Tess and Mark Szamatulski - Maltose Express, Monroe, Connecticut
Ed Seaman • 2003 AHA Nationals Gold Medal Winner, Category 23: Smoke-Flavored Beer
"This beer took First Place in the Classic Rauchbier category at the 2001 Alaska State Fair Homebrew Competition." - Mark Ryan
A Belgian Strong Ale with smoke. From the "Homebrewer at the South Pole" article, BYO 1996.
The biggest trick to making a good rauchbier is getting a clean smoke character, one in which chlorine compounds from your water don’t react with the smoky phenols to make odd flavors and aromas. To avoid this, carbon filter your water and — because carbon filtration may not remove all the chlorine compounds in your water — treat your brewing liquor with one crushed Campden tablet per 20 gallons (76 L).
An American-style Amber Ale, with maple sap and syrup. Maple sap is the clear liquid that maple syrup is made from. In this recipe, maple sap replaces your brewing liquor. Maple sap contains 2.5% sugar on average. (In contrast, maple syrup contains around 66% sugar.) If you don’t have access to maple sap, use water and add an extra 1.66 pints of maple syrup during the boil. The amount of German smoked malt called for will only yield the faintest whiff of smoke. For a stronger smoked flavor, try replacing it with some home-smoked malt (we’d try hickory smoke.
For the beer drinker who has tried everything before... just to prove that he or she hasn't. This beer is malty and fairly big underneath, hoppy in the middle, and slightly smokey near the end. And, of course, you can depend on dragon's breath for hours after... following the fire, that is!
This is a Bamberg-style reddish lager, sweet and substantial like a Marzen, with the distinctive smokiness of a beechwood fire.
This is a big, rich, malty and strong brew - the smoke, although present, seems restrained compared to all the other flavors.
Long, slow, and cool fermentation is a crucial element for this beer, which otherwise gets too fruity and bitter; the smoked malt can develop fusel and/or sulfury notes if overdone or if fermented too warm. Hop levels are deliberately low; this beer is all about malt.
The darkness and slight bitterness of a porter, the tangy sweetness of fresh raspberries, and the haunting, fragrant smokiness of smoked malt.
