Party Planning: Last minute ideas?

I haven't been home brewing for long... so I had a question regarding putting a batch together very quickly.

A friend invited me to a party in 3 weeks, and he asked if I could brew a batch of beer for it.

3 weeks is probably not long enough from my previous experience, but if I were to take a chance, does anyone have thoughts on types of recipes that could fit in and still be drinkable? Are there some special methods to help speed up the process? Or am I completely out of luck with the poor timing?

I'm still extract brewing, and was thinking of a strong seasonal-style spring ale.
Any thoughts, insults, or jabs at my intellect will be accepted.

Thanks in advance (I'm planning on brewing tonight)

You could brew a wheat beer in that time, and get it half carbonated. But youd better start it in 5 minutes time.

Cant think of much else that doesnt need a bit more time in the fermenter to clean up, clear up etc.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/honey-orange-hefeweizen-169857/

try that, or any hefe really. Should take a week, or maybe a day or 2 less, and 2 weeks in the bottle warm. Youd have beer,

That is plenty of time if you have access to, or are willing to invest in a tap system. Force carbonate the beer once fermentation is complete and you are ready to go.

Do you have kegs? A simple recipe and kegs would give you enough time.

I don't have kegs, nor do I know how to force carbonate. If I could figure out a way to do that (and chill the keg) it might be something I'd invest in.

Could anybody point me a quick and dirty tutorial or links regarding such a set up? Thanks a million.

PS - Brewed a basic extract Hefe last night (4lbs Wheat DME, 2lbs Pilsen DME and 1oz of Tettnang, WLP300) and it's fermenting away right now. Who knows how it'll turn out. I may throw some raspberry or cherry extract in after 7 days.

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=325

That will get you started. To chill the keg I would just use ice in a cooler of some sort for now.

Nice choice on a Hefe, I dunno about adding fruit extract, I think it usually takes a while for that to mellow and blend correctly.

If you go bottles, you could probably get away with ferment for 7 days, then prime and bottle. Throw the bottles in the fridge the day before the party.

The Joy of Homebrewing book has a brown ale recipe (Elbro Nerkte, IIRC) that he claims can be ready to drink in 3 weeks. I make no claims, but that's what Papazian says.

My first batch was a porter that I accidentally brewed at a fairly low ~4% because I used too much top off water. I let it ferment for 10 days, bottled, and opened a test bottle after 5 days, and it was mostly carbed and drinkable -- though it also kinda sucked It's been getting better with more time in the bottle, though knowing what I know now I would also have left it in the fermenter way longer. It will never be a great beer. But in any case, that was a mere fifteen days from pitch to first-bottled-cracked, and it was definitely beer. Depending on how drunk people will be at the party by the time your beer is served...

Sounds like you already have more experience than me, but I would think if you are willing to compromise a bit on quality, doing a lower gravity ale using a hearty aggressive yeast like S-04 or S-05, you could probably ferment it for a week and carb it for two and have something drinkable... Make it dark and people won't notice the haze

One thing you want to make sure of is that you arent fermenting at too high of a temperature. Keep it below 68 deg F to be safe if at all possible. You dont want it too cool either or you wont get a fast enough ferment.

Edit: Oh and make sure you check FG a few times before you bottle. You don't want bottle bombs at this party right?

Austin Homebrew Supply sells a selection of "Session Beers" that are suppossed to be ready to bottle/keg after 10 days: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/index.php?cPath=178_452_627

Maybe other stores do too.

ianskate said:

I'm still extract brewing, and was thinking of a strong seasonal-style spring ale.

Click to expand...

You want the opposite...a light, session beer. Why? because it'll ferment in time and won't need aging.

Brew a big/strong ale and it'll need weeks/months to age to perfection.

A Hefe or Wit would work really well, but the carbing will be tricky.

Its doable though, but explain to the drinkers its not 'the best you could make'.

get a kegign setup im gonna keg tomorrow my first time woot, and for cooling just get a laundry tub thing or any container and fill it with ice the beer comes up from the bottom so the served beer will be cold.. this would give you also a better option in what beer to brew as you could ferment for 2.5 weeks and then force carb... there's many ways to force carb.. just do a search..... plus really you wont half to deal witha bunch of bottles that's how i sold it to my wife hehe...