SMaSH for Smash

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Hello. Newbie with first post here. * Skip small intro

This will be my first time brewing beer. I did a couple bread yeast meads a few years back. One exploded on me and both were pretty good un-aged. I recently started a graf because I liked the idea. Pretty sure I messed it up. I forgot to pick up the DME and just cut the recipe in half to use double the malt(which didnt make up for the DME so I threw in a can of AJ concentrate and some nutrient) I also missed the boil. Whoops. Still it's in the fermenter and the fermentation is slowing down. It doesnt smell like a **** up!

I know people do the kit thing and extract brews but really I am just going to do some all grain BIAB. Might as well spend my first few times screwing up an all grain then repeat the doofusness going from extract to AG later on. I'm a renegade like that.

My wife, like just about any Ashley out there, used to like to use Smash/Smashley as a nick name. When I heard of SMaSH recipes I thought it was a cool coincidence and something simple to start off with. So this is a "SMaSH for Smash", my drinking buddy.

* I adapted someone's 5 gallon SMaSH recipe to a one gallon. The reason for this is my fermenter is occupied. We were going to grab a 4 liter Carlo Rossi wine. (4 liters of decent wine plus a dark glass 4 liter bottle for ~$12, "yes, thank you!") I have a 5 gallon bucket but I can't afford to brew that much (also I don't have big enough pot) and I have no lid for it. Anyway with a 4 liter I figure I would try to aim for a little under 1 gal to give the beer some headroom.

3 lb Marris Otter
1 oz Cascade (1/3 @FWH, 1/3 @15, 1/3 dry )
Nottingham

The recipe I adapted this from would have come to closer to 3.25 lbs of grain but I though the even 3 was easier plus I am aiming for just shy of a gallon. Likewise the hops amounts would have been more like 1.5 oz but I just want to buy one pack. I threw the hop schedule together from some brief reading: 1/3 FWH to get a the most bitterness from that amount, 1/3 at 15 min because I hear that gives some good balanced bitterness/flavors, and the final third dry hopped for aroma. I thought this might be a good balance.

I imagine this is viable since it is pretty close to a real recipe, besides the hops which had more dry and mid boil hops. What can I expect from this? Is there anything I should adjust?

Sorry for the wall of text.
 
Go ahead and get that extra 1/4 pound of grain. It is usually tricky to extract all the sugars you want doing a BIAB so the extra malt makes that a bit easier. Also, aim for 1 gallon or even 1.25, because at the bottom of the kettle will be some trub and hop sludge that you don't want. If you overshoot your volume slightly you will have an easier time filling up the fermenter with clear wort. Not something to worry about with batches bigger than a gallon, but when every bottle counts you'll appreciate it.

A little trub is a good thing, but with a 1 gallon batch you'll want everything you can get to fill those 8 or 9 bottles.
 
Go ahead and get that extra 1/4 pound of grain. It is usually tricky to extract all the sugars you want doing a BIAB so the extra malt makes that a bit easier. Also, aim for 1 gallon or even 1.25, because at the bottom of the kettle will be some trub and hop sludge that you don't want. If you overshoot your volume slightly you will have an easier time filling up the fermenter with clear wort. Not something to worry about with batches bigger than a gallon, but when every bottle counts you'll appreciate it.

A little trub is a good thing, but with a 1 gallon batch you'll want everything you can get to fill those 8 or 9 bottles.

You're spot on on the volume suggestion, however, the bold statement (my emphasis) is absolutely false.

If your crush is good and mashing process is good, there is nothing tricky about it.

Now, if you had said that the mashing process may be a little tricky for a first-timer (i.e. not stirring well enough on mash-in, breaking up doughballs, etc.), then I could have agreed with that.
 
1 gallon brewer here too!

Nah, looks good let us know how it turns out! Just what temp were you planning on mashing at?

