British hops SMaSH - opinions please

[jacobyeah]

I'm assuming everyone uses Marris otter or something similar? I haven't really brewed a smash. I've done a few single hop brews with the exact same grain bill, with just a little light crystal. I don't like my beers that pale but like to compare hops.

[Piscator]

Don't worry jacob, one of the main aims of smash brews is to evaluate hop contributions and characteristics.
Russian River Brewing Co have an R&D recipe which they call Hop 2 It and they use this for the same purpose - it has a blend of lager malt, marris otter and a little pale crystal in it as well.
The main thing is to keep the grain bill simple and yeast strain/fermentation temperatures consistent so that you can identify the different hop characteristics.
Your single hop brews will serve the same purpose as a smash for the purpose of learning about the hops.

Cheers
Steve

[beer gut]

What I found with boadicea is good bitterness but in my opinion the flavour/aroma is too bland. I don't think boadicea would make a good single hop brew it would need something too carry it. I was told Admiral needs something too carry it as well normally first gold or goldings. I have just bought 100g of Epic which is a new English variety. I have also bought a new German hop Mandarina Baveria which I can't wait too try.

[Clibit]

Northdown, Bram X, Challenger and EKG will all make good SMaSH beers.

[legion]

Really didn't enjoy a single hop challenger brew that I did.

But had the first bottle of a single hop first gold which is yummy

[Fil]

Really didn't enjoy a single hop challenger brew that I did.

But had the first bottle of a single hop first gold which is yummy

Odd you didnt like the Challenger, but if we all liked the same thing there would be a very limited selection of beers to sup..
I will be adding first gold to my to do list..

[beer gut]

I LOVE FIRST GOLD. Only a few years back First Gold was deemed too American and it shouldn't be used in English ales, I have even I had judges mark me down for using First Gold in English pale ales especially the older judges who believe every English pint should have Target for bitterness and fuggles and Goldings for flavour and aroma, everything else is too American. I have just got a packet of EPIC which is a English hop and I love the new hop Endeavour and I would love too see what the old judges would make of the new English hop Jester it's supposed to be the bridge between English and American. I think Endeavour would make a awesome smash hop but on the other hand I think boiling Endeavour for more than five minutes is a waste as the aromas are awesome.

[Hudders]

What I found with boadicea is good bitterness but in my opinion the flavour/aroma is too bland. I don't think boadicea would make a good single hop brew it would need something too carry it. I was told Admiral needs something too carry it as well normally first gold or holdings. I have just bought 100g of Epic which is a new English variety. I have also bought a new German hop Mandarina Baveria which I can't wait too try.

That's an interesting point, which I hadn't considered. I haven't used Boadicea but heard that Adnams use it. Perhaps I'll use it for an Adnams clone late in the summer.

[Clibit]

I thought the original question was which three hops to use from Northdown, EKG, Chalenger, Boadicea and Bram X?!

[beer gut]

Well I if I had those hops I would use single hop of challenger or East Kent for pale ales and North Down or Bram X for single hop dark ales. Every pale beer I have tried to brew using North Down has just been plain crapp. Boadicea I personally think it needs something like east Kent or other aromatic hops to Carry it so it wouldn't make a good single hopped beer. That's just my opinion I am not saying you have to follow it or agree to it, it's just my thoughts through my experiences of using the hops in question.

[Clibit]

Well Worthington white shield is just Northdown. Tanglefoot too I think.

[oz11]

I LOVE FIRST GOLD. Only a few years back First Gold was deemed too American and it shouldn't be used in English ales, I have even I had judges mark me down for using First Gold in English pale ales especially the older judges who believe every English pint should have Target for bitterness and fuggles and Goldings for flavour and aroma, everything else is too American. I have just got a packet of EPIC which is a English hop and I love the new hop Endeavour and I would love too see what the old judges would make of the new English hop Jester it's supposed to be the bridge between English and American. I think Endeavour would make a awesome smash hop but on the other hand I think boiling Endeavour for more than five minutes is a waste as the aromas are awesome.

Where are you getting Epic from please?

[beer gut]

Hi ozz 11I got my packet from the malt miller there have 3.3% aau's. I have read there have a fruity flavour with pine needle aroma, should be nice in pale ales and I.P.A. it's nice too support English hop farms as well.

[oz11]

Thanks, never seen them for sale to us homebrewers.. the only brewery that I believe brews with them is Tonbridge, just down the road from me, in their (rather splendid) Rustic. Scuppeteer will know more

[scuppeteer]

I never do a smash but do keep my single hop brews to the same recipe and yeast. 97% Pale and 3% Munich, Notty yeast. Try to keep the IBU's the same and then use what's left in late. I find this gives a good malt base with some backbone and then you can really tell the difference in each variety.

Boadicea is bloody awful right up there with Sovereign IMO. Had beers with both and just can't get my head around them. Endeavour is brilliant, a good all round variety but now difficult to get hold of as it seems to be contract only these days.

As for the Epic, well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you! As for the AA% that must be some old stock or just wrong as ours is 4.6%.