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Hilbert · 01-27-2009, 03:22 PM

I am looking for suggestions for a really light ale recipe. I play poker with a bunch of guys and we all like a light beer to mix into the heavier and hoppier beers that we drink. We drink a ton of beer throughout the course of the night and to drink real heavy ales all night wears on you.

Anyways, I am asking for suggestions for the lightest ale recipe you know of. What I mean by light is low IBU and light color. Real easy drinking beer.

I am not set up to do all-grain and I can only do 5 gal recipes.

Thanks in advance

**944play** · 01-27-2009, 05:16 PM

Light Hybrid Beer - Home Brew Forums

**DeathBrewer** · 01-27-2009, 05:23 PM

cream ale is a nice light beer, but you won't be able to do it all-extract. check out the partial mash thread in my sig...that might help, and let me know if you want a recipe.

otherwise, just create a light recipe...something like:

4 lbs Light DME
0.25 lbs Crystal 10L

0.50 ounce Hallertau Hops @ 60 min
0.50 ounce Hallertau Hops @ 20 min
0.50 ounce Hallertau Hops @ 5 min

Nottingham or US-05 Yeast

I just threw that together and for your hop additions you could use anything, although the quantity might change depending on your alpha acid content.

**Mutilated1** · 01-27-2009, 05:38 PM

Here is a light beer recipe that I enjoy. Came up with this out of the motivation to make light beer and make it using the simplest recipe possible. Sort of a SMASH beer philosophy except made with extract.

5# Munton's Extra Light DME
or
6.6# Cooper's Light LME ( 2 cans )

3/4 oz Sterling 6.8% AA Leaf Hops for 50 Minutes
1/4 oz Sterling 6.8% AA Leaf Hops for 10 Minutes

Yeast: Saflager W34/70

Primary Fermentation: 4 weeks at 50F
Secondary Fermentation: None
Lagering: None

I like to make it as a Lager, but it would be good as an Ale if you want to make it that way. Its a real guzzler.

If you want an Ale recipe that's light that you'd really enjoy take a look at "Lawnmower" in my recipe drop down, its really close to the same as that recipe I just posted.

Light beer is easy to make, just have to keep the Starting Gravity down around ~1.047, and avoid anything with a strong flavor.

**Shonuff** · 01-27-2009, 05:47 PM

I was asked to bring a keg for a bowl party we were having in December. They wanted something light, low IBU's, and drinkable. They wanted something as close to BMC but an ale.

Since it was 10 degrees outside I decided to brew an extract beer (something I haven't done in a long time) although I did do a full boil outside.

It's not something I'd make again or that I'm proud of but it was very light and drinkable. We called it "Holiday Bowl Bitch Slap"

Here is the recipe it was cheap and easy to make. I think it drank it after two weeks of being in the primary (forced carbed)

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Extra Light Pilsen Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 80.00 %
1.00 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (60 min) Hops 32.9 IBU
1.00 lb Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 20.00 %
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.040 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.040 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 3.96 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.55 %
Bitterness: 32.9 IBU Calories: 172 cal/pint
Est Color: 2.5 SRM Color: Color

Hilbert · 01-27-2009, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathBrewer

cream ale is a nice light beer, but you won't be able to do it all-extract. check out the partial mash thread in my sig...that might help, and let me know if you want a recipe.

otherwise, just create a light recipe...something like:

4 lbs Light DME
0.25 lbs Crystal 10L

0.50 ounce Hallertau Hops @ 60 min
0.50 ounce Hallertau Hops @ 20 min
0.50 ounce Hallertau Hops @ 5 min

Nottingham or US-05 Yeast

I just threw that together and for your hop additions you could use anything, although the quantity might change depending on your alpha acid content.

That's pretty much what I was thinking of brewing but the recipes I've found have Cascade hops. Not sure if I should use Cascade or Hallertau.

Probably going to use Notingham on this because my local shop doesn't have a good White Labs yeast that will be clean enough. Plus my thought is that I can almost lager it because the Nottingham ferments at such a low temp.

**DeathBrewer** · 01-27-2009, 06:12 PM

Cascade will give you more of American PA (citrusy hops) and hallertau will get you more of a clean german flavor (noble hop...spicy, soft). It just depends what you want.

Nottingham works very well at low temps and will make it nice and clean.

**DeathBrewer** · 01-27-2009, 06:13 PM

You could add some corn sugar, as shonuff suggested, to lighten the body a little.

Hilbert · 01-27-2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shonuff

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Extra Light Pilsen Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 80.00 %
1.00 oz Centennial [9.10 %] (60 min) Hops 32.9 IBU
1.00 lb Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 20.00 %
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

When do you add the corn sugar? Do you put it in during the boil the same as you would with DME?

**Coastarine** · 01-27-2009, 06:29 PM

Northern Brewer has a good extract recipe for cream ale. Cream Ale Extract Kit -- Kit Inventory Sheet