Free Beer!! - How to make it...

OK this was an accident. I went to the LHBS and got a 3.3lb of light "HOPPED" extract by mistake. I wanted regular light extract. Unfortunately, I figured this out once I got home. I was saying choice words when I discovered this.

I live about 45 miles from the place, I don't go there often since I do mail order or hit Northern Brewer when I'm in Milwaukee...

Anyhow, so I decided to use it to make cheap swill, use no hops and have a short boil. I had a pound of clover honey on hand so I decided to make a batch of give-away beer.

Its very simple and dirt cheap! Cost me $12.95 for extract and $3.00 for the honey ~ $16.00 for two cases of swill. Its totally balanced, no hop taste or aroma, no bitterness what so ever. Very drinkable for the masses.

1. It takes 2.5 gallons of boil water.
2. Bring it to a boil.
3. Kill the heat.
4. Add the Light hopped extract and honey. Stir well
5. Bring it to a boil again.
6. Boil 30 minutes
7. At 5 minutes left add Irish Moss
8. Chill Fast
9. Add Top-off water (Wal-mart Distilled Water)
10. Pitch Yeast.
11. Ferment 7 days
12. Rack to Secondary with Amylase Enzyme
13. Wait 14 days.
14. Bottle or Keg.

Free Beer

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

01-A Light Lager, Lite American Lager

Min OG: 1.030 Max OG: 1.040
Min IBU: 8 Max IBU: 12
Min Clr: 2 Max Clr: 3 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Extract (Lbs): 4.30
Anticipated OG: 1.031 Plato: 7.93
Anticipated SRM: 4.1
Anticipated IBU: 20.1
Wort Boil Time: 30 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 18.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 5.49 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.029 SG 7.23 Plato


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Extract SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
76.7 3.30 lbs. Generic Hopped LME - Light Generic 1.023 7
23.3 1.00 lbs. Honey 1.008 0

Exract represented as SG.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.00 oz. Hopped Extract 8.00 20.1 30 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 Tsp Irish Moss 5 minutes
1.00 Tsp Amylase Enzyme Other 14 Days( Secondary fermenter)


Yeast
-----

Fermentis US-05 Safale

Right from the keezer.... These have condensation, the beer is crystal clear.

Remarkably this is a very easy beer for a beginner or somebody who needs swill beer for beer-pong or the Super-Bowl Party. Not a lot of time or money required for this one.

I think I'm going to try this as my second beer.

What is the amylase enzyme for? Can I skip it? Same with the Irish Moss?

Also, I'm not too close to a proper HBS, should I double up the ale yeast I can get locally? What would doubling the yeast do?

Lastly, I'm liking the single fermentation technique I see a lot on here, did you do a secondary to clear the beer or for any other reason?

I'm looking for something light and super drinkable for the wife and for my buddies to consume in mass quantities. This seems a pretty simple set up to pipeline with.

Thanks for sharing!

LTownLiquorPig said:

I think I'm going to try this as my second beer.

What is the amylase enzyme for? Can I skip it? Same with the Irish Moss?

Also, I'm not too close to a proper HBS, should I double up the ale yeast I can get locally? What would doubling the yeast do?

Lastly, I'm liking the single fermentation technique I see a lot on here, did you do a secondary to clear the beer or for any other reason?

I'm looking for something light and super drinkable for the wife and for my buddies to consume in mass quantities. This seems a pretty simple set up to pipeline with.

Thanks for sharing!

Click to expand...

The amylase enzyme (AE) is to dry out the beer and help lighten the body and mouthfeel. No dont skip the AE.

Irish Moss is used to coagulate proteins, so it helps with clarity of the beer. Removing these prevents chill-haze.

Doubling the yeast s NOT necessary. Doubling the yeast is helpful for high gravity beers, beers with a high amount of alcohol. Gets the ferment going good faster.

The secondary is also for clearing and for reducing sediment. Not to mention as a means to add the AE.

This recipe is for making cheap swill that the light beer crowd would like drinking. Cheap enough to make that it doesn't make you feel bad when somebody leaves a half glass when they switch to whiskey.

I don't get the free part, but it sounds like good session beer.

Starderup said:

I don't get the free part, but it sounds like good session beer.

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The free part has to do that I intend to give it away to company that want to drink light beer.
Also thinking about the holidays. That's it, not much cost, time or effort for this beer. Therefore it won't feel as if I'm giving away my first born child.

Good. Fast. Right. Pick two of the three.
Just saying.
Alan

alan_marks said:

good. Fast. Right. Pick two of the three.
Just saying.
Alan

Click to expand...

spam

alan_marks said:

Good. Fast. Right. Pick two of the three.
Just saying.
Alan

Click to expand...

Good is relative term. What's the benchmark? In this case whoever makes makes an ultralight ale, closest to super light BMC lagers. I will say its good for light beer drinkers.

Fast being the same concept.

In this case, this beer has a short brew day. Other than that, nothing about it is fast.

alan_marks said:

Good. Fast. Right. Pick two of the three.
Just saying.
Alan

Click to expand...

