Weyermann Beech Smoked Barley Malt

Pale, malty, and unmistakably smoky with notes of vanilla, honey, and warm beech wood.

Beech Smoked Barley Malt (Rauchmalz) is produced from quality malting barley, carefully dried over the glowing embers of well-aged beech wood. The result is a pale base malt that carries genuine smoke character without pushing into medicinal or acrid territory. The smoke is well-rounded and warm; think campfire caramel rather than ashtray. This malt also contributes a warm honey like sweetness and light vanilla character.

This is the malt that put Bamberg, Germany on the brewing map. Before the industrial revolution, all beer tasted like this had a smoky character from the malting process. When a patent for smoke-free malt drying was issued in 1635, the world's beer slowly became cleaner and paler but Bamberg refused to follow. To the west of Bamberg lies Germany's largest beech wood forest, giving local brewers easy access to one of the style's defining ingredients, and the tradition held.

Beech wood smoke sits in a pleasant middle ground. It's strong enough to define a beer at high additions, but gentle enough at lower rates to add interest without being overwhelming. At 5 to 10% it adds complexity with vanilla and honey notes, and at 100% you're making a traditional Rauchbier. Compared to peat-smoked malt, which has a sharp, almost medicinal phenolic quality, beech smoke is cleaner and softer, making it a better fit for lagers and lighter ale styles where smoke characters can sit in the background without being overwhelming.

Suggested usage: Bamberger Rauchbier, Smoked Porter, Smoked Lager, Kellerbier, Scottish Ale, and any recipe where smoke is called for. Use at 5 to 10% for background aroma and honey-vanilla character, or 50 to 100% for a full, traditional smoked beer. Suitable as up to 100% of the grain bill.

Specifications:

EBC: 4-8 
Extract (%FGDB): >77  
Raw Material: Barley  
Malted: Yes
Recommended Addition: Up to 100%