Looking for help with a Blackened IBA idea

[McDur-Ham]

I have this Idea for a Blackened India Black Ale. I want to use black peppercorns in the boil and home smoke some malt for flavor. Here's the recipe I'm thinking so far for 5 gal.

Grain
10 lbs 2 row
1 lb Midnight Wheat
12 oz Crystal 10
8 oz Crytal 40
4 oz Cara-pils
4 oz Home Smoked Malt
8 oz (?) Black Peppercorns

Hops
.5 oz Apollo at 60
.5 oz Apollo at 10
.5 oz Pacific Jade at 10
.5 oz Riwaka at 10
.5 oz Pacific Jade at 0
.5 oz Riwaka at 0
.5 oz Pacific Jade in Whirlpool
.5 oz Riwaka in Whirlpool

Yeast
BRY-97

My questions are:
How much Black Peppercorns should I use to get that flavor across all those hops? I want the color from the midnight wheat without a lot of roastiness and hopefully pick up a lot of black pepper instead. I'm thinking 8 oz.

With the Smoked Malt, any suggestions on what kind of wood to use? I don't want harshness from hickory or mesquite. Thinking a fruit wood. Maybe apple?

Will 1 lb of Midnight Wheat be enough to make this beer black? Like I said before, I really don't want much roastiness just color and I think Sinamar is cheating.

[Bad Goat Brewing]

I can't help you with your question, but i find it interesting that Its called an "Indian black Ale" there. HJere they usually call it a "cascadian dark ale"

[Afterlab]

I have this Idea for a Blackened India Black Ale.

I wouldn't typically dissuade someone from trying to brew what they want to brew but the concept of the recipe seems like it's all over the place and lacks a "main idea" in the flavor department. Is this an IPA, a smoked beer or a pepper beer?

Midnight Wheat is a great malt for adding color without burnt husk astringency but why make this a Black Ale if you don't seem to be too fond of roasted flavors? The darker color of the beer certainly won't be detrimental but it certainly doesn't seem to be needed or aid in enhancing any of the other flavors. Would this recipe be equally effective if it wasn't black?

If you're looking for the hops to leap out the glass then adding smoked malt isn't the way to go. Smoked malt is something you really want to commit to having or not having in a beer; either you want smoke character or you don't and if you do I would use more than 4oz. If you only add a small portion to a beer that isn't supposed to be smoke-forward, you're likely going to drink a pint and detect something that tastes "off" in the background of the beer. There's going to be that nagging phenolic off flavor that doesn't enhance the beer. I'm a big fan of smoked beers but the plethora of phenolic compounds and the "smoked ham/bacon" aromas mixed with Pacific Jade and Riwaka are not likely to work in harmony.

Black Peppercorns can provide an interesting background spiced note for malty and sweet Porters but I'm not sure you want them in a hop forward ale, especially without a big enough malt base to balance out the flavor. If you wan't a spicy, peppery flavor you can definitely achieve that with certain hops if that's what you're looking for.

If this recipe doesn't turn out as well as you hoped, would you feel like drinking 5 gallons of it? Perhaps this is a candidate for a smaller batch size? It almost sounds like you want more of a mild and spiced ale version of a Schwarzbier than you do a Black IPA or CDA. Perhaps mimic a Schwarzbier grain bill?

Best of luck though, I hope it turns out well

[ScottyB-Brewing]

Interesting idea but smokey and hoppy don't seem to work so great together, but I say go for it and see what happens chief.

If you want the peppercorns to pop then crack'em but don't use 8oz I say 4 cracked oz if that much of peppercorns.