SMaSH experiment--your thoughts appreciated

I am planning on doing a SMaSH experiment with five different hops this weekend, and hoped to get some input on hop varieties I'd use.

I have five growlers (that conveniently fit the universal airlock stoppers I have) and was going to mash up 3 or so gallons of Two row pale. I'm going to boil five different boils, and add five different hop varieties, one variety per boil.

What five different hop varieties would you use? my intention is to have a couple of guys over for a taste test in a month or so.

If all goes well, the next SMaSH experiment I'm going to do is to change malts (that will be interesting for me to figure ou tsomehow) and yeast varieties. but for now, we're going to do hops.

Saaz, Citra, Cascade, East Kent Golding, Amarillo gold. A couple in all directions, fruity, balanced, spicy, floral.

What do you think about a hop schedule? I was going to do 55 mins and dry-hop. (keep in mind I'm a novice and only kinda sorta halfway know what I'm doing--hence, the experiment)

Jakeintoledo said:

What do you think about a hop schedule? I was going to do 55 mins and dry-hop. (keep in mind I'm a novice and only kinda sorta halfway know what I'm doing--hence, the experiment)

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Seems like if you're just trying to do a "flight" to compare hops, the most basic would be 60 mins, 15, and 1 or flame-out.

ong said:

Seems like if you're just trying to do a "flight" to compare hops, the most basic would be 60 mins, 15, and 1 or flame-out.

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And you can keep it basic and use the same amount for each addition or if you want more aroma then less hops at 60 and more at the end of the boil.

Being an experiment I would try to keep all of the batches at the same IBU's. Just my thoughts...

You could bitter all of them with the same amount of magnum at 60min and then add a different hop to each batch (maybe 15min, flameout, dry hop).

DrHop said:

You could bitter all of them with the same amount of magnum at 60min and then add a different hop to each batch (maybe 15min, flameout, dry hop).

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Then it would no longer be a smash..

DrHop said:

You could bitter all of them with the same amount of magnum at 60min and then add a different hop to each batch (maybe 15min, flameout, dry hop).

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I thought about doing that, but decided against it purely because I didn't want to throw in additional variables.

Stauffbier said:

Being an experiment I would try to keep all of the batches at the same IBU's. Just my thoughts...

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I actually kicked around trying to find five hop varieties that were very similar. IN fact, the poster above who recommended five different varieties, the EKG, Cascade, and Saaz were all within three points of each other in the same mash. the Citra throws it out of bounds, so maybe I might not do Citra.

As far as seeking the same IBU, I wondered about that, but decided against doing that--if some hops have higher AA content than others, I'd prefer those to come through.

If nothing else, I'm not out a ton of money if this doesn't come out right. and the money I do spend on it, I consider it tuition.

I am a hair confused. If you are doing five separate boils why is the AA of the hop important? You can keep the same IBU across the different brews by using less hops per addition in each brew with the higher AA hops.

Gixxer said:

I am a hair confused. If you are doing five separate boils why is the AA of the hop important? You can keep the same IBU across the different brews by using less hops per addition in each brew with the higher AA hops.

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This is true. The answer is I dunno. I didn't know if putting in the same quantity f hops would be wise or the same amount if IBU would be better. Never have done this before.

I what I would do is 60 minute hop each batch to 75 IBUs which seems to be the industry standard for an IPA then 15, flameout, dry hop with the same weight of each hop. To me this will give you a good appreciation for how each hop acts while bittering, I think you will find some to be harsh while others are smooth and round in bitterness. If I were planning this I would use Cascade, Centennial, Willamette, Fuggles, and something from New Zealand that isn't Nelson Sauvin. I am sure others will disagree with me but I think doing experiments like this it good to compare similar hops with the intention of finding which variety you prefer. If all of your hops are at opposite ends of the spectrum then you will not have a frame of reference to compare them against.