Homebrew School: What is a SMaSH beer?

SMaSH beers are a fantastic way for homebrewers to explore the unique characteristics of individual malts and hops. This brewing method simplifies the recipe, allowing the true flavors of the ingredients to shine.

What is SMaSH Beer?

SMaSH is an acronym for "Single Malt and Single Hop", meaning a beer brewed using a single type of malted grain and a single hop variety. The actual style of beer is totally up to the brewer and can be just about any style ranging from a lager, to a pale ale, or even a saison.

Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this recipe style. Even though there's only a single malt type and single hop variety used, the results are often excellent which is why these types of recipes are so popular.

We created a Citra SMaSH recipe using Citra hops, as well as our award-winning Full Nelson New Zealand Pilsner that was made using only pilsner malt and Nelson Sauvin hops!

Our Full Nelson NZ Pilsner is a SMaSH beer

Why Make a SMaSH Beer?

There are several reasons why a brewer would want to make a SMaSH beer;

• Creating a simple/base recipe to become familiar with new brewing equipment or techniques.

• Understanding hop and malt combinations to refine recipes with other malts and/or hops.

• Highlighting the flavour of a particular malt/grain

• Showcasing the flavour of a particular hop

What Malt Should I Use in my Smash Beer?

You can use any base malt variety that you like such as;

• Regular pale malt (often called two-row)

• Marris Otter

• Pilsner

• Vienna

• Munich

Specialty or adjunct malts should not be used as they would impart too much flavour into the beer. Examples of these would be crystal malt, oats, or other darker chocolate malt varieties.

What Hop Should I Use in my Smash Beer?

Hops are often categorised as bittering, flavour/aroma, or dual purpose. For this reason;

• If you are making a beer that only relies on bittering additions (such as a lager), then you would typically opt for a bittering only, or dual purpose hop. 

• For other styles such as ales, you should use a dual purpose hop. These hops typically have high alpha acidity properties meaning they are good for bittering, but also provide other flavours when added later in the boil.

We've compiled an exhaustive list of different hop varieties, including their categorisation that you can view here.

What Yeast Should I Use in my Smash Beer?

Smash beers are often used to highlight malt and/or hop flavours, so they would typically use neutral styles of yeast. :These include 

• Most Lager yeast varieties

• Ale yeasts such as SafAle US05

However, there's no reason you can't use other yeasts if you want to, such as Saison yeasts or other crafty varieties such as Verdant IPA that may complement the style of beer you're making.

Brewing Tips for SMaSH Beers

• Water Quality: Ensure your water is suitable for brewing, as it can significantly impact the final flavor.

• Fermentation Temperatures: Maintain ideal fermentation temperatures for the yeast you are using.

• Common Mistakes to Avoid: Avoid overcomplicating the recipe and ensure proper sanitation throughout the brewing process.

Conclusion

SMaSH beers offer a unique opportunity to explore the distinct flavors of individual malts and hops. Whether you're a novice brewer or an experienced one, experimenting with SMaSH recipes can be both educational and rewarding. Have you made a SMaSH beer before? Let us know your favorite SMaSH malt/hop combo in the comments below!

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