A Flowery Song

Background: A smoked rye doppelbock that is “[a]n homage to all things pig”. The smoke comes from cherrywood-smoked malted barley, then there’s some rye, and two other unnamed malts.

Nose: Smoke! Also fruity malt. Dried figs. And some alcohol.

Taste: Ooh, lots of smoke, balanced with a deep, rich molasses-like maltiness.

Overall: Should go well with pork, as indicated on the bottle. And this really does need to be served along with food, else the smoke gets pretty overpowering.

The Mission: “You’ve got three weeks, is what I’m saying: go find a smoked beer.” Direct and to the point.

Probably the most well-known example of a smoked beer is the German rauchbier, where a portion of the malt used is dried over a beechwood fire. The other widely available smoked malt is peated malt, while various craft brewers have smoked their own malt over anything from apple wood to alder wood (okay, so that’s not all that far).

A less traditional method, while not something I’ve heard of being used, would be to directly smoke the beer itself.

The second beer I’ll be covering is an example of second-hand smoke. I’m sure everyone’s heard of barrel-aged beer, but how many of you have considered that it introduces two possible sources for a smoky flavour? First, whisky barrels are usually charred before use, which can carry over into any beer aged in them. Second, what if the barrel came from a heavily peat-smoked whisky like Bruichladdich or Lagavulin? Even a less smoky whisky such as Highland Park introduces some smoke character.
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Background: Homebrewed by HomeBrewTalk member Evets. Received as part of the 08/08/08 RIS swap.

Appearance: Opaque brown, minimal head.

Nose: Sweet, roasted malt. A hint of smoke.

Taste: Too much smoke. A background of earthiness, caramel sweetness, and cocoa. Dry, very slightly astringent finish.

Mouthfeel: On the light side of medium, good level of carbonation.

Overall: Needs easing up on the smoke, or something more to counterpoint the heavy smoke. I'm not sure what, though. The mouthfeel and what I could discern of the base beer were both good.

Background: This peat-smoked stout is the fourth of five seasonal beers the brewery calls their “Holiday Stout Series”.

Appearance: Thick black body with a foamy dark brown head.

Nose: Rich roasted malt, mild smoke, and some lighter toasted notes.

Taste: Wow. Huge malt flavour showing up as espresso and bitter chocolate, some molasses and charcoal, with a goodly amount of smoke showing up in the middle and sticking around well into the finish. To balance the powerful char is a fair amount of sweetness and some light to medium hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Not as heavy as I expected from the pour, but still full-bodied and creamy.

Overall: I like it. A robust, full-flavoured beer perfect for relaxing on a winter evening.

Background: This recreation of a traditional farmhouse ale from Norway is brewed from wood-smoked malt and spiced with juniper branches and berries.

Appearance: Opaque medium brown, foams enthusiastically and the tan head exhibits great retention.

Smell: Spicy pine scents from the juniper, subtle smoke seems to grow in intensity as you take additional sniffs. Hints of dark malt and slight dried fruit aromas.

Taste: Smoke may seem subdued in the nose, but it comes through here with a vengeance. Hefty wood smoke flavour is the first and last thing you taste. Vague fruitiness sliding into juniper comes through in the middle. A hint of meatiness is almost gamy; slight sour yeast character. Besides the smoke, the long finish also contains a resiny reminder of the juniper.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and medium-bodied, high carbonation and a tongue-coating tingly sensation from the juniper resins.

Drinkability: I love this beer. It's bold and assertive, with sufficient complexity to keep the beer geeks happy.

Appearance: Deep, slightly reddish dark brown. Tan head with slight retention.

Smell: Estery malt nose with a hint of hops.

Taste: Roasted malt with chocolate notes, a wonderful smoky background, and medium-light hops.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and rich with medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Very nice. The smoke is well integrated with the base style, and the base is no slouch either. My only issue is that the smoke is a bit too light; I would have liked to see a bit more of it in the nose.