What to make for my father in law?

i got the hint when my christmas card said "give santa some of your beer" and had cash inside. it was either a bribe or a threat, i'm not sure. but i'm out of homebrew right now.

so what kind of beer do i make for a 55 year old electrical lineman who works 70 hours a week when it is below freezing outside? i know he likes old school brews like ballantine ale, but he'll drink my chocolate stout all day. he didn't seem to like my strawberry ale, though.

what kind of beer do you make for a grizzled old dude who climbs telephone poles all day in the freezing rain? don't get me wrong, the guy is GREAT, the best father in law EVER. i just want to make him happy with some beer. any idears?

barrett

Make what he likes you idiot! (...and I mean that from the bottom of my heart... )

I would just ask him what he would like.

How about, "Sparky's After-Burner Brew"?

Reads like it should have a bit of kick to it!
(found in 640 recipes - link around here somewhere...)

I bet he would like Poor Richard's Ale. About 6.6%, lots of body, a little corn flavor, not too hoppy. Very warming without knocking you flat.

I agree with homebrewer 99... if he really likes your chocolate stout, how about that one? Only my personal opinion, but if I'm making a gift for someone I'd rather stick with something I know they'll like rather than experiment. That way I know they'll enjoy it

Make the old lineman a batch of Creosote Stout. He's old enough to remember when all the poles he climbed weren't green and hard. Hell, he's more than likely got creosote in his bloodstream. It leaches out of the splinters you get from " pole rash". He'll know what I mean.
Treat the old cat right. Afterall, he did let you have his daughter.

I wouldn't bother with the flavored brews - make him a nice british pale ale or british IPA.

he didn't let me have his daughter, we eloped to new orleans and told him after the fact! he was actually happy that we saved him thousands of dollars on a real wedding!

can you put creosote in beer? maybe only he would appreciate it. we could call it "butt splinter ale".

i'd ask him what he would like, but i don't think he has had more than a few non commercial beers besides mine, and whatever i have around when he visits. i'd rather surprise him with a case.

barrett