Smash brewing

[An Ankoù]

I had one at homebrew club, brewed by someone else, it was Mild Malt and Bramling Cross, and was lovely.

Sounds gorgeous. I'm on the case. Mild's my favourite tipple at the moment. Did you get any indication of the abv?

 

[Sadfield]

Sounds gorgeous. I'm on the case. Mild's my favourite tipple at the moment. Did you get any indication of the abv?

I don't recall it being anything out of the ordinary, so perhaps between 4-5%

EDIT: Perhaps the lower end of that, I vaguely remember positive comments as to how full bodied it was for the abv. Is that strong or weak for a mild?

 

[An Ankoù]

I don't recall it being anything out of the ordinary, so perhaps between 4-5%

EDIT: Perhaps the lower end of that, I vaguely remember positive comments as to how full bodied it was for the abv. Is that strong or weak for a mild?

4%'s a very decent strength for a mild. My favourite, Elgood's Black Dog is 3.6.
Unless you go for Sarah Hughes Ruby at 6%.
Thanks.

 

[HarryFlatters]

Planning to brew a simple pilsner / saaz SMaSH next week.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Think I'll do a Spring Lightning with Pale Malt and EKG.

 

[moto748]

Guys, I have read this thread with interest, but unless I'm missing something, I'm still none the wiser about about what a Smash brew actually is. Could someone explain, please?

 

[Sadfield]

Guys, I have read this thread with interest, but unless I'm missing something, I'm still none the wiser about about what a Smash brew actually is. Could someone explain, please?

Single Malt and Single Hop (varietal not addition).

 

[Scrattajack]

I've been waiting (not very) patiently for a dry day so I can get my 100% Satisfaction done. It's Maris Otter and EKG so probably similar to the Spring Lightning above.

 

[Scrattajack]

I'm still none the wiser about about what a Smash brew actually is.

What Sadfield said.

It's an excellent way of finding the characteristics of ingredients. For instance, I intend to use Maris Otter as the sole malt for a series of brews but changing the hops each time. East Kent Goldings first then Fuggles and whatever comes to mind after that.

The same could be done for malt, keep the EKG consistent but change the Maris Otter for Golden Promise and so on.

 

[Moe]

Ive got the Mandarina Bavaria smash mashing now.
The DIY dog recipe and my Brewfather interpretation attached. It’s nowhere near the the IBU brewdog state but I reckon it will come out half decent.
Also my first brew in the Brewzilla so I’ve no idea on efficiency and therefore what the OG will come out at.

 

[Nicks90]

I’m in the same boat as you. Never brewed a smash before, but I have th ingredients to make a Mandarina Bavaria single hop ale from DIY dog. It just uses extra pale malt.
Hopefully brewing this week

It will be a cracking pint. Done two mandarina brews and whilst not as strong in terms of hop flavour as the descriptions would like to suggest, they were both brilliant.

 

[moto748]

Ha! thanks! I was imagining some kind of special technique!

That's actually much closer to what i do myself (for bitter, anyway). am sticking with one type of hops for now. Actually just went from my normal Goldings to WGV, have also tried Prospect.

 

[obscure]

I‘ve done a few smash beers, find Maris Otter and Mosaic, or Citra make for nice easy drinking pale ales. I‘ve yet to try with English Hops though after reading @Sadfield post I do rather like the idea of Mild Malt and Brambling cross.

 

[ChrisR73]

Planning to brew a simple pilsner / saaz SMaSH next week.

That’s on my list for next week - inspired by brew dogs lost lager in fact.

 

[HarryFlatters]

That’s on my list for next week - inspired by brew dogs lost lager in fact.

Is it? I've never had Lost Lager before, but I use saaz hops in my Kolsch recipe and like it a lot, so I thought to try to get the true essence of these hops I'd try it with no Magnum bittering addition, and no carapils / wheat malts, and a very clean lager yeast.

 

[ChrisR73]

Is it? I've never had Lost Lager before, but I use saaz hops in my Kolsch recipe and like it a lot, so I thought to try to get the true essence of these hops I'd try it with no Magnum bittering addition, and no carapils / wheat malts, and a very clean lager yeast.

Well I’m assuming so - the one in the recipe has three hops (Taurus, Spalter & sapphire) but on the website to buy cans it only states Saaz so I’m assuming they’ve tweaked the recipe.
I got a free 4-pack and was quite impressed.