Peated Malt Recomendation

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Johnnywhiskey
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Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Johnnywhiskey »

I'm looking for a peated malt recommendation to make some single malt whiskey. I was thinking about getting a 55lbs bag of Simpsons ... is it any good? I have read it is not as smokey as some other options, but I cannot seem to find many alternative at a decent price (including shipping). I could pickup the Simpsons at a LHBS, so that would save quite a bit on shipping.

Are there any other options for peated malt available in the US?

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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by frunobulax »

I used simpsons a couple of times. It's very lightly peated, 32 phenol level if I recall correctly. I used bairds the next time and it was way better, in my opinion.
You may prefer a lightly peated scotch over a heavily peated one, try it and find out if it's all ya can get. What's the worse that can happen?, you'll have good booze?
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by ShineRunner »

I used bairds in my scotch recipe at 70% Maris otter and 30% bairds and its probably medium peaty for me. I can't imagine using 100% bairds. I've heard most guys that use Simpsons use it at 100% and get a lighter scotch flavor.

I may up the bairds to 40% next time. Not sure I'd go over 50/50.

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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by frunobulax »

I used them both at 100%. I absolutely love the one made with the Bairds. But everyone's tastes are different and ya can make it the way you want.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Johnny Walker »

Both Simpsons and Bairds produce 3 levels of peated malt, light, medium and heavy.

Bairds.
Lightly Peated 2 - 5 ppm
Medium Peated 8 - 15 ppm
Heavily Peated 25 - 50 ppm

Simpsons.
Lightly Peated 2 - 5 ppm
Medium Peated 5 - 10 ppm
Heavily Peated 12 - 24 ppm

I have used both Bairds Heavy and Simpsons heavy at 50% with Simpsons Golden Promise for the other 50%. I fermented off the grain for the Bairds and after 1 year on oak I was very happy. I am currently filling a 5 gallon used Balcones barrel with 50% Simpsons heavy peated and 50% GP fermented on the grain. I am almost half full. before aging it seemed pretty similar to the Bairds version at the same time. Simpsons is just easier(and cheaper to get) just make sure your supplier knows the phenol level.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by pigroaster »

Smoked malt. I smoke my own two row malt with peat from
Ireland. I trade white oak from Canada for peat. A win-win.our oak grows 1/10th of an inch per year so ideal for aging sticks. I use 20 percent for my batches and the result tames down in 12months on oak. Glenlivet style results. I put smoked barley malt in brown paper bags for a week to remove any harshness from smoke.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Johnnywhiskey »

I went with the grains that I could special order and pickup w/o shipping at my LHBS--Simpsons peated (light peat I think, I didn't have a choice) and golden promise. I'll start with a 50/50 mix and see where the flavor ends up. I'll have to do a couple of runs to fill my 3 gallon barrel, so I can tweak the proportion along the way ifneeded.

Does anyone know the diastatic power of the Simpsons peated malt? I could not find reliable information on the web, and the one source I saw had the value near zero (not sure if that was correct). I assumed it would be much higher since many scotch maker use 100% peated malt. I guess I could add some enzymes from my Bourbon tool kit, but I don't want to have to do a heating cycle for the high temp alpha amylase that I have.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by der wo »

Johnnywhiskey wrote:Does anyone know the diastatic power of the Simpsons peated malt? I could not find reliable information on the web, and the one source I saw had the value near zero (not sure if that was correct). I assumed it would be much higher since many scotch maker use 100% peated malt. I guess I could add some enzymes from my Bourbon tool kit, but I don't want to have to do a heating cycle for the high temp alpha amylase that I have.
Any distillers malt has at least the dp of a normal base malt. Peated or not peated.
The enzymes for your Bourbon don't need heating or a high temp. You can use them also at lower temps.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Swedish Pride »

pigroaster wrote:Smoked malt. I smoke my own two row malt with peat from
Ireland. I trade white oak from Canada for peat. A win-win.our oak grows 1/10th of an inch per year so ideal for aging sticks. I use 20 percent for my batches and the result tames down in 12months on oak. Glenlivet style results. I put smoked barley malt in brown paper bags for a week to remove any harshness from smoke.
how do you prep your peat for smoking, I've access to lots of it, being in Ireland :)
how much peat for how much grain for how long?
I assume it's the normal peat brick you get or is it wild fresh peat?
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by NeillNI »

I'll be watching this thread..
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vernue
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by vernue »

from the barley haven webpage

Simpsons Peated Malt
Smoked over peat moss for a soft sweet, earthy smoked character. Peat-smoked malt has a unique, very strong smoky flavor. It can be used alone to add the the peat-smoke flavor and aroma found in Scotch whiskey, or in very small amounts to augment the flavor profile offered by other smoked malts. Has standard level diastatic properties SRM/Lovibond = 1.6-1.8 Origin: UK USE SPARINGLY in beer production to avoid excess phenols.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by frunobulax »

Just picked up 2 sacks of Bairds. Definitely gonna use it at 100% Last time we used 100 LBS and got 45 gallons at 1.064
I can't wait to mash it!
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by bilgriss »

Wow.

