Sabro SMaSH Malt Recommendations

[Brownyard]

I'm intrigued by the possibility of getting coconut flavor from Sabro hops, and was working on a possible Golden Promise/Sabro SMaSH. Sound like a good combo? Other options?
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1308260/golden-promise-sabro-smash

 

[AlexKay]

I think it’ll work and you’ll be happy with it.

But Sabro is pretty assertive, and you want a base malt that can stand up to it. I’d go with MO over GP. Or Vienna.

Or DMaSH with GP and a pound of Munich. Everything gets better with a pound of Munich.

 

[Brownyard]

I think it’ll work and you’ll be happy with it.

But Sabro is pretty assertive, and you want a base malt that can stand up to it. I’d go with MO over GP. Or Vienna.

I'm finishing off a MO SMaSH now. Vienna sounds like an idea...

 

[Bobby_M]

I've had beers with Sabro as the only, or even primary, hop and I couldn't get more than 4oz down without gagging. You get the impression that someone dosed the beer with suntan lotion.

 

[YeastFeast]

I love Sabro and use it often but like it mixed at 50% (or less) with something else. It easily overpowers.

 

[AlexKay]

I made a black IPA with Sabro and Talus. It was very good, but the flavors were … not subtle.

 

[James Quall]

As others have mentioned. Sabro can be an assertive hop but it is one of my favorites. Maybe I have been lucky (depending on how you look at it) but I have not gotten coconut or suntan lotion from Sabro. Instead I have gotten a very bright fruity hop that plays extremely well when in proportion to other hops. One of my Neipas did get a cedar flavor at the very end of the keg (past 3ish months) but it wasn't that bad as most of the hop flavor was muted anyway.

As far as SMaSH it's hard to go wrong with Golden Promise. I have a SMaSH with Golden Promise and Nectaron on tap that is delicious but as others have said you may want to add other malts or a different base malt depending on what your goal is.

Speaking of which what is your goal you're going for? Do you just want to see what Sabro brings to the table by itself? Or are you looking specifically for a coconut flavor?

 

[Brownyard]

Speaking of which what is your goal you're going for? Do you just want to see what Sabro brings to the table by itself? Or are you looking specifically for a coconut flavor?

To see if I perceive a coconut flavor, and to try out a new malt. Golden Promise, or Vienna possibly. Trying to pinpoint flavors, therefore looking at a SMaSH beer.

 

[James Quall]

To see if I perceive a coconut flavor, and to try out a new malt. Golden Promise, or Vienna possibly. Trying to pinpoint flavors, therefore looking at a SMaSH beer.

That's not a bad idea but you do not need to do a single malt to pinpoint flavors (this is not to discourage you from doing it). You could also do a 85/15 or 80/20 blend of the malts as well.

Don't be afraid to experiment while keeping it simple. As long as your sanitation, brewing, and transferring process (no O2) is good the beer should turn out good as well.

What yeast do you plan on using?

 

[Brownyard]

That's not a bad idea but you do not need to do a single malt to pinpoint flavors (this is not to discourage you from doing it). You could also do a 85/15 or 80/20 blend of the malts as well.

Don't be afraid to experiment while keeping it simple. As long as your sanitation, brewing, and transferring process (no O2) is good the beer should turn out good as well.

What yeast do you plan on using?

S05. I'll be fermenting, spunding and serving from the same keg, so there should be minimal oxidation. In keeping with my original plan for a SMaSH Sabro, which single malt would you choose, if limited to one?

 

[James Quall]

S05. I'll be fermenting, spunding and serving from the same keg, so there should be minimal oxidation. In keeping with my original plan for a SMaSH Sabro, which single malt would you choose, if limited to one?

If it were me? Golden Promise but only because that’s what I have on hand.

You really can’t go wrong with any of the above options.

 

[Brownyard]

Had one of these today, which features Sabro Hops. I got a bit of pine and coconut flavor, but I perceived more of a rounded coconut feel than any strong suntan lotion thing. It did seem to lack a bittering addition though. I plan to include some, as I always miss even a little of that bite when it's not there.

 

[DonT]

Sabro also imparts a creamy taste. Probably where the suntan lotion thing is coming from, along with the coconut. I did a NEIPA with Sabro and BRU-1 and it turned out very tasty. No suntan lotion at all...

 

[HM-2]

The newish/recentish Yakima Chief Sabro (both Cryo and standard T90) that I recently used on a NEIPA pushed more pineapple than coconut, though you definitely got the latter.