Adding Character to SMaSH ESB

[FlapjackAM]

Hello all. I'm planning my first all-grain (BIAB) and want to start with a SMaSH ESB. Obviously, the recipe is pretty straight forward. But I still want it to fit the style in more than just name and I was wondering if there were any tips on adding an ESB character to the brew without adding ingredients, such as a longer boil (90 minutes?) to add color or a bit of caramel flavor, or the timing of my hop schedule which is pretty generic right now. I was planning on mashing at 152 for 90 minutes; I want some body but I don't want it to finish too sweet.

Recipe:

11 lbs MO
1 oz. EKG (60)
1 oz. EKG (15)
1 oz. EKG (10)
1 oz. EKG (05)

Yeast : Wyeast 1318 London Ale III™ (to add some fruity notes)

90 minute mash @ 152.

Original Gravity 1.057
Terminal Gravity 1.013
Color 6.60 °SRM
Bitterness 41.91 IBU
Alcohol (%volume) 5.7

I'll probably use irish moss as a fining agent to reach the right clarity. I don't know what water I'm going to use; RO or tap. I know it's important I'm just not ready to tackle that particular subject quite yet! I've been using RO but my tap water tastes fine and I'm starting to wonder if I'm wasting 10 bucks every brew day.

Thoughts? The software I used says I fit the style 100%, but if there's anything I can do to make it more 'traditional' I'd love to experiment with it.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Kinda tough to keep it both a SMaSH _and_ a traditional ESB...

That said, you could oven toast some of the MO to add some dimension to your SMaSH.

 

[z-bob]

What about boiling down (hard) the first runnings while you sparge the rest? That should darken and caramelize it quite a bit.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

You could do a decoction step in your mash, if you feel like doing the extra work. Not technically 'traditional' but it could add that extra spin.

 

[FlapjackAM]

What about boiling down (hard) the first runnings while you sparge the rest? That should darken and caramelize it quite a bit.

Hm. I was planning on doing a no-sparge this first time and seeing how it went, but if I took some wort out a bit before the mash is done (at 60 minutes into a 90 minute mash?) and boiled it would I reach the same end? How much/long would I need for there to be a noticeable change? I know with a SMaSH there aren't tons of options.

I hadn't thought about roasting some, I'll have to look into it. Sounds interesting.

 

[z-bob]

I have very little experience with this, just ideas at this point. (ask me again in 6 months)

I also suspect you are worrying too much. You're using a flavorful malt, and a lot of it. BJCP says crystal malt is optional.

Adding some flaked barley would add body, does that violate your definition of single malt?

 

[m00ps]

Here's what I do for my SMaSH beers to give them a bit more character:

- toast 1lb of the malt in the oven. (Some consider this cheating and say now I have 2 different malts and ruined the Single part)

- do a separate mini-boil during my boil. I take maybe 1gal or the first runnings from the pot, boil it down close to syrup thickness, then add back in. It can really add nice color to the beer and toffee flavors. Try it

edit: ...and now I realize both of these have been said already...

 

[FlapjackAM]

I have very little experience with this, just ideas at this point. (ask me again in 6 months)

I also suspect you are worrying too much. You're using a flavorful malt, and a lot of it. BJCP says crystal malt is optional.

Adding some flaked barley would add body, does that violate your definition of single malt?

No, not really. I just want it to be as basic as possible on this first one so I can build on it later and be able to tell what changed or how the additions I made affected the recipe. So maybe you're right, I'm looking to much into it at this point.

(I'm not sure how this got bumped to the second post)

 

[FlapjackAM]

Here's what I do for my SMaSH beers to give them a bit more character:

- toast 1lb of the malt in the oven. (Some consider this cheating and say now I have 2 different malts and ruined the Single part)

- do a separate mini-boil during my boil. I take maybe 1gal or the first runnings from the pot, boil it down close to syrup thickness, then add back in. It can really add nice color to the beer and toffee flavors. Try it

edit: ...and now I realize both of these have been said already...

I wasn't sure what volume to use though so thank you. I'm intrigued by this idea.

 

[danlad]

How would you know maris otter wouldn't be characterful enough unless you tried it first as a straight smash with no roasting?

I'd bet you'd be very pleasantly surprised.