What should a new brewer SMaSH?

[Vedexent]

So, I'm coming up on my first bottling day this weekend (I think; we'll see how stable the next few hydrometer readings are).

I just did a simple SMaSH of Munich malt and Mosiac hops - pretty much as a technical excercise to see if my process actually resulted in a drinkable ale - even if it didn't turn out that interesting.

My stovetop equipment currently limits me to small batches of 1-3 gallons (at least not without doing multiple boils and combining wort), so I should be able to brew more often (without drowning in surplus beer), so I have the opportunity to do some exploration of the ingrediants.

It occurs to me that I can vary hops across the same Malt, or I can keep the same hops, and vary Malts. And there are literally hundreds of styles to explore (I've got a Rauchebeir, Hefeweizen, Red Ale, and - God help me - a kettle sour, on my "to do" list already).

So - with the direction that I want to be the best damn brewer I can be, and really get a good solid understanding of my materials, does any one have any suggestions for a "brewing curriculum" of what I should cover and explore to really "learn the craft"?

With the proviso that - of course - I'm going to be drinking my homework, so I'll be dropping lines of exploration that just don't agree with me, and while 27 minor variations of the same Ale might be extremely educational, it's likely to get boring.

Any suggestions would be awesome, and much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Sammy86]

I'd go with Maris Otter...my favorite base malt that I use in all my recipes except for my Kölsch

Hops to try in no particular order:

C hops (cascade, citra, centennial, chinook and columbus)

Then move on based on your taste in hops

Fruity: Armarillo, Galaxy, Galena, Lemon drop

Piney/Resin: Warrior, Northern Brewer, Simcoe

Hope this helps!

 

[cswis86]

As far as being the best brewing you can be, I'd focus on fermentation and your process before ingredients. I would pick a versatile strain of yeast and use it over and over a few times to really learn what it can do. Focus on pitching the proper amount of yeast, aerating, and controlling temperature. Improving your fermentation and yeast health will give you the biggest bang for your buck. I know when I was new I thought that when a beer didn't turn out very good I thought it was a problem with the ingredients/recipe or the yeast strain was bad... when in fact it was just me.

I like the idea of SMaSH beers but I've never made as SMaSH beer that was better than a beer with multiple hops and malts. That doesn't mean to get crazy with your hops or grain bill. I think limiting yourself to 3-4 malts/hops each will give you good flavor depth without getting overly complicated.

 

[kh54s10]

I would go a different route. After or while working on your processes, think of a beer that you would like then brew it. I started with kits. The first 2 were Northern Brewer Irish Red Ale and Patersbier. I then used their recipes while procuring ingredients separately. After 4 extract, 4 partial mash and a couple of all grain I started making my own recipes. At first I would take a published recipe and make small modifications.

I have done pale ales, IPAs, porters, stouts, browns, reds, milds, Belgians, Saisons, Wheat, ryes, lagers, etc. as well as a couple of SMaSHes. Whatever I think I might like, I brew. I have a very wide range of likes so I have not disappointed myself. In fact I have yet to brew a recipe unchanged more than once. And that is after 93 brews.

 

[Scturo]

2-Row and Mosaic, cant miss

 

[ejf063]

when I first started brewing, after 2-3 AG batches under my belt, I went to Revolution in Chicago. They had a SMaSH called Kemps Landing which was stellar. Vienna and Columbus was what they used. So considering what cswis86 said, there is more to it then just the SMaSH. Yeast plays a huge role. Not just proper fermentation (which isn't easy in the beginning), but even simpler than that, the multitude of yeast varieties all have their own profile which play differently with malts and hops. I am not sure, but if I recall correctly Kemp's Landing may have been fermented with a lager yeast. Maybe its was a kolsch yeast, west ale or a Cali common.... Don't have any idea why, but when I tired to clone, it wasn't even close. likely the yeast.
I love your idea about starting out with SMaSHes. Consider using multiple vessels and fermenting with different yeasts. Yeast is expensive. But it really is easy to harvest and reuse. if you don't have multiple vessels, once you settled on a SMaSH you really like, see what happens when you ferment with a different yeast.
sorry so long winded.... my vote is Vienna/Columbus

 

[Vedexent]

I appreciate the feedback!

Yes - I quickly realized I needed consistency, especially some form of temperature control, even if I don't have space to put a fridge (or lots of little ones; remember, small batch brewer).

So I'm building myself an insulated "hot box" with an Inkbird controller and a heating pad. This time of year the outside weather is cold enough that I need to add heat to a primary stored outdoors to keep it in most Ale yeast ranges. Sadly cold enough weather to keep it at Lager temperatures have passed for this winter/spring.

I'm hoping that "cooler than the optimum yeast growth temperature range" isn't going to be a problem for vessels that have moved past primary fermentation onto secondary fermentation (even if I don't employ a physical secondary fermenter; jury is still out; it seems like it might not be needed for simple Ales; probably is needed for complex beers with lots of adjuncts).

With my current equipment I can probably only hold 2 vessels in a temperature controlled environment.

If I can get by with that, then I have 6 x 3.5gal HDPE 2 food-grade buckets that I'm planning on turning into an "Ale Pipeline" for 1-3 gallon batches.

When it gets too warm for that, I may have to change to Saisons and other "high temperature" yeast strains - but that too is educational!

However, it hadn't occurred to me until some of your suggestions that there are (at least) 4 ingredients, and one could keep the grain/hop bill constant over a few different batches, and experiment with the yeast strains as well.

And yes - I totally plan on making batches which are just what I want to drink, regardless of whether they're teaching me something new or not

 

[Morrey]

You are certainly thinking your way forward nicely which is far more than the average brewer getting started. SMaSh beers are a good way to learn malt and hop profiles.

As you learn this, do by all means focus on your process including temperature control. This is truly the main way you are going to develop consistency and repeatability in beers you hone in on.

 

[BeerAddikt]

2 row + Azacca?

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

3 of my favorites:

Pilsner + Chinook

Maris Otter + Centennial

2 Row + Cascade

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

MOM -- Maris otter and mosaic. Tastes like summer