SMaSH English Bitter

[Impaler]

My first attempt on SMaSH technique.

Eglish special bitter 2x10L batches

Best pale ale 5kg

Nugget 15g 45min
Nugget 13g 15min
Nugget 11g 5min

Single infusion
Mash 67°C

Split batch in two one will ferment with Windsor another one with S-04

Any suggestions?

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Looks good to me. You will find a classic English bitter demands a lot of your malt quality. Maris Otter is the reference, but I would love to do a chevalier malt smash for an English bitter with something like first gold.

[molc]

I'd do a dry vs liquid yeast comparison since you're split batching as well. You'll be amazed at the difference in what is meant to be the same yeast.

I'm doing W34/70 vs WLP830 right now and there are quite a few differences in the fermentation aromas alone. Can't wait to have them side by side.

[Tom]

I wouldn't go with Nugget for an English Smash. It's definitely an American hop, and not one of the best at that!
What are you trying to acheive with the Smash? Are you looking to see what the hop is like, or what the yeasts are like? If you're looking to see what Nugget is like, I'd forget the SM part, and go for a single hopped Am. Pale or IPA. That way, with an Am IPA malt backbone you'll have something more drinkable than a pale malt canvas supporting a pretty brassy hop.

As usual, just my two cents, but if you're going to all this trouble...

And with the yeast, if you're doing 10ls each, then definitely try and halve the sachet to keep the pitching rates correct, otherwise you'll have overpitch problems, which will throw your yeast experiment results a little to the left.

[Impaler]

Thanks everyone for your input.

With SMaSH i'm trying to tame my uncontrollable desires to add bit and piecesto recepie (say leftovers of caramel malt or roasted barley that it's there for last few months from another batch or endings of hops etc), I have idea to try simple recipe with one malt and one hop as it was suggested by TheSumOfAllBeers. Its an interesting and fun process and most importantly simple enough.

Most of recipes floating around is for either APA or IPA, dont ge me wrong I do like my Pale ale but I never did bitter and I found this recipe of ESB on a lithuanian forum, seems interesting, simple enough and judging by the feedback very nice beer.

Although recipe calls for Multi Step Mashing:
50-53C - 30min
65-67C - 60min
would that enhance maltiness or change beer profile, if I understand correctly these days malts doesn't need to be multi step mashed unless you're have/willing to?


Also LHBS dont have Maris Otter only Viking, Colorado, Best Pale ale Malts - so I guess im limited to it... (any recomendations on this?)

If I replace Nugget with Challenger would it be closer to original style?

I haven't tried liquid yeast yet, seems more hussle, I have to get some DME prep starter a night before and all or am I over thinking it?

[cruiscinlan]

would that enhance maltiness or change beer profile, if I understand correctly these days malts doesn't need to be multi step mashed unless you're have/willing to?

Nail on the head there. You can try different mashing techniques if you want but a single infusion mash will work fine.

Also LHBS dont have Maris Otter only Viking, Colorado, Best Pale ale Malts - so I guess im limited to it... (any recomendations on this?)



If I replace Nugget with Challenger would it be closer to original style?

For maris otter check with club members near you to buy a few kg, or order on line.

For English bitter I'd say Styrian Goldings all the way.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Thanks everyone for your input.

With SMaSH i'm trying to tame my uncontrollable desires to add bit and piecesto recepie (say leftovers of caramel malt or roasted barley that it's there for last few months from another batch or endings of hops etc), I have idea to try simple recipe with one malt and one hop as it was suggested by TheSumOfAllBeers. Its an interesting and fun process and most importantly simple enough.

Yes SMaSH is a training/disciplining aid. Once you can make good beers using only the minimum ingredients, you can start to think about what would happen if you added a small amount of an additional ingredient, did a step mash, did a decoction, or changed the yeast or water profile.

SMaSH techniques are about fully understanding the contribution of a specific ingredient, especially your base malt.
You will learn a lot and your beer will improve.

