IPA SMaSH: Grain selection

[ntempleton]

I'm going to make a IPA SMaSH soonish (maybe tonight) and I haven't been able to decide on a base malt. I'm trying to decide on Marris Otter or Vienna.

I'm shooting for a gravity of 1.065, and around 60-65 ibu. I haven't chosen a hop yet, but I'll worry about that later. Fermenting with US-05.

If it where you, which malt would you choose?

 

[bobbrews]

Either of those two would be fine. I prefer Maris Otter. Golden Promise would also be great.

 

[frankstoneline]

My vote would go to maris otter.

 

[ChemE]

Another vote for MO. S-04 is more appropriate for MO but S-05 is definitely not going to suck!

 

[davidr2340]

I used Maris Otter in mine... Of course I've yet to try it.

 

[dedhedjed]

Drinking my Vienna and Centennial smash right now... Vienna is a great malt for smash brews...

 

[copyright1997]

Drinking my Vienna and Centennial smash right now... Vienna is a great malt for smash brews...

I did a Vienna + Northern Brewer + S-04. Quite nice.

I'd imagine MO + something like EKG + S-04 would also be nice. Or maybe Willamette instead of the EKG?

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Bob]

Dude, go for the gusto and brew an original IPA.

Shoot for an OG of ~1.075; mash a relatively dark traditional floor malt variety on the low side (149-150F)for full attenuation.

Historical records don't get into IBU, just amounts of hops per barrel. The records I'm thinking of had the equivalent of 3 ounces of hops per gallon.

Yes, you read that right.

That means don't use something like Simcoe. Use a relatively low-alpha, "English noble" variety like Kent Goldings. Bitter to an appropriate BU:GU ratio (like 1:1) and add the more late, then the rest as dry-hops.

I've brewed IPA like this and I farking HEART it. Try it!

Bob

 

[ntempleton]

Going with Crisp Marris Otter. Doing a 5 gallon BIAB batch Thursday afternoon. Thinking 1.065 OG and around 50-60IBU of Glacier. 75-80% for bittering and the rest at flame out. Fermenting with S-04.

 

[bobbrews]

I would do the opposite... 95% of the hops late and 5% for bittering.

 

[ChemE]

I think you are targeting an appropriate BU:GU ratio at 60:65 or 0.92:1 nice and firmly bitter. That said bobbrews and Bob are both giving sound advice in recommending massive aroma and flavor additions for an IPA and more importantly for a SMaSH. Whenever I brew a SMaSH I want to know how a hop bitters, smells, and tastes so I make sure that I'm heavy handed in the later additions so that there is plenty of hop taste and aroma. I even like doing crazier techniques like first wort hopping, hop bursting, and using huge whirlpool additions. My last SMaSH used FWH and a huge whirlpool soak.

 

[Piratwolf]

I would do the opposite... 95% of the hops late and 5% for bittering.

This x10000000

 

[Piratwolf]

Dude, go for the gusto and brew an original IPA.

Shoot for an OG of ~1.075; mash a relatively dark traditional floor malt variety on the low side (149-150F)for full attenuation.

Historical records don't get into IBU, just amounts of hops per barrel. The records I'm thinking of had the equivalent of 3 ounces of hops per gallon.

Yes, you read that right.

That means don't use something like Simcoe. Use a relatively low-alpha, "English noble" variety like Kent Goldings. Bitter to an appropriate BU:GU ratio (like 1:1) and add the more late, then the rest as dry-hops.

I've brewed IPA like this and I farking HEART it. Try it!

Bob

This sounds AMAZING. By "relatively dark traditional floor malt variety" what do you mean? MO or darker? And I know you're a British ale fan--what's your favorite hop besides EKG? I've used that but nothing else traditional and would like to broaden my horizons!

 

[ChemE]

This sounds AMAZING. By "relatively dark traditional floor malt variety" what do you mean? MO or darker? And I know you're a British ale fan--what's your favorite hop besides EKG? I've used that but nothing else traditional and would like to broaden my horizons!

I figured he was referring to pale ale malt. Perhaps brown malt?

 

[theDeutscher]

Magic Hat hI.P.A. is a really good commercial S.M.A.S.H. IPA. It's just Pilsner and Columbus hops. I also +1 to Golden Promise. It's kind of in between Pale and Maris Otter but with a little complexity.

 

[ChemE]

J.W. Lees Harvest Ale is my favorite commercial SMaSH. Just MO and EKG = 100 on Beer Advocate!