SMaSHes

I've been playing with the idea of doing a series of SMaSHes to experiment with ingredients/techniques/etc..Just wanna start as simple as possible, I threw these recipes together based vaguely on forum recipes. Probably use recycled S04 on all, since that's what I have.

Any suggestions or comments on any of these?

SMaSH
~$13 - 30
Batch Size: 6 gal
Mash Temp: 150-165°
Mash Time: 30-120 min
Mash Volume: 2.5 - 3.0 gal
Boil Time: 30-120 min
Boil Volume: based on time

8.0 - 15.0 lb Single Malt
0.5 - 5.0 oz Single Hop

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Maris Cascade: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.048 / 11 / 4 / 4.6
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
10.0 lb Maris Otter / 0.50 oz Cascade(60 min)
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Vienna Cascade: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.045 / 22 / 11 / 4.4
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
12.0 lb Vienna / 0.50 oz Cascade(60 min)
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Munich Centennial: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.045 / 13 / 9 / 4.4
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
11.0 lb Victory / 0.5 oz Centennial(30 min)
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Victory Centennial: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.044 / 13 / 9 / 4.3
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
12.0 lb Victory / 0.5 oz Centennial(30 min)
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2Row Saaz: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.044 / 10 / 2 / 4.3
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
10.0 lb 2 Row / 1.0 oz Saaz(60 min)
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Victory is not intended to be used as a base malt. The Briess datasheet does not list its diastatic power and suggests a maximum of 25% in certain styles.
http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Assets/PDFs/Briess_PISB_VictoryMalt.pdf

Munich goes great with Tettnang.
Vienna and Northern Brewer!

The MO and Cascade is really good, i've made it a few times. I would bump up the hops to a full ounce for 60 or at least add a half ounce at 10 minutes. The victory wont convert on its own. MO and Willamette or MO and Fuggles are both really good SMaSH beers too. Have fun, they are a great way to learn how to build a grain bill.

Cheers

Thanks for the tips! Any comments on the Vienna, or Pils 2Row?

Since the possibilities are nearly endless, does anyone else have a favorite SMaSH?

Here's my updated list:

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Maris Otter & Cascade: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.057 / 20 / 5 / 5.5
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
12.0 lb Maris Otter / 1.0 oz Cascade(60 min)
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Maris Otter & Williamette: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.052 / 17 / 5 / 5.0
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
11.0 lb Maris Otter / 1.0 oz Williamette(60 min)
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Maris Otter & Fuggles: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.048 / 16 / 4 / 4.6
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
10.0 lb Maris Otter / 1.0 oz Fuggles(60 min)
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Vienna & Cascade: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.045 / 22 / 8 / 4.4
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
12.0 lb Vienna / 1.0 oz Cascade(60 min)
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Munich & Tettnanger: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.045 / 15 / 9 / 4.4
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
11.0 lb Munich / 1.0 oz Tettnanger(60 min)
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2Row & Saaz: OG / IBU / SRM / ABV: 1.044 / 10 / 2 / 4.3
Mash:150° / 60 min / 2.8 gal Boil: 60 min / 7.5 gal
10.0 lb 2 Row / 1.0 oz Saaz(60 min)
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I've never tried Vienna or just 2 row in a SMaSH. I bet they would be great though. Its fun to make these beers, so simple and like you said there is a ton of options. Let us know how the others turn out.

I prefer to target at least 20 IBU by the Rager formula for a basic SMaSH ale. It won't be any worse of a beer with less hops, it just won't tell you as much about that variety.

I just did a 2-row/fuggles which was fine, though a touch boring.

Also have Vienna / Mt Hood in the fermenter and initial tastings have seemed interesting.

Have MO/Cascade getting kegged tomorrow. Did 10lb and 1oz at 60 and 1oz at 15, can`t wait!

did you ever make the 2 row/saaz one? i have a pound of saaz leaf hops in my freezer i was thinking about trying to use them all in one 6 gallon batch

Victory is not intended to be used as a base malt. The Briess datasheet does not list its diastatic power and suggests a maximum of 25% in certain styles.

Click to expand...

I was under the impression that Victory malt is just what Briess calls its amber malt. And I know amber malt and brown malt can convert themselves.

I brewed a MO and columbus SMASH and it was delicious!

apeet said:

I brewed a MO and columbus SMASH and it was delicious!

Click to expand...

more details please

I'm thinking about making a Munich Columbus SMaSH. Any thoughts?

I did a 1 gallon tester of MO/Simcoe. Me and my neighbors wished like hell it would turn into 5 gallons.

Highly recommend MO/Simcoe as a smash.

