison as well.

It’s difficult to describe the flavor.  One of those things you just have to taste for yourself.

The first thing that comes to mind is a slab of bacon stuck in a glass with a nice Hefeweizen poured over the top.  Yes, really.  I like it – but it just seems wrong.

I guess this would be an acquired taste for pretty much anyone.  I rather liked the first rauchbier I ever tried – but I’m kinda strange like that.

In both of these beers the smoke comes from barley which has been wood smoked, much like you would a meat or cheese.  Peat moss is used to smoke the malt in the Porter, and beech-wood for the Weizen.  These are the 2 main types of smoked malt that are available.  Although I hear Briess is now producing a cherry-wood smoked malt and at least one brewery is trying it with hickory.

I know I’m messing with 700 years of tradition here – but maybe there’s more than 1 way to get the smoke into the beer?  And maybe we could make it be a little less weird at the same time.   Brewers are going crazy with the wood-aged beers – maybe its time to show their smoked brothers some of that love.  To get the ball rolling – here are a few ideas:

- How about adding some kind of marinade or seasoning to the malt for smoking? If it works for meats…

- I’ve heard a few people talk about smoking hops (no, not like that) – maybe as part of the drying process?  Then you could add the smoke during a whirlpool or dry-hop.

- Speaking of that – maybe something gets lost in translation from the maltster through brewing and fermentation.  Why not add the smoke at a different point?  It wouldn’t be that difficult to create a cold-smoke fermenter, or bright tank.

This would remove some of the burden of producing different types of smoked malt from the maltser and open up more experimentation for the brewer.  It could also help preserve some of the more subtle aromas and flavors.

- How about instead of toasting or charring- try smoking some of those barrels before wood aging.

I didn’t say they would be good ideas… but ideas nonetheless.  And while I mostly enjoy a good smoked beer, I can see where many others might not – so why not change it up a bit?

Tagged as: beer blogging friday, rauch beir, smoked beer, The Session