cheapest/easiest Brew in a bag SMASH ?

hey guys whats goin on ?

due to being unemployed I would like to keep the cost down as LOW as possible. Hence the fact I want to switch to all grain I have heard great things from SMASH recipees being quite easy and very good tasting !

What are some good simple, CHEAP, SMASH recipes I might start out with for a first time all grain brewer ?

I am also going to be brewing in a bag that my girlfriend just got done making for me

I have a 6.5 gallon aluminum pot and propane burner... will this sufice ?

I don't know what grain prices are like where you are, but I imagine American 2-row would be the cheapest grain you could SMaSH with. As for hops, I have no idea on prices, but my suggestion would be to go with something like Cascade - it's a good ubiquitous North American hop and works well on its own. Other alternatives for grain would be Maris Otter, Pilsner or Vienna, and for hops maybe Fuggles or Centennial. If you wanted to add a little bit more complexity to your beer, some people toast a little bit of the grain first.

I'm sure some regular SMaSHers will be along with other suggestions in a minute.

anyone else with a good simple cheap SHaSH recipe ?

illnastyimpreza said:

anyone else with a good simple cheap SHaSH recipe ?

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I'm all for the SMaSH. It's a great learning experience or a nice challenge to make the best beer with the least amount of ingredients. But if it's saving money that you're after, there really isn't any advantage to a SMaSH. At Brewmasters Warehouse, you buy grains by the pound in the exact amount that you need. Adding specialty grains, no matter where you buy them, won't have a significant impact in the final price of your beer, but will add complexity.

If you haven’t brewed in a while and are concerned about the cost, I’d think you be better off picking a proven recipe. That way you know that you’ll end up with something that you’ll enjoy.

Not to be a troll but maybe you should focus on the cause of your three infected batches. That's the most expensive brewing possible.

bmbrewery said:

Not to be a troll but maybe you should focus on the cause of your three infected batches. That's the most expensive brewing possible.

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Concur.

I went hunting for some of your old threads, and I don't recall ever getting answers regarding your sanitation regimen that led to several lactobacillus outbreaks.

Jason

please stick the topic of affordable SMaSH recipes !

illnastyimpreza said:

please stick the topic of affordable SMaSH recipes !

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Well bmb & flyangler, you tried.

On the topic at hand, SMaSH recipes are not going to save you any money. Why? Because SMaSH recipes are traditionally Pale Ales....which have lots of hops. Cut down on an ounce or so of hops, use the cost to buy some specialty grain, and you can brew any style just as cheaply. Last I checked, Crystal Malt is $0.20/lb. more than 2-row. (Prices: Brewmaster's Warehouse)

That said, SMaSH recipes are simple. Pick a base malt (2-row, Maris Otter, Vienna, Munich, Pils, etc...) and pick a hop. Some popular SMaSH hops are: Cascade, Crystal, Willamette, Goldings, and Amarillo. You're ready to brew! Add about how much grain you usually would (say, about 8-10 lbs.) and add the hops at varying intervals. Usually about an ounce at 60, ~20, and ~5.

Well yeah I think the cheapest is going to be Amer 2-Row and Cascades or something like. Trouble is a lot of us like to smash with Marris Otter because it has more complexity than standard 2-row. You could try toasting some 2-row to try to add something. Something like 8-9 lbs of 2-row and a couple of ounces of cascades should do it, oh and use dry yeast or harvest to be cheaper. By the way if your getting infections you really should figure that out first, nothing is more expensive than throwing beer out.

Marris Otter / Centennial & Deathbrewer's Vienna / Northern Brewer SMaSHes have served me well...

Good luck

The cheapest brews will probably be 100% domestic 2-row, minimal HIGH-ALPHA bittering hops, and dry yeast. Don't expect anything exciting.

I'm drinking my Pils/Hallertau/W-34/70 SMaSH (cost: $35.50 at AHS (w/Whirlfloc but w/o/water additives)) and loving it!

EDIT: Your 6.5gal pot should be ok if you have foam-control drops (Fermcap-S or equivalent).

Cheapest option is to buy a 30pack of Beast. *shrug* SMaSHes are not about saving money, it's more about working on your process and getting to know ingredients. It's fairly easy to brew a good stout or porter because there is all the roast to hide behind. A SMaSH has less complexity and flaws will show up fairly easy.

That being said, cheapest smash?

Lite American Hybrid
OG 1.033 FG 1.008
5G Batch 75% Efficiency

6lbs 2row
.5 oz Cascade @60min
Mash @149*
Ferment with Nottingham @60*

3.2% ABV 12 IBU and around 9 bucks for ingredients

Not very exciting but with that low an ABV the hops will still come through in the end. Make a good lawnmower beer in quantity. May have to give this a go just to see what it's like....

Rather than look simply to SMaSH recipes as being inexpensive to brew which, while interesting experiments, don't always hold my attention), consider some low ABV session beers as well - ones that have lots of flavor while still being easy to quaff in volume. 'Kitchen sink' grain and hop bills get spendy, so I'd suggest perusing the recipe database for such perennial favorites like EdWort's Haus Ale, BM's Centennial Blonde, etc. If you're unsure that you'll like it, redact the recipe to a smaller test batch of around 2-3 gallons. As most all recipes here are based around 5 gallons, simply cut everything in half to get to 2.5 gallons.

My March Brown Mild costs about $12-15/batch. A simple grainbill and single bittering charge makes for a supremely quaffable pint.

I found an 8G kettle insufficient for a moderate grain bill BIAB. I'd suggest DeathBrewer's stovetop all-grain method instead (whether you cook it on the stove or not) becuase you don't need the full water bill in the pot all at once with all the grain. If you are saving money I'd focus on reduced hop bill recipes that can use dry yeast. I just did a mild/brown that was under $20 at my LHBS because it had only 1.25oz hops and used Notty. My LHBS has reasonable grain prices so YMMV...