Sunday, December 29, 2013

S.O.S. Smoked Oatmeal Stout

Hmmmm..... I thought to myself.  I tasted the Weyermann Oak Smoked Wheat Malt and really liked the nutty, oaky flavor it has.  It has a subtle smoke flavor but very rich and multidimensional.

Which beer style could I use this in?  Lots of breweries make smoked porter.  What if I made a smoked oatmeal stout?  I think the oak smoked wheat will lend the flavor of the oak, similar to an oak-aged stout with a light smokiness.

I'll post on brew day.

CHEERS!

Wholly Smoke v2.0

This recipe is finally dialed in!  I'm very happy with the results!  This beer turned out quite nicely!

Most German smoke beers are lagers, but I have finally made a big, smoky ale.  7% ABV and 43 IBU's makes it nicely balanced.  I used a combination of Weyermann Rauchmalt and Briess Cherrywood smoked malt to achieve a good smokiness, but not too much smokiness.

This beer pairs well with barbecue and charcuterie quite nicely.  It goes well with strong cheeses such as aged cheddar and blue.  I have even used some in making chili to add a little smokiness and richness.

I've found that most American's palates are not accustomed to such intense flavor.  One either loves smoke beer or doesn't.  There is no gray area in between.  Although,  some like smoke in other styles of beer such as Porter, and it seems to be making appearances in other styles as well.  In fact, I will be experimenting with a smoked oatmeal stout on New Years Day for my first brew of 2014.  (Next Post)

CHEERS!