I've adapted a few 5 gallons to 1 gallons and actually have lessened the grain bill past the /5 thing due to the size of the pot I use for mashing and everything has always turned out fine :) I normally stick to roughly ~2lbs per gallon.

My partner is my drinking buddy/test subject for my brewing experiments too, differing taste buds as well, she's enjoyed things I thought didn't turn out very good and visa versa.

As for <1 gallon for head room, agree with Kent, aim higher. Do you have blowoff tubes and drilled caps that fit the jug? I find those work immensely better than an airlock when you really fill up a jug with only a little headspace. Airlocks can clog so easily but the blowoff tube gives it room to move when you try to squeeze out those bottles.

Notty is a workhorse yeast, have done a few batches with it that fermented VERY happy to the point even the blowoff tube and sani-container are murky and gunk filled :p
 
I'm also a one gallon brewer. I know you said all grain, but if you ever need a quick brew day try the below recipe. I changed it to 1 gallon and used Citra and brewed it up this past weekend. Tasted great going into the fermentor. Only boil 15 min.

15-Minute American Ale
5 gallon batch:

6 lbs. Light Dry Malt Extract

1 lb. 60 L Crystal Malt

2 oz. Simcoe Pellets (or your favorite American hop) – 15 minutes

1 oz. Simcoe Pellets – 5 minutes

1 oz. Simcoe Pellets – Flameout

Safale US05 Yeast
 
Go ahead and get that extra 1/4 pound of grain. It is usually tricky to extract all the sugars you want doing a BIAB so the extra malt makes that a bit easier.

Well there are a couple other concerns including pot size. I am not really set up for AG brewing but I am cheap. Also I just downloaded beersmith for the trial and punched in the numbers. Even at 65% efficiency the grain bill puts my OG at 1.074. I knew to shoot a little higher with my malt for lack of experience and (mostlikely) lack of efficiency but that gravity is still surprising. The beer I converted must have been a big one!

As for <1 gallon for head room, agree with Kent, aim higher. Do you have blowoff tubes and drilled caps that fit the jug? I find those work immensely better than an airlock when you really fill up a jug with only a little headspace. Airlocks can clog so easily but the blowoff tube gives it room to move when you try to squeeze out those bottles.

Notty is a workhorse yeast, have done a few batches with it that fermented VERY happy to the point even the blowoff tube and sani-container are murky and gunk filled :p

I am going to use a blow off tube. I just didn't see the point in spending 2 bucks on a cheap plastic airlock when I could spend the same on a good length of tubing that I can turn around and use to siphon. (have I mentioned how cheap I am? :D ) What I am worried about is losing a lot of good stuff with too much blowoff. Is that a real concern or am I just being silly?

I know Notty is a work horse because the graf I mentioned used it and after it developed some thick foam on top I went in with a sanitized spoon and scraped some off into a jar, added some apple juice, let it sit for 24 hours with some shaking/stirring here and there, then tossed it in 3 gallons of strong AJ for a strong cider experiment. I thought it might not be strong enough and I might have to go grab a new pack but 24 hours later the top was bubbling like a carbonated soda.

Also looked at the hops in beersmith and my IBUs was approaching 100. Not that I haven't enjoyed a few ales at that bitterness I just think that my be a little high aim for a first shot. Thinking about cutting the amounts to 0.25 ounce instead of a third each. Even there I am pushing the ceiling of an American IPA. Cool app.
 
You shouldn't have to worry about losing to much through the blowoff tube unless you stick the end of the tube below the level of wort. You might think that wouldn't be worth mentioning, but it really cut into a batch of Biere de Garde I made... oh well, it isn't very good anyway. I don't know if it is a big deal, but you might want to replace the sanitizer that your blowoff tube goes into ever other day or so.

If you are cheap and looking for software, try brewtarget, it is free. Nothing against beersmith, but I don't want to shell out the money right now.