I did a Munich/Centennial smash twice and it was awesome. Looked just like your recipe too. Gotta do that again. You'll love it.

Also, I hear Fawcett Optic malt is great as a smash too.

I've been messing around with Golden Promise. I love it now. GP and East Kent Goldings is awesome. Also, if you parti-gyle you can do 2 SMaSH experiments.

I brewed a Vienna/Northern Brewer SMaSH as my first all grain and liked it so much I will be brewing again soon with San Francisco lager yeast instead of US-05 and will probably try a decoction with it just for fun.

5 gallon recipe
10lbs Vienna
1oz NB @ 60
1oz NB @ 20
.5oz NB @ 15
.5oz NB @ 10
1oz NB @ 5

My software estimated I was at 70ibu, but it really did not taste like it at all.

MO/centennial with us-05 is what ive been toying with and will continue to for another 3 batches at least.

Once i've found my desired strike temp and hop schedule i'll very likely start playing with 1-2lb of specialty grains added on to this what has been a smash

i like the smash for a starter. ease of control. i like us-05 knowing that it's a neutral or near neutral tasting yeast

OClairBrew said:

I brewed a Vienna/Northern Brewer SMaSH as my first all grain and liked it so much I will be brewing again soon with San Francisco lager yeast instead of US-05 and will probably try a decoction with it just for fun.

5 gallon recipe
10lbs Vienna
1oz NB @ 60
1oz NB @ 20
.5oz NB @ 15
.5oz NB @ 10
1oz NB @ 5

My software estimated I was at 70ibu, but it really did not taste like it at all.

Click to expand...

what was the aa% and how long from primary to glass?

Aa was 9.1 and primary to glass was either 4 or 5 weeks. Primary 2 weeks, bottled and conditioned around 75-80f so it carbed fast and tasted good. I saved a few to drink over time to see how it changed and by 6 months it had lost a lot of the hop flavor and aroma I loved about this one.

and you say that at 70ibu it didn't taste it? must have been the bottle conditioning you figure? my MO smash has a similar hopping schedule aa%9.7 and unless i condition for 2 months i have to step back a bit on the bittering side

I don't think it was the conditioning. Vienna is very malty even mashing around 152f and can stand up to heavy handed hopping imo. Mine was an adaptation to Deathbrewer's SMaSH and he experienced the same thing along with many others who have brewed it.

What other grains take on heavy handed hopping? Have you seen one particular guide or chart that breaks down these attributes? An app perhaps (android)? I'm only three all-grain brews in and I jumped in blind with a couple mo smashes and a random non descript brew

BenS said:

I was under the impression that Victory malt is just what Briess calls its amber malt. And I know amber malt and brown malt can convert themselves.

Click to expand...

Victory Malt has no diastatic power and cannot convert itself. Modern Brown Malt has no diastatic power either, so I wonder where you got your info?

Solely a scholarly point: I always thought the purpose of smash brews was to compare the flavor contributions of hops and malts. Doesn't that mean varying only one element at a time? IE doing several brews with 10 lbs Marris Otter and various hops at 20 IBU each?

Maris Otter and Chinook is a nice one.

BenS said:

I was under the impression that Victory malt is just what Briess calls its amber malt. And I know amber malt and brown malt can convert themselves.

Click to expand...

Victory is what Briess calls their Biscuit malt.

william_shakes_beer said:

Solely a scholarly point: I always thought the purpose of smash brews was to compare the flavor contributions of hops and malts. Doesn't that mean varying only one element at a time? IE doing several brews with 10 lbs Marris Otter and various hops at 20 IBU each?

Click to expand...

It can be a purpose, but it's certainly not the purpose. Regardless, it's a good use and mainly the reason why I'm sticking with smashes for awhile.

I recently did a light munich, spalter SMASH. I haven't tasted the finished product yet - did sneak a taste while bottling though. Warm and uncarbonated, it had some nice flavour. Looking forward to trying it in a month or so once it has carbed up and had a little bit of time.

I recently did MO/EKG SMaSH. I divided the batch into three. I bottled one third as is, and it was delicious. SWMBO actually asked me to make it again. I added a few hibiscus flowers to the bottles in the second third. The beer turned deep red and the hibiscus added a sharp citrus/flower taste. Kinda nice, especially for a hot day, but imo it hid the MO maltiness a bit. In the final third of the batch, I added 1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee to each liter bottle. I could not taste any "coffiness", but this did enhance the malty quality of the MO a bit. I will try that again with my next SMaSh, to be MO/German Hallertau. All in all, I preferred the plain SMaSh, but will continue to experiment with both hibiscus and coffee.