How to make a beer "smooth"?

[Weizguy]

Blonde ale can use American Ale yeast, or Kölsch/German ale yeast. A great beer style and definitely smooth.
I make a great American blond ale with Glacier hops, just a 60 min addition, but the flavour still come through in the finished beer. I use W1056 for that ale.

...although "smooth" is not really a quantifiable descriptor for beer judging purposes (flame suit on).

 

[coloneldom]

So, as I think has been mentioned by a few on here, your question is a very tough one to answer, but, but when I think of a 'smooth' beer that most average punters will enjoy I actually think a "thinner" mouth feel and less malty beer is more likely to be popular, therefore aiming for a lower, slower mash might be more ideal.

Combined with a simple hop addition, medium bitterness. Even a simple SMaSH recipe could be ideal? That's just what I think when I think abut my mates and what type of beer they prefer...those beer plebs haha.

 

[barabool]

As a right of passage I think all Australian brewers should do a Dr Smurto's Golden Ale.
You get it right then you have a great basis to move to find 'your style'.
It gives you a great example of a well balanced, smooth beer that has stood the test of time.
Not my 'favourite' beer but it taught me a lot about what does what and where to go to suit my tastes.

IMHO

 

[manticle]

Rite

 

[pk.sax]

Oats

 

[pist]

Id go with a SMASH recipe. Keep your ibus around 27 ish and enough hops to give it a hint of flavour. Im currently drinking a galaxy SMASH i did a while back. Youd be surprised how good a well thought out recipe can taste but yet be still just as thirst quenching as a flavourless megaswill

 

[micblair]

I think you should strive to for all your beers to be 'smooth', because if they aren't I suppose they're harsh.