No one here is going to judge you if you tinker with your hops to make it more palatable to you. And if you can hit 1.074 with 65% efficiency without that extra 0.25lb of grain, you ought to be just fine. I'd recommend a small yeast starter of about 1.25 cup water (allowing for evaporation) and 3 Tablespoons DME. I make mine in a small growler. It is a good way to make sure that the yeast is healthy, viable, and ready to tackle that 1.070+ monster. Don't worry if you don't get all of the starter in there, you should be able to eyeball it well enough.
 
Just what temp were you planning on mashing at?

Since I don't have a Mash Tun I am in the process of checking out what temp water in my pot holds in my oven with it on Warm. A couple checks have showed 65 to 68c. I do wonder if 68c would be a little hot for a 1.074. I don't want the beer to end up real sweet. I was wanting to mash at 65c/150f for an hour. Obviously this will be completely dependent on what temperature I can actually hold steady.

You shouldn't have to worry about losing to much through the blowoff tube unless you stick the end of the tube below the level of wort. You might think that wouldn't be worth mentioning, but it really cut into a batch of Biere de Garde I made... oh well, it isn't very good anyway. I don't know if it is a big deal, but you might want to replace the sanitizer that your blowoff tube goes into ever other day or so.

That's good to hear. I don't think it will blow over the gallon jug I have it feeding to. I thought about sanitizing the blowoff jug but wasn't sure how often that would be necessary.

If you are cheap and looking for software, try brewtarget, it is free. Nothing against beersmith, but I don't want to shell out the money right now.

I'll have to check that out after the trial is up. Thanks

No one here is going to judge you if you tinker with your hops to make it more palatable to you. And if you can hit 1.074 with 65% efficiency without that extra 0.25lb of grain, you ought to be just fine. I'd recommend a small yeast starter of about 1.25 cup water (allowing for evaporation) and 3 Tablespoons DME. I make mine in a small growler. It is a good way to make sure that the yeast is healthy, viable, and ready to tackle that 1.070+ monster. Don't worry if you don't get all of the starter in there, you should be able to eyeball it well enough.

Oh, it's not that. I love hop intense beers. I just don't think that I should shoot for something like that on my first beer. I have no experience with utilizing hop flavors(I don't even know what my particular hop choice will taste like yet) and bitterness. So while I am keeping a strong bitter presence in my beer I think it wise to start modest and build to the intenseness of some of my favorite IPAs.

I am using Nottingham and from what I have read most people don't recommend making a starter with it, simply rehydrate and pitch. The pack is good for 5 gallons so half the pack for a 1 gallon batch oughtta do'r.

EDIT: fixed typo 150f instead of 170f which is much higher than 65c.
 
It is usually tricky to extract all the sugars you want doing a BIAB so the extra malt makes that a bit easier.
5o.jpg

Nice post. Almost as nice as the person that actually said it first, on this very page, word-for-word.

:mad:
 
Yes @slym2none, I did already say that, and then Psylocide said I was completely wrong because I didn't add "for a first-timer".

@ardanzhan, I appreciate you backing me up.
 
Yes @slym2none, I did already say that, and then Psylocide said I was completely wrong because I didn't add "for a first-timer".

I think what he meant to clarify was that it isn't so much 'tricky' as it is a process to be learned with practice. He might be getting a little picky on wording since you were obviously talking to a first timer (me). I think the idea is that newbies tend to overcomplicate things they haven't done and lead themselves into more issues. Saying things are difficult, tricky, etc when it is really just something different that one has to learn often encourages newcomer worry.

I expect my efficiency to be low. Which is why I haven't set the grains down to 2.5lb on the gallon. I'd be happy to get a big beer. As long as I don't accidentally end up with a 1.090 or something. Also don't want a high FG. Obviously this means I should probably pick up a hydrometer :p .
 
Read up on one-gallon brewing before you do this: it's a lot harder to maintain mash temps on a one-gallon BIAB batch than a five-gallon batch because your mash has far less thermal mass, so you'll want to understand the challenges and tricks to holding low-volume mash temperatures before you brew.