College girlfriend trouble ?

Brewing my version Wednesday morning I think. Adding a KG of Munton's Brew Enhancer to the mix, in a 5 Gallon batch should get me to about 5% ABV, so a Canadian version of your free beer!

When adding the amylase enzyme to the secondary do you hydrate it first or add it dry and rack on top of it? It doesn't say how to use it on the bottle I got.
Thanks

acefaser said:

When adding the amylase enzyme to the secondary do you hydrate it first or add it dry and rack on top of it? It doesn't say how to use it on the bottle I got.
Thanks

Click to expand...

Add it dry, then rack on top of it.

LTownLiquorPig said:

Brewing my version Wednesday morning I think. Adding a KG of Munton's Brew Enhancer to the mix, in a 5 Gallon batch should get me to about 5% ABV, so a Canadian version of your free beer!

Click to expand...

You know after thinking about this...... I think you should make it per the recipe. I think your beer will turn out too sweet.

Uggh, brew day screwed all to hell. Wife's car wouldn't start, had to scramble to get her to work and our daughter to school on time, then figure out what was wrong with her car (she had left the map light on all night.....). Good news was all it needed was a boost and some running time.

Finally got to the place where I buy my ingredients and they didn't have any of the plain hopped LME that I was going to use. Good news, I guess, is they move through it pretty quickly. They had six or so cans when I bought one 6 weeks ago. Bad news is it changed my plans. Ended up with a Cooper's IPA kit and a KG of the brew enhancer.

I'll try to get this one going again in a couple weeks. I hope to brew bi-weekly until late April. Then drink all summer!

I just brewed something similar to this. I have looked for the amylase enzyme but I can't find it locally and don't want to order any online. Are there any substitutes for it? If not, how different would your brew be without it?

cruizer8 said:

I just brewed something similar to this. I have looked for the amylase enzyme but I can't find it locally and don't want to order any online. Are there any substitutes for it? If not, how different would your brew be without it?

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It would be less dry. Potentially sweeter and not so light. Buy it online.

Amylase enzyme - 1.5 oz.

This sounds awesome and extremely easy...will try it for sure. Hubby likes the simple light beers and this sounds perfect, thanks!!!

alan_marks said:

Good. Fast. Right. Pick two of the three.
Just saying.
Alan

Click to expand...

I think what Alan is meaning is there are three factors in any project. Cost, quality, or speed. You can only ever have two in any project you undertake, and the third factor suffers. This beer is quick and cheap, but not the best quality.

rhoop said:

I think what Alan is meaning is there are three factors in any project. Cost, quality, or speed. You can only ever have two in any project you undertake, and the third factor suffers. This beer is quick and cheap, but not the best quality.

Click to expand...

Wrong- go spam elsewhere

Schlenkerla said:

Wrong- go spam elsewhere

Click to expand...

Quit being so tenderoni about your recipe. It sounds bad. Get over it.

This was initially a purchasing mistake that turned out descent. I make no comments that this is a prise winning recipe.

This will make an acceptable light beer for the masses.

My point of the thread is this, if I am going to make swill beer for those who have no appreciation for home brew, then this is a cheap method that would garner respect from those who rate BMC as top shelf.

Leaved it at that. Ok

MyNameIsPaul said:

Quit being so tenderoni about your recipe. It sounds bad. Get over it.

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Sounds bad, ok. Don't post here it saying it sounds bad. That doesn't mean squat, unless you judge beer by the way it sounds.

Please understand the premise that give away beer can be cheap but just more our less like natty light.

Simple, yes, its not necessarily bad. Plain and ordinary for beer..... yes

Please Spam else where. Make it, or stay out of the thread.

I am asking asking you to be polite and not offer unsolicited opinions that you can't comment on from actual explicit experience. Thumb it down if you want. Ok

Schlenkerla said:

Sounds bad, ok. Don't post here it saying it sounds bad. That doesn't mean squat, unless you judge beer by the way it sounds.

Please understand the premise that give away beer can be cheap but just more our less like natty light.

Simple, yes, its not necessarily bad. Plain and ordinary for beer..... yes

Please Spam else where. Make it, or stay out of the thread.

I am asking asking you to be polite and not offer unsolicited opinions that you can't comment on from actual explicit experience. Thumb it down if you want. Ok

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You keep using the spam word. It's hilarious.

If you don't want unsubstantiated opinions about a subjective topic such as taste, post it on Facebook as a status so people who know nothing about beer can 'like' it and give you the warm fuzzies you obviously crave. Otherwise, be accepting of some criticism.

Spam.... LOL

Think beer for beer pong..........ok

MyNameIsPaul said:

You keep using the spam word. It's hilarious.

If you don't want unsubstantiated opinions about a subjective topic such as taste, post it on Facebook as a status so people who know nothing about beer can 'like' it and give you the warm fuzzies you obviously crave. Otherwise, be accepting of some criticism.

