I'm going to brew the unthinkable to please my friends

Gathered ingredients today for this unthinkable brew. With that said, I actually think I can make it taste decent while catering to my friends in a secret ploy to get them started homebrewing too.

Background:

I'm looking to get some of my friends involved in homebrewing. They all like the big brand ABev swill and believe that you can't make that kind of stuff at home. I proudly stated that I can prove them wrong.

Plan: To make a better swill while being true to the style.

5lbs Rice
5lbs 2 row pale
2lbs quick grits
? lbs cane sugar (Only plan to use enough to reach target OG of 1.055. The barley is pre-milled and the crush isn't that good.)
Single infusion of hops at the start of the boil. Prob Chinook 0.75oz

Not certain which yeast to use. I should use a lager yeast, but I don't have any around other than a 15 year old pack in the freezer. I'm seriously considering sticking it in some DME mix to see if it comes to life. Not really expecting any kind of success with that. I do have plenty of ale yeasts around. Nottingham, US-05, S-04. I'm wondering if one of those would give lager like effects if fermented between 45-50F. Ah heck, I may just use an ale yeast and not lager it at all.

More than anything else, this brew also serves to please me and my experimental curiosity. I haven't started on it yet (all my fermentation vessels are tied up with REAL beer), so if anyone sees disaster looming, you can speak up now and I will hear you. lol.

Chadwick said:

I'm looking to get some of my friends involved in homebrewing. They all like the big brand ABev swill and believe that you can't make that kind of stuff at home. I proudly stated that I can prove them wrong.

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If you want to make something as good or better than AB (and you can), you probably want to rethink your recipe and not go with less than 50% base malt.

You can do it with some two row and flaked rice and flaked corn, but the percentages need to be adjusted.

Also, if you want to make something lager-like I'd suggest using a quality lager yeast, or fermenting with a clean ale yeast at a cool temperature like nottingham or pacman at 59 degrees so that it tastes clean and and has a crisp finish.

I just dont' think your recipe will be very pleasing to you or to your friends in the end, I'm afraid.

Thanks Yooper. Do you think that cutting the rice back to 4lbs would be enough? I have little experience with adjuncts and I admit ignorance.

I made this recipe a few times for parties with bud light drinkers. It turns out very well and they all liked it.

Chrisl77 said:

I made this recipe a few times for parties with bud light drinkers. It turns out very well and they all liked it.

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That looks very nice Chris. And yeah, this is the sort of thing I'm shooting for. Glad to know that US-05 works well. It is a very clean yeast, a go-too for many of my brews.

I brewed a California common style light beer that all my BMC friends loved. The batch last 1 party. It is an extract recipe though.

Coors clone

6 lbs light malt (add all at 5 min)
1pound rice syrup solids at 60min
.5 oz saaz at 60min
.5 oz saaz at 5min
Lager yeast
1 tsp Irish moss at 15min

Primary at 63 degrees for 2 weeks
Secondary at 63 degrees for 2 weeks then bottle it up.

Wyeast 2007, maybe a 2 hour mash at 148*F, some beechwood chips in the secondary