Anyone had a go at a few SMaSH brews using extract? It seems limited without the use of steeping grains but I wanted to know if it's worth it to get to know a few hop varieties?
Disclaimer straight off - I've never brewed a SMaSH beer with extract, and there are two reasons -
First, I see a SMaSH recipe as an opportunity to get to know the contribution (aroma/flavour/colour/etc.) of the malt as well as the hop. The subtle flavour and aroma of malt may be somewhat subdued in extract form. And secondly, extracts aren't all made using the same type of malt. For example, I brewed with a Maris Otter extract recently that was only 87% Maris Otter, so you may inadvertently be making something other than a SMaSH :P
If you're looking to get to know hop varieties, my thinking would be to use steeping grains, and a tried and trusted recipe to showcase the hops. That way you will at least be making good beer and bringing out the best of each hop variety. Even the addition of Carapils or a 'cara' malt will help improve the freshness and overall drinkability of the beer, and so allow you to focus on what a particular hop variety is bringing to the table.
Did you have any particular hop varieties that you were thinking to try out?