SMASH recommendations

flytyer1 · August 9, 2013, 12:15pm

I have four hops that are producing and would like to get feedback for Single Malt and Single Hop experiments. The hops are Northern brewer, brewers Gold, Williamette, and a fence row mystery native. I have no idea on strength, but isn’t that half the fun? I’m shooting for a 1.046 to 1.050 OG and want a neutral malt character to show case the hops.
1, Malt, Briess Golden Pilsner, Rahr 2 row, or maris Otter? i think the choice of malt will help determine the yeast.

2, Yeast, Wyeast 1272 American Ale, US-05, or 1945 Neo Brittania ?

3, Hops, 1oz. at 60, 2 oz. at 10, no dry hop or wet hop.

4, I will be using the 2+2 fermentation then to keg. I know I don’t need to secondary, but I want to be consistent for each recipe.

All will be 5 gallon batch sparge with an acid addition to correct PH.

tom_sawyer · August 9, 2013, 1:29pm

Just to evaluate hops I’d use Rahr 2-row and US-05, a most neutral dry combination. Then I’d use the hops as though they were only 3% AA, just in case the level of aicds are low. If they aren’t you just get a nice extra-bitter beer.

rebuiltcellars · August 9, 2013, 3:20pm

Except for the mystery bine, you could just look up what the typical range is for the variety you are using, and calculate for something in there (I’d guess something between the low AA value and average). The mystery hop is likely an ornamental garden variety, and something very low is possible. My backyard hop plant is somewhere in the 1-3 AA range, though it otherwise seems somewhat like goldens.

Or you could just use the home-grown hops for flavor/aroma additions. That takes the risk out of messing up a whole batch of beer.

flytyer1 · August 9, 2013, 3:37pm

I think experimentation is half the fun. Is your suggestion to use Beersmith to get equal IBU’s? That makes more sense than using the same quantities? On the other hand as there is no way to know how strong the hops are so wouldn’t comparison by weight make sense? I appreciate the opinions.

tom_sawyer · August 9, 2013, 3:48pm

Generally a hop variety will fall in a range of %AA, so the adivce to go by this isn’t bad. I just suggested going by a lower AA since a lot of people pick their hops a little early and this results in lower %AA. Either way you do it, you’re kind of flying blind that first time out. Thats why I also generally start out with more than predicted, so if they are low I still have a nice hoppy beer to evaluate.

I brewed for the first time with my 2013 crop, and used a total of 8oz in a 5gal batch.