SMaSHing Plan - 5 in 1

[gerg_burglar]

I realized late last night that I won't ever progress as a brewer until I can tell the difference between various hops - their bitterness, flavor, and aroma.

I've been reading up on SMaSH beers and it seems like it could be the perfect vessel for experimenting with different hops. But, I don't want to make a single 5 gallon batch.

So my thought for a long brew day would be to get enough Maris Otter or 2-Row for 7ish gallons post-mash. Then, split the wort into 4-5 pots and run through the wort boil. Each pot would get a separate hop addition. Then ferment them all using the same yeast/temperature control.

Is this a good idea for learning, or a complete waste of time? Has anyone tried this (I couldn't find the correct wording to search for this plan)? Does anyone have any suggestions for making the process smooth? If anyone knows a place I can read up on something similar, please post a link.

 

[cswis86]

Another option is to get a 6 pack of flavorless beer (I used Coors Light), pop the top off, add 4-5 hop pellets to the each bottle, recap and let it dry hop for 2-3 days. Then chill them down and compare them all side by side. It's a simple way to compare 6 different hop varieties.

 

[kev211]

Wow thats gonna be a long day! If it were me, I would do a Semi-SMaSH. Or a SMaDH (double hop). I would use IMO the great thing about s SMaSH is learning the nuances of a hops flavor and aroma properties, not necessarily how they bitter. Obviously some hops are better for bittering than others, so sure you could learn that, but I think eventually you might end up settling on a single hop that you like to do most of your bittering.

For instance, I use Magnum as a bittering hop in 90-95% of my beers. Super clean bittering hop and doesnt lend much flavor so you can easily get the most out of your aroma hops. So I would do a 7 gal batch with magnum as the bittering hop and add the aroma hops into each fermenter right when you add the wort.

But, if you want to stick with a true SMaSH, then yes, thats the best plan. Just be prepared for a long brewday. And to answer your question, yes this is by far one of the best ways to learn the flavor profiles of hops

 

[Redtab78]

Another option is to get a 6 pack of flavorless beer (I used Coors Light), pop the top off, add 4-5 hop pellets to the each bottle, recap and let it dry hop for 2-3 days. Then chill them down and compare them all side by side. It's a simple way to compare 6 different hop varieties.

this is the first I have ever heard of doing this.....does it work?

 

[gerg_burglar]

Another option is to get a 6 pack of flavorless beer (I used Coors Light), pop the top off, add 4-5 hop pellets to the each bottle, recap and let it dry hop for 2-3 days. Then chill them down and compare them all side by side. It's a simple way to compare 6 different hop varieties.

That's a really interesting idea. Does it matter that Coors Light is a screw cap and I would be putting a pop top on it?

Wow thats gonna be a long day! If it were me, I would do a Semi-SMaSH. Or a SMaDH (double hop). I would use IMO the great thing about s SMaSH is learning the nuances of a hops flavor and aroma properties, not necessarily how they bitter. Obviously some hops are better for bittering than others, so sure you could learn that, but I think eventually you might end up settling on a single hop that you like to do most of your bittering.

For instance, I use Magnum as a bittering hop in 90-95% of my beers. Super clean bittering hop and doesnt lend much flavor so you can easily get the most out of your aroma hops. So I would do a 7 gal batch with magnum as the bittering hop and add the aroma hops into each fermenter right when you add the wort.

But, if you want to stick with a true SMaSH, then yes, thats the best plan. Just be prepared for a long brewday. And to answer your question, yes this is by far one of the best ways to learn the flavor profiles of hops

Thanks for the reply. I'm prepared for the long brew day - I'll make it an event with some friends and beer while we "work".

 

[cswis86]

You can use a screw top but it's not ideal. I've lost some carbonation if the cap isn't seated correctly. You still get a good idea of the hop profile even if the beer is flat. Unfortunately most cheap American light beer will likely have a screw top. If you can find one that doesn't use that instead.

 

[cswis86]

this is the first I have ever heard of doing this.....does it work?

Yup. I like doing this before buying a pound of a fancy new hop or to compare my homegrown hop flavor to the commercial stuff.

 

[Kharnynb]

I've done similar things with some 1 gallon fermenters I have, Also great for experimenting with sours later on ;D

 

[gerg_burglar]

Does anyone have a specific hops (edited) that I should try in my first 5-in-1 batch?

Also, is 10 pounds of maris otter enough for a mash with an end goal of 5 one-gallon batches post boil? My boil off rate is a little over 1 gallon an hour. So I would need close to 10 gallons of mash I think.

 

[kh54s10]

Does anyone have a specific hop that I should try in my first 5-in-1 batch?

Also, is 10 pounds of maris otter enough for a mash with an end goal of 5 one-gallon batches post boil? My boil off rate is a little over 1 gallon an hour. So I would need close to 10 gallons of mash I think.

Don't you need 5 different hops. One of my favorites is nothing special - Cascade.

Your boil off rate is going to be different in 5 smaller pots rather than one bigger one. It will probably also be different if you use a different heat source.

Another way you might go is to bitter in your normal pot with a neutral bittering hop like magnum then do a hop stand with the hops you want to try in separate containers. This will give you the flavor and aroma profiles of the hops in question. You could also dry hop.

 

[kev211]

Another way you might go is to bitter in your normal pot with a neutral bittering hop like magnum then do a hop stand with the hops you want to try in separate containers. This will give you the flavor and aroma profiles of the hops in question. You could also dry hop.

Great minds think alike

 

[Kharnynb]

Northern brewer

Citra

Amarillo or mosaic

Hallertau

Gives you a good mix of different hops to test

 

[madscientist451]

Is this a good idea for learning, or a complete waste of time? Has anyone tried this (I couldn't find the correct wording to search for this plan)?

Experiments are good, but if they've already been done you are just spinning your wheels. A better use of your time would be to read all about the hop you are interested in. If its available on the home brew market, its been used and tested several different ways and there are plenty of comments out there.
Make 2.5 gallon batches, and brew more often.
Take existing recipes in a style of beer you like and start playing with different hop combinations.
On the topic of being a better brewer, making clones and then comparing them side by side with commercial examples might be a better use of your time than a whole series of hop trials in smash beers.

 

[Atlmustang]

Northern brewer

Citra

Amarillo or mosaic

Hallertau

Gives you a good mix of different hops to test

This. Great suggestions @kharnynb. Maybe instead of a mosaic use a classic like a cascade or centennial. Mosaic, in my mind, is in the citra/amarillo class.

Centennial is a dual purpose bittering and aroma hop depending on the hop schedule. I just bought a pound of them from Farmhouse brewing supply for $17. :rockin:

 

[stella_tigre]

We've been making 5 gallon batches of a basic pale ale recipe (10 lb 2 row, 1 lb caramel 60, .5 oz magnum + .5 oz of something milder at 60, 1 oz of the hop in question at 10, and 2 oz at flameout.)

Started calling it a PASH (Pale Ale Showcase Hop) and we've had Cascade (SNPA basically) and Amarillo is on tap now. Also have a Centennial IPA about to be kegged.

In the interest of speeding things up and since we have two 3-gallon kegs, we'll split them up and double the fun! Have a list of random hops sitting in our stash, plus some more we are curious about. So far the results have been nice indeed.

Then we'll look at some PAs and IPAs that combine them. We already did one PA that mixed the Cascade with a lttle Brewer's Gold and Centennial which was really really good, our favorite so far.

It's fun!!!