SMaSH - American Stout?

Hi All-

I was inspired by the SMaSH concept but I want something like an American Stout. I already have the 25# of base malt and the Bravo Hops.
Never use Bravo before. I have a bunch of East Kent Goldings too (but kinda wanted to stick with one hop. Unless I make this 2malt/2hops... TMaTH?)

(Before somebody says something about the recipe. The 57% efficiency is pretty realistic on my system. I Batch Sparge in a 48qt cooler with SS braid. Kettle maxes out at 9 gallons... getting about 4 gallons into two fermenters.)

So, How does this recipe look?

Thanks!


Recipe: Bravo Brown TYPE: All Grain

---RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS---
SRM: 39.9 SRM SRM RANGE: 30.0-40.0 SRM
IBU: 79.1 IBUs Rager IBU RANGE: 35.0-75.0 IBUs
OG: 1.076 SG OG RANGE: 1.050-1.075 SG
FG: 1.022 SG FG RANGE: 1.010-1.022 SG
BU:GU: 1.034 Est ABV: 7.2 %
EE%: 57.00 % Batch: 7.50 gal Boil: 9.00 gal BT: 60 Mins

Total Grain Weight: 27 lbs 8.0 oz Total Hops: 5.00 oz oz.

---MASH/STEEP PROCESS---
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
25 lbs Northwest Pale Ale Malt (2.6-3.0°L) (3.5 Grain 1 90.9 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Chocolate (350.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.1 %

Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 34.38 qt of water at 168.5 F 156.0 F 45 min

---SPARGE PROCESS---
Batch sparge with 2 or 3 steps

---BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.068 SG Est OG: 1.076 SG
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1.00 oz Bravo [16.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 3 47.5 IBUs
2.00 oz Bravo [16.80 %] - Boil 3.0 min Hop 4 15.8 IBUs
2.00 oz Bravo [16.80 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 5 15.8 IBUs

---FERM PROCESS-----------------------------
Primary Start: 3/31/2012 10 to 14 Days at 67.0 F

m1k3 said:

---MASH/STEEP PROCESS---
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
25 lbs Northwest Pale Ale Malt (2.6-3.0°L) (3.5 Grain 1 90.9 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Chocolate (350.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.1 %

Click to expand...

I had the grain milled at the local home brew store... so, that is locked in for brew day tomorrow.

I am starting to think about trying an all late hopping with this. Maybe even dry hopping with Bravo.

India Brown Ale?
Thoughts?

m1k3 said:

I am starting to think about trying an all late hopping with this. Maybe even dry hopping with Bravo.

India Brown Ale?
Thoughts?

Click to expand...

The mash is resting for 60 minutes. So, I'm at the computer, calculating hop additions in BeerSmith2.

I am going with this now.
First Wort Hop (1oz) / Late Hop (3oz) / Dry Hop (2oz)


Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1.00 oz Bravo [16.80 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 3 52.2 IBUs

---BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.068 SG Est OG: 1.076 SG
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1.00 oz Bravo [16.80 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 4 9.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Bravo [16.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 5 7.9 IBUs
1.00 oz Bravo [16.80 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 6 7.9 IBUs


Last chance to talk me out of this!

m1k3 said:

SMaSH - American Stout?

Click to expand...

So, you drew me in with the title.
How's this guy making a SMASH Stout?

Answer: He's not.






Edit to say-
I've toasted some of my base malt for a Munich Dunkel and called it a SMaSH,
but admit even that is a stretch of the definition.

AnOldUR said:

So, you drew me in with the title.
How's this guy making a SMASH Stout?

Answer: He's not.

Click to expand...

Got me. I guess I could have gone with "hoppy brown ale".

It is an interesting exercise to edit a recipe.

Preboil gravity: 1.073 (9 gallons)

This is gonna be big.

I'm using Nottingham dry yeast. I also have US-05 but prefer Nottingham for this.

The only way you could is with diastatic brown malt and you can't get that.
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2011/11/diastatic-brown-malt.html

How about using Roast Barley instead of Chocolate Malt?
Since Roast Barley is unmalted it would still be 'technically' a SingleMaltandSingleHop.
I know that is bending the rules but nobody said Single Gain and Single Hop, right?

On a more serious note this beer is just now getting good on tap. 1.080 was pretty big and 6oz of hops was shear West Coast madness. But I this is actually pretty good in moderation.

I am not sure what I think of Bravo hops yet. Honestly I can say that I have never had a commercial beer that tasted anything like this... and that's part of the fun of home brewing (I avoid making beer that I can buy, I know some people love the challenge but I only brew once a month an want to make something I simply can get any other way).

The other thing about this beer is that I had to waste the first few pints when I was first put in on tap. I'm sure that's not atypical for a beer with this much hops and gravity. Maybe I rushed the process a little:

-Brewed on 3/31
-Racked to Secondary with Dry Hops 4/6
- Kegged in the evening on 4/9
- Pretty good on tap around 4/20

I think the only point is that SMaSH is Single Malt.. since you used two, it's not a SMaSH.

Otherwise, good beer = good beer!

He's making a SMaSH



Several Malts and Single Hop

I did an honest SMaSH on April 20. Only 2 Row and UK Kent Goldings. I fermented with the T-58 Belgian Strain (dry yeast).

I get the concept of a SMaSH, it a learning experience to see what a single malt and a single hop taste like. If you brew every time with 5 malts or 3 hops it can be difficult to differentiate them in the finished beer.

That being said, T-58 yeast has so much character it is not the best yeast to use in a SMaSH (if you objective it to isolate flavors).

I've used T-58 and the UK Kent Golding hops before and they blend a bit in both fruity and spicy tones. I was looking to make a pale beer to sit on tap1 but have a lot more character than a pilsner or light lager. (the Ginger Ale was fine and all but it must go soon! More Beer!)