First SMASH - Pale malt, Cascade and Notty

[burntgraphite]

As my first step into all-grain, I made a 5 gallon SMaSH out of:
12 lbs Weyermann pale malt
2 oz roast barley (for color. And it's not a malt.)
8 oz flaked barley for head retention
1 oz whole leaf cascade (first wort and 60 min boil)
1 oz whole leaf cascade (30 min boil)
1 oz whole leaf cascade (10 min boil)
1 oz whole leaf cascade (20 min aroma steep)
2 oz whole leaf cascade (dry hop 10 days)
Water salts to get the burton-on-trent water profile
Nottingham sprinkled in fermenter

I tested my immersion cooler while I was boiling (first time using it), and it had some serious issues. I read about the no-chill method of brewing, so I just ended up using that. I pitched notty the second day once temps had come down enough (64f).

Fermentation went well, I carbed it, no other problems beside the immersion chiller. Sent the immersion chiller back, went to home depot and made my own. So I just got into it today, about 15 minutes ago. Now, realize this is only like my 8th batch of beer, and it's my first IPA. But this thing is crazy! It's really smoooooth for something that beersmith figures has around 53 ibu. Although it has a heck of a lot of hop flavor; tastes citrusy with some strong floral notes. Very malt forward, slightly biscuity; strong hop backbone. Not nearly as hop bitter as I expected, but ridiculously strong in hop flavor. Crystal clear. I'd put a picture up if I hadn't already drained my glass.:rockin:

So my only question is this; is this smooth, but complex flavor typical of SMaSH brews? It doesn't seem likely that the no-chill would make it any smoother than using a chiller, since chillers are supposed to increase the break material and would probably decrease off flavors. I guess it might be just the flavor of pale malt that I'm tasting.

I have no complaints; and I have to say that SMaSH is a great way to figure out an all-grain process.:fro:

 

[Pappers_]

Looks like an interesting beer. Cascade is such a great hop!

 

[FATC1TY]

As my first step into all-grain, I made a 5 gallon SMaSH out of:
12 lbs Weyermann pale malt
2 oz roast barley (for color. And it's not a malt.)
8 oz flaked barley for head retention
1 oz whole leaf cascade (first wort and 60 min boil)
1 oz whole leaf cascade (30 min boil)
1 oz whole leaf cascade (10 min boil)
1 oz whole leaf cascade (20 min aroma steep)
2 oz whole leaf cascade (dry hop 10 days)
Water salts to get the burton-on-trent water profile
Nottingham sprinkled in fermenter

I tested my immersion cooler while I was boiling (first time using it), and it had some serious issues. I read about the no-chill method of brewing, so I just ended up using that. I pitched notty the second day once temps had come down enough (64f).

Fermentation went well, I carbed it, no other problems beside the immersion chiller. Sent the immersion chiller back, went to home depot and made my own. So I just got into it today, about 15 minutes ago. Now, realize this is only like my 8th batch of beer, and it's my first IPA. But this thing is crazy! It's really smoooooth for something that beersmith figures has around 53 ibu. Although it has a heck of a lot of hop flavor; tastes citrusy with some strong floral notes. Very malt forward, slightly biscuity; strong hop backbone. Not nearly as hop bitter as I expected, but ridiculously strong in hop flavor. Crystal clear. I'd put a picture up if I hadn't already drained my glass.:rockin:

So my only question is this; is this smooth, but complex flavor typical of SMaSH brews? It doesn't seem likely that the no-chill would make it any smoother than using a chiller, since chillers are supposed to increase the break material and would probably decrease off flavors. I guess it might be just the flavor of pale malt that I'm tasting.

I have no complaints; and I have to say that SMaSH is a great way to figure out an all-grain process.:fro:

It's probably the fact that it's all grain and not extract. Not saying extract doesn't make good beer, it does.. But all grain gives you more control, and I think taste much better. It has nothing to do with your choice of malts. Your recipe isn't really a SMaSH really anyways, despite the argument that you use one malt. You used some other adjuncts in the beer, so it's more than just 2 row and a single hop profile.

It's probably the Cascade. It's a pretty good, clean and well accepted hop, and paired with something simple lets it come through.

 

[burntgraphite]

Well, I'm not really one to argue; and besides, you may be right. Regardless of the fact that there is one malt and one hop, there are certainly a lot more steps in the brewing process than the idea would call for. But it's good to know that the process can have that much control over the flavor of the beer.

 

[FATC1TY]

Wasn't trying to argue. People like to throw the whole SMaSH idea around, but it's the simplicity at the core. Much like people who BIAB. Doesn't make it any worse or better than a "conventional" way. I was just saying that the whole SMaSH thing isn't why the beer taste so great, it's your process, and using high quality ingredients.

But yes.. your mashing temp, length, and all that good stuff allows you to take a similar grain bill and hop, and make a different tasting beer each time.