Next beer?

Sorry to bother you guys with this kind of question, but I'm at a loss as to what to brew next. I have some IPA remaining on tap, and I just added a new keg of Wit. A barleywine is in secondary, but is at least 6 months to a year away.

I'm getting the itch and need to get some suggestions!

So far I'm thinking about brewing something lighter that my friends might enjoy more.

Kolsch?
Cream Ale?

I tried a Kolsch the other day and thought it was great. Have not had a Cream Ale yet. What am I not thinking of?

what about a maibock if you have lagering ability?

I'm brewing a california common as soon as the ingredients come in from AHS (you hear that Forrest?! SEND ME MY STUFF!!!!) since it is approachable by my bmc friends but also very flavorful

Do a Saison.

Cream Ale would be nice. Maybe something off the wall like a smoked porter.

I don't really have lagering ability (other than place hear a window). I've considered getting set up, but TBH, I just enjoy ales more. California common? I might need good descriptions to know exactly what some of these are.

Saison? Isn't that some sort of Belgian farmhouse ale? I've been tempted to try, but the ones I've seen have been big bottles and expensive. I ended up buying something else.

What are they like? Sorry to sound like a newb, but there's a whole lot of beers in the world, and I haven't gotten around to drinking them all yet.

I'm just trying to come up with something that my father-in-law and friend will want to drink when they come over, or I can send a case to them. They both drink Labatt's. although I think they could branch out a bit from there. FIL likes some other things, like Oberon sometimes. Friend said my Wit was ok, but his wife didn't care for the additives.

So something lighter, but maybe different enough to help them get started branching out a bit more. I'm just dead set on giving my beer away!

Saison tastes like saison. Sorry, you just need to break down and spend the $10 to buy a 750ml and give it a try. The closest thing to a boring saison is the funkiest Wit you have ever had. Then take the funk and multiply by 5 or 6 and you have saison. Crazy earth shattering spicy phenolic fruity funky. Saisons are just frickin' cool.

Saccharomyces said:

Saison tastes like saison. Sorry, you just need to break down and spend the $10 to buy a 750ml and give it a try. The closest thing to a boring saison is the funkiest Wit you have ever had. Then take the funk and multiply by 5 or 6 and you have saison. Crazy earth shattering spicy phenolic fruity funky. Saisons are just frickin' cool.

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Ok, is it tart? I'm not into that. I was afraid it was a sour style. If it's like a crazy Wit, then I'm going to go for it. Take my kid to dance tonight and grab a bottle. I think that sounds good! (except I doubt my friends would like it).

But, now that I know what it is, I can maybe offer a sample of store-bought to my friends and see what they think. I can certainly add this to my list of must-brews! <-- banana sybolizes fruity saison flavors...

A light beer drinker friend of mine really enjoys when I brew up a mild. I tend to go small with multiple dark malts to create a little complexity but the low IBU and lack of hop flavor make it approachable by the average beer drinker. I just brewed a bitter and am excited to try it, this might also be a good option.

it's not sour, it's FUNKY!

i would vote that or cream ale if you haven't tried one.

the cream ale was originally made for ale brewers to compete with lager brewers. it's a nice light crisp clean ale. they use corn to lighten the body and the cream ale yeast blend (WLP080) will make it very lager like at lower temps (around 60°F)

Homercidal said:

Ok, is it tart? I'm not into that. I was afraid it was a sour style. If it's like a crazy Wit, then I'm going to go for it. Take my kid to dance tonight and grab a bottle. I think that sounds good! (except I doubt my friends would like it).

But, now that I know what it is, I can maybe offer a sample of store-bought to my friends and see what they think. I can certainly add this to my list of must-brews! <-- banana sybolizes fruity saison flavors...

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I have had saisons that were tart and others that weren't, similar to wits. My Wit is fairly tart, I have had others that aren't nearly as tart. The commercial ones I have tried are only slightly tart and sour, Hennepin I think has a slight brett character to it and the Dupont has a similar bite to a dry champagne.

Saison is distinctly Belgian. The only one I've ever had was at the Chop House in Cleveland. One sip, and I fell in love. I'm going to try to brew one (hopefully) soon.

Homercidal said:

I don't really have lagering ability (other than place hear a window). I've considered getting set up, but TBH, I just enjoy ales more. California common? I might need good descriptions to know exactly what some of these are.

Saison? Isn't that some sort of Belgian farmhouse ale? I've been tempted to try, but the ones I've seen have been big bottles and expensive. I ended up buying something else.

What are they like? Sorry to sound like a newb, but there's a whole lot of beers in the world, and I haven't gotten around to drinking them all yet.

I'm just trying to come up with something that my father-in-law and friend will want to drink when they come over, or I can send a case to them. They both drink Labatt's. although I think they could branch out a bit from there. FIL likes some other things, like Oberon sometimes. Friend said my Wit was ok, but his wife didn't care for the additives.

So something lighter, but maybe different enough to help them get started branching out a bit more. I'm just dead set on giving my beer away!

