Smoke Stack Lightnin'

It’s still cold out there, and we’ve still room for some malty winter-ish warmers in us. Here’s Smoke Stack Lightnin’, an oaked & smoked big brown.
Busy grists give complexity. Here we’ve built on a base of Pilsner to fit lots of Brown, Biscuit, Crystal and as a touch of Beech Smoked. A touch of Columbus in the kettle for balance, and it’s off to fermenter to work with our complex old English ale yeast which we love for how nutty it makes our more malt-forward offerings.
After ferment we age this one in a light amount of American Oak. Not going for big vanilla barrel aged here, just a reminder of how beer used live for a week or two before the days of stainless steel.
That hint of oak has a balancing effect. The nose of dark fruit like raisins and dates dominates with coffee and that light toast in the background.
Flavour is decidedly toasty while round, bready, biscuity with that light hint of malty dryness you get from toasty Brown and Biscuit malt with the smoked in a supporting role, no Rauchbier here.
There’s a mild malt sweetness let shine through by a moderate to light natural carbonation.
Complexity comes from the light peppery tannin of the oak while the yeast gets its two cents in with luscious nutty complexity pulling all those factors together.
We’re loving this. Show Less