The return of Smash & Grab
Our explosive hop-bomb DIPA, Smash & Grab, is back and tasting better than ever.
Changing classic recipes isn’t a decision we take lightly here. We never change beers for the sake of it, but if we can make our beers better then we will.
We asked brewer Gary Vincent Farlow to revisit the recipe, taking inspiration from some of the cracking one-off DIPAs and TIPAs we’ve brewed over the last year.
First, he tweaked the water chemistry to give a softer mouthfeel, taking the beer closer to an East Coast style than the West Coast it was before. He then added a big dose of oats to give a rounded mouthfeel.
We improved drinkability by reducing the taste of alcohol of the back-end of the beer. To do this we lowered the ABV from 8.5% to 8.0%, and lowered the fermentation temperature to limit the production of higher alcohols. These are subtle changes, but between them they give a cleaner finish and make an appreciable difference.
After careful consideration we decided on whirlpool hop additions of Citra BBC, Simcoe, and Sabro. Sabro was added in the form of Incognito – a innovative hop product which adds all the fresh oils of the hop without adding extra vegetative matter. During fermentation, more hops were added, with Gary deciding on Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy and Mosaic BBC.
Between them, these tweaks have produced a Smash & Grab that is hoppy as ever but with a smoother mouthfeel and fuller bodied taste. We’d love to know what you think!
Smash & Grab never hangs around for long so don't delay and head to the web shop now.
