Help formulate an easy recipe

I've been finding myself getting too complicated in my ingredients...4-5 specialty malts, plus base malt, at least 2-3 types of hops and 3 hop intervals.

What I want to do is tone it down, almost SMaSH it up. I'm not a huge hop head either (Pale Ale's just pucker my mouth)...yet I'm finding some recent beers a little too malty, likely from using old hops that lost too much bittering compound.

So, I tossed out my outdated hops, and I'm left with the below for my next TWO batches...I'm thinking about two SMaSH brews, one with my current briess 2-row for base and one using marris otter. I want refreshing summer beers so 5% is the max ABV...lower is fine too!

I plan for a single infusion batch sparge, full boil, all grain.

Yeasts I need to use: Windsor, S-04, and S-33 (I think I'll use the first 2, save the 33 for somethign else)

Hops: an ounce of Columbus 12/2%, oz of Spalt 3.2% and 2 oz of Hallertau 3.7% (which are 2 years old but vac sealed and still look fresh)

Malt (besides the base malts mentioned above): 120L crystal, 80L Crystal, 20L crystal (1lb of each of these) and a 1/4 lb of 40L crystal.

I have other malts, but I kinda wanted to stick to simple crystal...maybe use a lot of 20L in batch one, and a little 120L in batch 2, hit the same SRM, but I know these will give very different flavors due to the kiln level.


I know I could search the forums, or do my usual "plug ingredients into beertools.com until it looks right" but it looks like its been a while since anyone's posted a 'take a step back from complexity' posts.

You could brew a very delicate, summery pale beer with just the 2-row and the Hallertau - bitter with an ounce, and add a half-ounce at flameout. Don't exceed 1.048 OG. Ferment with S-04 and drink it fresh and nicely chilled. Maybe add the 40L Crystal for just a touch of sweetness and body.

That's what I'd do for one of them, at any rate. I love delicate beers these days, much more than flavor bombs.

Bob

Thanks Bob. That's the kind of feedback/opinion I'm looking for on this brew.

I love working with what you've got. Ok, here's what I'd do:

Bare Cupboard Bitter. eff: 75% 5gallon batch
1.042 OG. 35(ish)IBUs

7# Marris Otter
4oz Crystal 40
4oz Crystal 80

.6oz Columbus@FWH
1oz Spalt@0

s-04 yeast.

Mash@152-154

I'd drink truck-loads of that, I'd use more english-y hops, but still should be tasty.