Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: SMaSH for my first AG batch  (Read 5433 times)

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
SMaSH for my first AG batch
« on: September 05, 2012, 07:59:39 pm »
Strongly considering a SMaSH for my first all grain batch this weekend.  NOTE: 3.5 gallon batch! 

Basic recipe:

6 lbs Maris otter
0.5 oz willamette 60 min
1 oz willamette 7 min
1 oz willamette 0 min
1 oz willamette dry hop
US-05

targets

1.047 OG
34.2 IBU
4.9% ABV

I want a very light, easy drinking, easy to brew, lightly hoppy, simple pale ale.

Will this do it?

Here's a link to the full exact procedure and more detail than you probably want, lol.

I'm pretty set on keeping this first brew a SMaSH.  I can still adjust the recipe (hops or water), but I will be using 6 lbs of maris otter for the grain. 

Offline bigchicken

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 245
  • Lincoln, NE
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2012, 09:08:32 pm »
I did a beer very similar to your recipe using all Willamette hops very recently. Turned out great. I did use a 60 minute, large 30 minute, and flame out additions. I think you may want to add at least 1 bittering addition. Otherwise, I think it'll work fine.
TJ Cook

On Deck: Planning
Fermenting: Nothing
In bottles: It's All About MEAD!

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2012, 04:41:52 am »
I did a beer very similar to your recipe using all Willamette hops very recently. Turned out great. I did use a 60 minute, large 30 minute, and flame out additions. I think you may want to add at least 1 bittering addition. Otherwise, I think it'll work fine.

How would you suggest to modify the hop additions?  I don't want the bitterness to get too high, but want hop flavor.  The willamette are 7.5% AA and I have plenty of them.

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2012, 05:33:04 am »
I think the half ounce at 60 is good for what I think you're going for.  You could do additions at 10 minutes and five minutes instead of one at 7.  Maybe an ounce at 10 and half an ounce at 5.
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline saintpierre

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 407
  • Augusta, ME
    • www.malthomebrewclub.org
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2012, 06:04:57 am »
I think a SMaSH is a great place to start with your first AG brew.  I have to agree with Tygo to drop the 7 min addition and add 10 and 5 minute additions.  Otherwise I think it looks like a nice beer.  I just did something similar with my homegrown hops.
Mike St. Pierre, P.E.
Maine Ale & Libation Tasters (MALT)
BJCP Certified
[719.4, 74.1] AR

Offline bigchicken

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 245
  • Lincoln, NE
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2012, 11:33:20 am »
I think the half ounce at 60 is good for what I think you're going for.  You could do additions at 10 minutes and five minutes instead of one at 7.  Maybe an ounce at 10 and half an ounce at 5.

+1
The hops I had were about 5.5% AA if I remember correctly. I wanted the bitterness so I'd definitely skip a 30 minute addition like I did, if you want to avoid it.
TJ Cook

On Deck: Planning
Fermenting: Nothing
In bottles: It's All About MEAD!

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2012, 03:23:10 pm »
A half ounce at 10 minutes and an ounce at 5 minutes would yield 39 IBUs.  Maybe I'll go with that instead of the flameout addition.  Skip the hopstand and just turn on the wort chiller at flameout (?).
« Last Edit: September 06, 2012, 03:28:14 pm by alcaponejunior »

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2012, 02:35:52 pm »
Just finished this one, went very well.  OG was only off by two points!  copious notes here

Offline Pi

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 429
  • "I would never trade tomorrow for today"
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2012, 11:17:15 am »
Just finished this one, went very well.  OG was only off by two points!  copious notes here
Your notes are key here. When fermentation is complete, give it a taste and if there's not enough flavor in the hops, toss some more in and let it go another week or so.
Primary:On Reflection APA
Lagering: Vienna
Drinking: Whenever I'm not working or driving

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2012, 12:36:58 pm »
Well to update there's a bit of a "wrinkle" in the progression of this brew...

It's day 8 and I went to toss in the dry hops today, an ounce of willamette in a weighted sanitized nylon paint bag.  I've been dry hopping my beers after 8-9 days and leaving them for another week for a while now, and it's always done by then, and the beers have been coming out fine.  However, today I see that the krausen hasn't fallen yet.  It's still foamy and yeasty (and smelled yeasty).  I didn't want to leave it open for very long, and I didn't have a sanitized wine thief handy, so I didn't sample it.  I went ahead and dropped in the hop bag anyway.  Might be a waste of hops but I am not worried about one ounce of hops.  I can re-dry hop again if needed. 

It seems though that this one got a very slow start on fermentation.  I cannot think of any reason why this happened.  I used dry yeast, rehydrated, same as I have done multiple times.  Temperatures were fine, the wort was slightly warmer than the yeast upon pitching, and the closet is dark and about 68-69F. 

I'll leave it another week I guess then sample it.  Not sure what went on here.  Any ideas?

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2012, 01:06:41 pm »
Maybe aeration but for that OG it seems like your procedure as described would have gotten enough O2 in there.  When you sample it, if you've hit your FG, I wouldn't worry about it.  Also, your dry hopping regimen is probably fine, but if it doesn't get enough aroma in there, like you said, you can always re-do it.

I think I'd RDWHAHB at this point.
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2012, 01:15:26 pm »
Yeah I am not going to worry too much about it.  Aeration was the same as usual, never had a problem.  The yeast was only received two weeks ago so I would hope that it's pretty fresh. 

I've been using a 2-3 week regiment (for my primary only, simple ales) and having no issues so far.  I might want to increase that to a strictly 3 week regiment.  I really don't want to mess with secondaries unless there's a very specific reason to do so (fruit, high gravity etc). 

If the gravity is on point next sunday, I'll just bottle it.  If it's not where it should be then I'll add another ounce of hops and leave it till the following weekend.

Offline jlo

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 37
Re: SMaSH for my first AG batch
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2012, 08:52:42 pm »
I try and dry hop for 3-7 days when the yeast are about a day away from reaching terminal gravity.  I find that  I get a more pleasant hop goodness at least according to my palate.

I believe Sierra Nevada did a study on this a few years ago if ou wanted to search and find it.  I'm curious for a SMASH beer how it turns out.  If you did it again, I would be curious which way you liked to dry hop.