Most of recipes floating around is for either APA or IPA, dont ge me wrong I do like my Pale ale but I never did bitter and I found this recipe of ESB on a lithuanian forum, seems interesting, simple enough and judging by the feedback very nice beer.

Although recipe calls for Multi Step Mashing:
50-53C - 30min
65-67C - 60min
would that enhance maltiness or change beer profile, if I understand correctly these days malts doesn't need to be multi step mashed unless you're have/willing to?

It doesn't need it, but it will have an effect on the flavour.

English Bitter is a tricky beast. Very hard to get right, you need to get malt, hop and yeast character in balance, and you need to be careful of carbonation and dispense. You will actually struggle to get the maltier bitter styles in a smash recipe (it will rely on a blend of base malt and something to contribute a caramel/biscuit character).

Also LHBS dont have Maris Otter only Viking, Colorado, Best Pale ale Malts - so I guess im limited to it... (any recomendations on this?)

If you are malt limited, look at base malts that have been kilned for longer - they will have higher EBC values and the flavour will be more developed. Malts with more nitrogen will also emphasise nutty flavours which are welcome in the english bitter style. You can also mash higher, to develop more dextrins, and you can also try wort caramelisation techniques to build colour and flavour that you would normally get from your caramelised/crystal malts.

If I replace Nugget with Challenger would it be closer to original style?

Yes. Challenger is a classic english ale hop, which can be used in any part of the hop schedule. The other classic english ale hops are Fuggles and Goldings, and their cousins (First Gold is a great option)

I haven't tried liquid yeast yet, seems more hussle, I have to get some DME prep starter a night before and all or am I over thinking it?

Improve one thing at a time. Leave liquid yeast handling aside until you have developed greater understanding of your recipes.

[Impaler]

Last thursday got to brew my second ever AG batch, all went pretty well, learned a lot (6 hours, 1st time took me a almost 9hours):

SMaSH English Bitter
Best Pale Ale - 5kg
Galena - 22g - 45min
Galena - 19g - 15min
Galena - 17g - 5 min
That is the closest substitution hops homebrewwest had in stock. Hops are from 2014 originally 13AA, roughly adjusted to 9AA due to degradation.

Step Mash:
52C - 30min
65C - 30min (added 4.3L of boiling water did not hit 67C, then I was topping up by half a liter of boiling water and still couldnt get to 67C so gave up and  let it mash around 65C range)

chilled down to 20C, but due to warm weather most fermentation happend in ~21/22C
OG 1050

10L S-04
10L Windsor

after 5 days:
S-04 down to 1011 (more fruity esters)
Windsor 1014 - more malty flavor

Plenty of nutty flavor from both

I will wait few more days and will bottle them up or shall i dry hop?

[Impaler]

Due to uncontrolled fermentation temperatures (22C/23C), this turn out to be "Medieval brew" - drinkable, does the job, but still far off of nice nutty bitter, too much estery (fruity)

Funnily enough one of the batches (Nottingham) got over carbonated, the moment I open a bottle, foams over. Im sure it reached its final gravity of 1013, so either got infected (no off flavors - not to count estery/fruity) or somehow while carbonating, sugar got distributed unevenly? I boiled sugar/water and then split into same size glass.

[nigel_c]

Funnily enough one of the batches (Nottingham) got over carbonated, the moment I open a bottle, foams over. Im sure it reached its final gravity of 1013, so either got infected (no off flavors - not to count estery/fruity) or somehow while carbonating

Nottingham will attenuate a lot lower then a lot of other yeasts. It may have been still going when you bottled at 1.013

[Rosmucman]

Looks good to me. You will find a classic English bitter demands a lot of your malt quality. Maris Otter is the reference, but I would love to do a chevalier malt smash for an English bitter with something like first gold.

I'm planning on brewing a Chevalier ESB this weekend with just touch of carafa 2 to get the colour I want.
Crisps Chevalier 99%
Carafa II 1%
EKG 40g at 60m
Styrian Goldings 35g at 20 and 20g at 5
Maybe some Centennial at flame out,I haven't decided yet
Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire Ale