SMASH - good condition/mouthfeel/head

[MartinHaworth]

Evening.

At our local home brew club - Norwich Amateur Brewers - our next beer of the quarter has been chosen to be a SMASH. Brew a SMASH, any SMASH.

Now, usually for mouthfeel and head retention, us brewers add a bit of this and a bit of that.....but that is forbidden.

So, any tips for getting a good mouthfeel and head and general condition when SMASHING.

I'm looking for advice maybe on mash temp, water treatment, yeast..or anything else you can think of.

(I plan to do a MO / Styrian Goldings Celeia SMASH - although given the low AA, it will be a bit of a waste of the lovely hops!)

Cheers

Martin

 

[Sadfield]

Good SMaSH brewing is all about process and technique. Getting the mash pH correct, isomerising hops early in the boil and correct pitch rate of yeast, should be enough, regardless of the beer being a SMaSH. The bits of this and that are usually to compensate for issues. Many of the world's classic beers are single malt brews, like most good lagers, Saison Dupont, TT Landlord, Bathams Best Bitter, Hopback Summer Lightening....

Malts like Vienna, Munich, Mild Ale, Wheat, Rye malt can be used to make something a bit different.

Edit: A point on unmalted grains. If you are replacing 5-10% of base malt with flaked barley or wheat, in order to improve head retention and body. You are also diluting your malt flavour by the same amount.

 

[ACBEV]

In the summer I like to brew a mild ale malt smash to around 4% ABV and 25 IBUs with fuggles and a little bit of goldings late in the boil.

 

[Sadfield]

In the summer I like to brew a mild ale malt smash to around 4% ABV and 25 IBUs with fuggles and a little bit of goldings late in the boil.

Nice. A guy at one the homebrew clubs does a great one with Bramling Cross.

 

[MartinHaworth]

Thanks folks...sounds like some of you guys have got it sorted!

Any tips for me?

Wondered about mashing high to retain more body?

Martin

 

[ACBEV]

I'd be inclined to do an IPA smash, It'll cover most of what your looking for.

Me being me this is what I'd have a go at...

Batch: 23L
OG: 1.065
ABV: 6 ish
IBU: 45

6kg Bohemian Pilsner Malt
Mash @ 69c
Boil: 90 mins
50g Bramling Cross @ 60 mins
50g Bramling Cross @ 5 mins
London Ale III @ 18/19c

I brew something similar with 50/50 golden promise and pilsner malt. Its very dangerous, easy drinking brew.

 

[RichardM]

In the summer I like to brew a mild ale malt smash to around 4% ABV and 25 IBUs with fuggles and a little bit of goldings late in the boil.

It's not a smash if it has fuggles and goldings

 

[MartinHaworth]

High mash temp...low attenuation. ...good advice..

 

[ACBEV]

It's not a smash if it has fuggles and goldings

I know! The goldings fell in accidentally while I had my back turned.

 

[RichardM]

I know! The goldings fell in accidentally while I had my back turned.

These things happen