[majorvices]

Since you suspect the flavor came from the scorched hops I would look that direction, and smoked hops - maybe even slightly charred hops on smoker or in oven - would be the way I'd go.

If the flavor really came from scorching I think you got really lucky. Every scorched beer I have ever tasted, (and have unfortunately tasted a few either from electric elements in BK, or from scorched malt in MT and from actual scorched wort from direct fire kettle), have all tasted more like the smoke you'd get from a cross between and ash tray and a tail pipe rather than pleasant wood smoke.

I've never smoked hops before, but I have heard of people who have done it. Now I'm excited to try it

This is also my opinion on the aspect of scorched flavors.  I'm sensitive to it and can pick it up better than most, more as ashtray burnt than pleasant smokiness.
I've cold smoked hops.  Whole hops work better than pellets.  I smoked some Warrior and use them late and dry and got a lot more smoke in the end product than I expected.

How did you like the beer, Jeff?

[jeffy]

Since you suspect the flavor came from the scorched hops I would look that direction, and smoked hops - maybe even slightly charred hops on smoker or in oven - would be the way I'd go.

If the flavor really came from scorching I think you got really lucky. Every scorched beer I have ever tasted, (and have unfortunately tasted a few either from electric elements in BK, or from scorched malt in MT and from actual scorched wort from direct fire kettle), have all tasted more like the smoke you'd get from a cross between and ash tray and a tail pipe rather than pleasant wood smoke.

I've never smoked hops before, but I have heard of people who have done it. Now I'm excited to try it

This is also my opinion on the aspect of scorched flavors.  I'm sensitive to it and can pick it up better than most, more as ashtray burnt than pleasant smokiness.
I've cold smoked hops.  Whole hops work better than pellets.  I smoked some Warrior and use them late and dry and got a lot more smoke in the end product than I expected.

How did you like the beer, Jeff?

Well, I like smoked beers.  This one was pretty good, smokier than I expected it to be.  It makes a nice shortcut if you're brewing a hop-centric smoked beer.

[majorvices]

Cool, thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking about dry hopping an oz or tow of centennial to an IPA to a pin (5 gallon firkin). I expect it will be interesting, at least.

[hopfenundmalz]

Since you suspect the flavor came from the scorched hops I would look that direction, and smoked hops - maybe even slightly charred hops on smoker or in oven - would be the way I'd go.

If the flavor really came from scorching I think you got really lucky. Every scorched beer I have ever tasted, (and have unfortunately tasted a few either from electric elements in BK, or from scorched malt in MT and from actual scorched wort from direct fire kettle), have all tasted more like the smoke you'd get from a cross between and ash tray and a tail pipe rather than pleasant wood smoke.

I've never smoked hops before, but I have heard of people who have done it. Now I'm excited to try it

This is also my opinion on the aspect of scorched flavors.  I'm sensitive to it and can pick it up better than most, more as ashtray burnt than pleasant smokiness.
I've cold smoked hops.  Whole hops work better than pellets.  I smoked some Warrior and use them late and dry and got a lot more smoke in the end product than I expected.

Senior Smoke!

[mblanks2]

Lot's of ideas to mull around here. I'm going to look at doing small split batches of maybe a gallon each.
1) Mildly burn/scorch some of the original fwh's in a little wort in a separate vessel.
2) Cold smoke a small amount of hops to dry hop with or add to a 1 gallon batch while boiling.
3) Try a small percentage of smoke malt.
4) Maybe try to re-create the original scenario on a stainless plate to prevent the cleanup of the kettle.
5) Brew the original recipe without scorching the hops to see if it's just not worth all the hassle, but with this level of complexity, I just don't know.

[mblanks2]

18 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 9 76.6 %
.5 lbs Smoked Malt (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) Grain 10 2.3 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 11 6.4 %
1 lbs Caramel Malt - 60L (Briess) (60.0 SRM) Grain 12 4.3 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (biscuit) (Briess) (28.0 SRM) Grain 13 4.3 %

So how does this look to get a "Slight" smoke flavor into this grain bill? This will still be 110 IBU's calculated and an estimated 10% ABV. Aged for 8 month after primary. This is the original grain bill with added smoked malt also change the style to "Other Smoke Beer" with a higher than normal IBU level.

[chinaski]

If the beer turned out great, why not just do the same "mistake" again?  I take it scrubbing your brew kettle is the main sticking point?

[mblanks2]

If the beer turned out great, why not just do the same "mistake" again?  I take it scrubbing your brew kettle is the main sticking point?

Exactly! I have considered trying to repeat the process with a small stainless plate underneath the spider to prevent sticking to the kettle.