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If you've ever had an Anchor Steam, you've had a California Common

Essentially it is a lager brewed at ale temperatures so it has characteristics of both styles. It combines the clean drinkability of a lager with the light fruitiness of an ale. I'm brewing one because I want a beer that I can show off to my BMC friends and family and have them enjoy but I can enjoy as well...plus its hard to get fresh Anchor Steam on the east coast

GloHoppa said:

If you've ever had an Anchor Steam, you've had a California Common

Essentially it is a lager brewed at ale temperatures so it has characteristics of both styles. It combines the clean drinkability of a lager with the light fruitiness of an ale. I'm brewing one because I want a beer that I can show off to my BMC friends and family and have them enjoy but I can enjoy as well...plus its hard to get fresh Anchor Steam on the east coast

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Nope, not yet. On my list to try though. I DID pick up a Saison Du Pont last night and planned to try it tonight, but I got messing around with my keg set up and somehow got drinking some of my belgian wit and I'm afraid if I open that 750ML bottle of saison, I will be under the table before Battlestar Galactica comes on...

I'm looking forward to it though. Soon.

Try my Irish Red.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f65/quaffable-irish-red-extract-55441/

I have this in AG, but haven't posted it yet.

I say a nice brown ale or amber. Not so intense to scare your pals away, but something that they wont want to compare directly to their usual lager...

somecallmetim said:

I say a nice brown ale or amber. Not so intense to scare your pals away, but something that they wont want to compare directly to their usual lager...

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My Irish Red is a good go between not too hoppy or malty but the trifecta of special roast, biscuit and chocolate malts gives it some nice flavor.

0.25 lbs. Special Roast Malt
0.13 lbs. Biscuit Malt
0.13 lbs. Chocolate Malt

Its got some caramel pils in it too. (Carapils & Crystal 10L)

I say got to this site that Revvy posted:


KotMF: Random Recipe Generator

Just did a Kolsch today

Fermenting nicely at 58*. I took the blonde Ale recipe of mine and just pitched Kolsch instead of chico

If you're looking for a mass-appeal brew...I'm not sure saison is the perfect pick. Saison is heavy on the clove/banana flavor.

Sounds like you're looking for a BMC taste-a-like.

I'd lean towards a nice cream ale mashed low and long or maybe a munich helles brewed as an ale.

BierMuncher said:

I'd lean towards a nice cream ale mashed low and long or maybe a munich helles brewed as an ale.

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+1000. Helles Belles is my favorite homebrew I have ever done. Period.

BierMuncher said:

If you're looking for a mass-appeal brew...I'm not sure saison is the perfect pick. Saison is heavy on the clove/banana flavor.

Sounds like you're looking for a BMC taste-a-like.

I'd lean towards a nice cream ale mashed low and long or maybe a munich helles brewed as an ale.

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+1 to Biermunchers 3 Crop Cream Ale

make a rye! They are tasty and delicious and we need to support the rye maltsters. Plus it can be fermented like an ale and still be light. I just made a mild rye (kinda on accident, kinda not) and it is fantastic!

Homercidal.... Are you AG or Extract?

I'm extract at this time, but close to doing AG. I've been threatening to do my next batch AG for a couple of batches, but just haven't quite got my equipment in order. I actually brought my homemade crusher in out of the car, and now have to de-rust it before using. I forgot where it was and found it under my seat without any protection it got lightly rusty on one side. I only need to clean it up and mount the hopper and give it a go.

Anyway, I think what I really need is a beer that is light in color. I think these people will be affected by the color no matter what it tastes like. I have given them a bottle of my Wit before and the wife said she didn't like the flavor. Her husband said it was ok, but I'm not sure he really enjoyed it. I'd like to brew one that they can go WOW about.

The cream ale looks like a good idea. Light in color and flavor. But I've never tried one.

I DID try a saison this weekend. Friday night a popped the cork on a DuPont and it was very good! I really liked it. I wanted to try some more at the beer festival this past Sat but both places that offered it was sold out before I could get any. I finished the rest of the DuPont on Sunday evening after my hangover was gone. I like the 750ML bottles too. But, I didnt' think the flavor had that much clove/banana flavor. It was pretty mild.

Cream ale is the way to go!!! NB has some tried and true beer kits.


Cream Ale Extract Kit -- Kit Inventory Sheet

Cream Ale - Extract Kit

OG: 1040 / Ready: 5 weeks
A light, clean fermenting ale modeled after the "cream lagers" of the northeast United States. Low in gravity, long on flavor, this beer is a pale thirst-quencher, great for brewing and enjoying in the summertime. Dingemans Biscuit Malt gives our Cream Ale a warm, toasty flavor that complements the light hopping.

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Honey Kolsch from NB is good too.

Honey Kölsch Extract Kit -- Kit Inventory Sheet

Honey Kölsch - Extract Kit

OG: 1048 / Ready: 6 weeks
A variation on our extremely popular Kölsch recipe with the addition of clover honey and a new yeast strain for a lighter body and flavor. Like our original Kölsch kit, this recipe features a pale color, light body, and smooth mouthfeel. Honey adds subtle floral character and lightens the body by fermenting to dryness. Really nice as a summer brew for barbecues and picnics, or to wean your friends off watery mass-produced lagers.

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I am drinking BierMuncher's SWMBO Slayer and it is a big hit with my BMC drinking Dad and friends. It was a nice compromise of light for them and flavorful for me.

I'm looking at both the cream ale and the Kolsch. I think I'll give one of them a try. That should give a decent warm weather brew to start drinking in April. Ok, maybe finish drinking in April!