Good Summer Wedding Reception Brew?

My wife and I have a wedding reception/party in July and I'm trying to find a good all-grain summer beer recipe.

She and I like Pyramid Apricot, but I haven't had much luck with making fruity beers. My wife is also a big fan of Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat, which I am not really a fan of at all. The fruit extract tastes a little too twangy to me.

Anyway, I want to make something she'd like and that will be a light, refreshing, summer beer. Any suggestions?

Hi doggage, I'm sure that you checked the recipe database, but if not, check the wheat, belgian and fruit beer sections.

I typically sort by # of replies. This will sort the beers that most folks brew and typically you will find good recipe's that way.

Cream ale or a Kölsch are nice easy summer timey brews.

This is a really popular Hefe https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/bee-cave-brewery-bavarian-hefeweizen-35679/

I agree with Bach...those are easy to drink beers for people that are more BMC drinkers. I did a Cream Ale for my reception in Sept and it went over fairly well. Most family members like BMC only and wouldnt even try it...but my friends and co-workers loved it.

Bach7210 said:

Cream ale or a Kölsch are nice easy summer timey brews.

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+1 on the Kölsch

A saison can be refreshing

A previous Coors brewmaster posted a recipe for a Blue Moon clone - sounds like your wife might like that if she likes the Sunset Wheat.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/blue-moon-clone-65328/

+1 on a Kolsch style. Its the Champagne of beers.

Hmm...yeah I checked out the recipe database. I'm not a big fan of Blue Moon, but my wife is. I've looked through a boatload of recipes, and I think that hefe might be a little too clovey and banana-ey to be a big crowd pleaser. I've had bad luck with Wits in the past because the yeast produces so much sulpher. Maybe a Kolsch or Cream Ale would be the way to go.

The kolsch could have sulfur unless you cold condition it for a period of time.

If you can't lager, maybe try BM's Centennial Blonde.

Try 3 crops or Ed Worts Hales Pale ale, both solid recipes and cheap.

+1 for BM's Centennial Blonde. Also, it brews/ferments so quickly, if you start it now, you'll have time to brew something else if you don't like it, which I kinda doubt.

BM's Centennial Blonde & Sterling Gold are both awesome and quick. And the ladies love em...hell everybody does. I do an all grain version of Sterling Gold useing pale instead of pilsner...that is our staple brew. Two weeks if you're kegging on any of those and you're good to go. You might want to bring something a tad darker (amber) also just for variety...

Mateo said:

+1 on a Kolsch style. Its the Champagne of beers.

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I thought that was Miller High Life?

suprchunk said:

I thought that was Miller High Life?

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champagne of beer for those who brew their own

+1 on the Kolsch for a crowd pleaser. I'm bringing a keg of kolsch back to my BMC drinking friends in Illinois in a couple of weeks. I figure if I'm gonna haul a 5 gallon keg halfway across the country it may as well be something they are somewhat used to drinking. I too have been asked to brew a beer for a wedding in July and will most likely repeat Edwort's Kolsch
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/bee-cave-brewery-koelsch-33548/

steinsato said:

+1 on the Kolsch for a crowd pleaser. I'm bringing a keg of kolsch back to my BMC drinking friends in Illinois in a couple of weeks. I figure if I'm gonna haul a 5 gallon keg halfway across the country it may as well be something they are somewhat used to drinking. I too have been asked to brew a beer for a wedding in July and will most likely repeat Edwort's Kolsch
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/bee-cave-brewery-koelsch-33548/

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EdWort's Kolsch gets my vote for this as well. It's a great summer beer that appeals to a wide audience. A Cream Ale would be another option, BierMuncher has a recipe on here that BMC drinkers would enjoy.

Just make a very pale bitter with only cascade hops - loads of them - aim for 3.6% ABV so there is no over drunkenness. I use 10 lbs maris otter pale malt, mash at 68 deg C, and add 1 oz cascade for 60 mins, 2 oz for 20 mins, 2 oz for 5 mins, 1 oz for 3 mins for a 5 gallon recipe. I never measure efficiency because the beer works out at 5 pints cost only one UK pound.

tndave said:

BM's Centennial Blonde & Sterling Gold are both awesome and quick. And the ladies love em...hell everybody does. I do an all grain version of Sterling Gold useing pale instead of pilsner...that is our staple brew. Two weeks if you're kegging on any of those and you're good to go. You might want to bring something a tad darker (amber) also just for variety...

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Yep can't go wrong with a Blonde! I would recomend Chimone's Bombshell Blonde is freaking awesome. I tapped a keg for a BBQ party. Even the die hard BMC drinkers enjoyed it!!! The next day after cutting the grass I went to pour a pint, the keg floated! So it is now a 10 gallon brew!!!! I bottle half and hide it under the bar!!!!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/bombshell-blonde-ale-26312/