(I see that you've addressed this already, but it bears repeating, because low-volume mashes like this are really a different beast from larger batches.)
 
Read up on one-gallon brewing before you do this: it's a lot harder to maintain mash temps on a one-gallon BIAB batch than a five-gallon batch because your mash has far less thermal mass, so you'll want to understand the challenges and tricks to holding low-volume mash temperatures before you brew.

(I see that you've addressed this already, but it bears repeating, because low-volume mashes like this are really a different beast from larger batches.)

Yes. It seemed like my oven's warm setting held pretty good. It was climbing a few degrees celsius throughout my checks. I think I may preheat the oven to warm. Pop the mash in at 65c, let it be for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, check the temp at 30min and see how things are going. If it climbs from 65c a degree or two i'd think it shouldnt matter all that much. If it drops below 65 at that point I could probably get away with leaving warm on for most of the remaining time.

Speaking of the mash since my target temp is 65c/150f should I go for a longer mash time? 75min or maybe 90min?
 
Yes. It seemed like my oven's warm setting held pretty good. It was climbing a few degrees celsius throughout my checks. I think I may preheat the oven to warm. Pop the mash in at 65c, let it be for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, check the temp at 30min and see how things are going. If it climbs from 65c a degree or two i'd think it shouldnt matter all that much. If it drops below 65 at that point I could probably get away with leaving warm on for most of the remaining time.

Speaking of the mash since my target temp is 65c/150f should I go for a longer mash time? 75min or maybe 90min?

First go, try 60 minutes, checking temps every once in a while to make sure you don't stray too low or too high. At the end of an hour, you should find that the wort is fairly clear (as opposed to cloudy), that's as good an indicator of success as most methods.

Eventually, you'll dial things in and learn things like your grain crush, efficiency, and how long you need to be mashing (several of us BIAB folks are mashing for half an hour or less and getting great results, some brewers prefer well over an hour for their system). The first few brews are a good time to just go with the accepted wisdom and learn the basics; the more you complicate your first few brews, the more likely you are to end up with a subpar product, and the more variables you have to worry about in diagnosing the problem.
 
Yes @slym2none, I did already say that, and then Psylocide said I was completely wrong because I didn't add "for a first-timer".

@ardanzhan, I appreciate you backing me up.

Good job thanking a spammer.
 
Yes @slym2none, I did already say that, and then Psylocide said I was completely wrong because I didn't add "for a first-timer".

@ardanzhan, I appreciate you backing me up.

@Kent 88 - He wasn't backing you up. It's a spammer trick around here. If you thought I was picking on you, all my pardons. I wasn't.

:mug:
 
(have I mentioned how cheap I am? :D )

:rockin:

Read up on one-gallon brewing before you do this: it's a lot harder to maintain mash temps on a one-gallon BIAB batch than a five-gallon batch because your mash has far less thermal mass, so you'll want to understand the challenges and tricks to holding low-volume mash temperatures before you brew.

(I see that you've addressed this already, but it bears repeating, because low-volume mashes like this are really a different beast from larger batches.)

Definitely, have a hell of a time maintaining temps on smaller grain bills. Even as small as a 1/4 lbs difference can be huge.
 
haven't seen that spambot trick. @sylm2none, many apologies for sounding like I was chastising you. You were obviously within your rights to be frustrated.
 
I was going to start this up this weekend but I underestimated the daunting task of 4 liters of wine between 2 people! I will definitely let you guys know how the mash turns out. The grain was $2/# and the oz of hops was ~$2.5 and I went ahead and sold out and bought a hydrometer. This one gallon is looking to be close to $10 dollars with and my one time expenses are somewhere around $20.

BTW I bought a paint bag at the hardware store but it doesnt say what it is made out of. Should I be concerned?
 
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