I've only used lightly in an all malt. I recall about a 6% rate. I could smell it in the mash and very lightly in the distillate after a month, almost more of a tannic thing in the mouthfeel than flavor. I think I'm going to have to try this out at some point.

Also might have to take a sample of what's in the basement. It's approaching a year.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Pipinchaz »

I am interested in this thread as well, being new to this it is all a learning experience Thank you.


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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by guittarmaster »

The Country Malt Group has some peated barley that smells really good. I haven't ran it yet. I'll let you know when I get around to it.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by bitter »

I have been thinking about making my own smoked malt just not sure of peat.. if local stuff how similar is it to Irish peat?

B
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

I've used Simpsons and Baird's peat smoked malts. I found the Baird's to be the smokiest.
I used 100% peat malt and it wasn't overwhelming. Then again, I like Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

I've also dried some home malted wheat with beechwood smoke and it is way more powerful than either peat, not interchangeable at all. I used about 20% in a smoked porter and it is almost undrinkable. Actually it probably is drinkable but I'll be drinking it.

Myself, I'm moving away from using new toasted/charred oak for aging. My feeling is that the smoke and bourbon style flavors don't play well together. For my next single malt I'll be trying used sticks, and also picking some heads jars to blend in for more scotch style flavors.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by bitter »

MCH I have used beech smoked in beer and definitely totally different than peat smoked.. I'm building a cold smoker.. so we will see what I get... want to use peat looking to source some Irish stuff for a test that is not crazy expensive and then will compare with local peat me thinks. Then will be how long to smoke and how much.

Used wood is defiantly perfect for scotch like whiskey.. Too bad sherry casks were not so large a small cherry cask like barrel would be interesting to have for some aging..

B
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Johnnywhiskey »

Just to close this out, I did 2 batches with the Simpsons peated malt. 1st 50/50 with Golden Promise, 2nd 100% Simpsons peated. After distilling neither overly peated (single run with a packed column, hearts at 140p). If anything both were on the lighter side of peatyness.

Brought it down to 130p and put it into a second use barrel (gibbs bros). We will see how the flavor developes. But I'm not into super peaty whiskey, so it probably about right for me.

I was impressed with the yield of the pure malt whiskey. I filled the 3g barrel easily with 2-12g mashes. 70lbs grain total. On the second I added a bit of beta-amylase and saw a significant drop in the final gravity--1.011 v. 0.997. So that is a significant boost is yield also. Not compliant with the law of Scotland, but good by me.

Stay Thirsty, JW
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Pipinchaz »

JW,
Do you have a good scotch recipe that you'd share? I'm interested in trying one and have been following your thread.
Thank you
PC
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Johnnywhiskey »

PC, my recipe is pretty straight forward. Either 38lbs. 50/50 Simpsons Peated/Golden Promise or 100% Simpsons Peated (I would probably go 100% Simpsons Peated in the future--or some other more heavily peated malt) and ~12 gallons of water. I mashed for 3 hours at 145F. I was using a HERMS beer brewing system, so it was pretty easy to maintain the temperature. I also found that adding a bit of beta-amylase helped achieve a low FG. I also lautered and fermented off the grain. I ended up with around 14 gallons after the sparge.

For what its worth I used WLP500 Monastery Ale yeast, mostly because I had some recovered yeast left from some beer I had just made, but it does have a good alcohol tolerance and likes to ferment hot, and should add some spicy and fruity notes to the spirit.

I just put the spirits into a second use Gibb Bros barrel, so I can't say how good it will be yet.

Best, JW
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Red Barn Distiller »

For my single malt whisky, I used 25% medium/heavy peated malt from this site: https://milehidistilling.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Just not sure of the brand? Worked out very well: the 25% ratio gave the whisky a moderately strong hit of smokiness. Currently in a used bourbon barrel and is nicely integrated.
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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Odin »

In Europe: Castle Malting 30 ppm.

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Re: Peated Malt Recomendation

Post by Red Barn Distiller »

Odin wrote:In Europe: Castle Malting 30 ppm.

Odin.

Thanks Odin.
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