Spam.... LOL

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Ok, I will post a scruffy recipe using spam on facebook. I will post a link later. Lol

Got your point....

Look at the pull down on ML. You might understand my perspective.

I don't drink light beer as a general rule. Light beer its cheap, takes time to ferment, but it can be good quality if your technique is dialed in.

Some people do it as a test to how well they brew.

When its hotter than hell out, drinking a mad hatter ipa outdoors at the the cafe is not my first choice. Here in central illinois it's been in the the high 90s and 100's lately.

Schlenkerla said:

Wrong- go spam elsewhere

Click to expand...

I didn't ask if you wanted a larger pen*s, I wasn't spamming.

And I wasn't dissing your beer, I happen to agree that a nice light beer on a hot day is good. And because of your recipe I'm trying to figure out an all grain equivalent for the masses. But it's not the best beer you can make. Sometimes cheap and fast is what you want. Doesn't make it bad.

Maybe you need some spam to make you feel more secure in yourself, I mean your beer...

rhoop said:

I didn't ask if you wanted a larger pen*s, I wasn't spamming.

And I wasn't dissing your beer, I happen to agree that a nice light beer on a hot day is good. And because of your recipe I'm trying to figure out an all grain equivalent for the masses. But it's not the best beer you can make. Sometimes cheap and fast is what you want. Doesn't make it bad.

Maybe you need some spam to make you feel more secure in yourself, I mean your beer...

Click to expand...

I think your statement about, time, cost quality is an over generalization. I have seen several occasions where people troll, making arbitrary comments about beer styles they don't like. I have not seen a post in this thread for a long time, I recall an earlier post that had similar comments. It was not yours, so it might not have been the best response on my part.

Let me say that I am not making any great claim on this beer. It's an extremely light beer with a 1.030 gravity and about 18 IBU.

This beer is what it is cheap swill to give away. It's pretty much better than the light bmc crap that one can buy.

For both of you that have commented on this beer with some cynisim. Neither of you have made it and probably will not. So your point is to convince others to not do so our to call me thin skinned, when I say you're not adding substantive content.

What you are doing is kind of like trolling if you ask me. Hence my canned meat response.

I had a not so bad experience with this beer, and thought it was a cheap option for swill.

I'm an AG'r with many years of experience, since moving out of my acreage in desmoines to an apartment in decature IL. I have had to take on extract and pm brewing again until I have a better AG place to brew. My first accidental run in with hopped extract is not all that bad. I just felt that it was worth sharing for those who want to make this sort of thing. Beer Pong Swill.

That's all.

Okay, So I am seriously considering this recipe. I am a first generation brewer and my family is still hung up on Big Light Beer. Does this really taste just as good if not better than BMC Light lagers?

Yes, it's very light and super simple to make. That said there is no complexity of something like Dutch lager or Czech lager.

If you compared it to bread, then it's wonder bread of beers. Swill drinkers well like it a good deal.

Thanks for posting. I am going to try this one out in the next month or so.

What is the final ABV in this? Is it higher than a typical cheapie like miller light or colors light?

Yeah, thats a good question... what is the ABV? im interested in doing it as well. Im new to the forum but have been extract brewing for a few years now and my buddies want me to try to make a light beer (something for the masses). A good "beer pong beer".

Schlenkerla said:

Yes, it's very light and super simple to make. That said there is no complexity of something like Dutch lager or Czech lager.

Click to expand...

Im having a tough time with this one cause it was a superbowl super hit,not the ipa I brought?? Problem is everyone wants me to make it again but for the extra effort I like Vienna lager. Not a bad recipe to fool around with i used real hops. now my brother in law keeps asking me to make it

branman said:

Yeah, thats a good question... what is the ABV? im interested in doing it as well. Im new to the forum but have been extract brewing for a few years now and my buddies want me to try to make a light beer (something for the masses). A good "beer pong beer".

Click to expand...

It something like 4.2-4.6% ABV

Imma give it a try... I'll let ya know what I come up with, thanx

EO74 said:

Im having a tough time with this one cause it was a superbowl super hit,not the ipa I brought?? Problem is everyone wants me to make it again but for the extra effort I like Vienna lager. Not a bad recipe to fool around with i used real hops. now my brother in law keeps asking me to make it

Click to expand...

Its funny how this works out like this.

I brought 10 gallons to a party and it was gone in 45 minutes. Got a lot of complements from BMC drinkers and even homebrewers because it had absolutely no flaws flavor-wise. Its swill, so it doesn't have any real depth of flavor, just nothing objectionable to BMC'rs. No; hoppiness, maltiness, no yeast ester, no funk. Pretty much, just a very balanced easy drinking light beer.

If you like this try my Miller Light Clone - Triple Hopped. See my drop down or look in recipes, hybrid light beers section.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/miller-lite-really-triple-hopped-123937/

Hey, not trying to re start this old thread, but I want to make this beer and these days cant find the hopped LME, would you know how to make it adding hop pellets to the lme in the boil. maybe .5 of some Hallertau hops ? or perhaps other kind?. Thanks