help with deciphering SWMBO

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JLem

JLem

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(I don't mean the acronym, I mean my actual SWMBO!)

I'm trying to figure out my wife's beer tastes and I am stumped. First off, she's not the stereotypical SWMBO that only likes light and/or fruity beers. Her favorite thing to drink is stout. However, contrary to what I would have thought, that doesn't mean she a fan of all "darker" beers. After growing frustrated trying to figure her out (I know, I know...) I asked her to give me a list of the styles of beers she likes and dislikes. This is what she came up with:

Likes:
Stout
Hefeweizen
SA Boston Lager
Dos Equis
Corona


Dislikes:
Pale ales (this is consistent - she has not really liked any pale ale she's tried)
BMC
Blue Moon

Also, I seem to recall that one of her favorite beers in college was Killian's Irish Red. Can anyone make any sort of generalization here? I'm confused. To me, the Boston Lager is pretty much a Pale Ale (though I know it is not) and Dos Equiz/Corona are pretty similar to BMC (no?). I wonder if it is the hop flavor/bitterness she doesn't like, yet she likes the bitterness from the dark malts?

:confused:
 
Sounds to me like it's the bitterness. Are you trying to decide what's safe to brew for her? The blonde ale you're planning would probably be a good safe bet. Else, maybe a Kolsch. Good for the summer.
 
IMO try out an Amber Ale, I have a good Amber Recipe which is a clone of a local craft brewery.

Partial - Gaelic Ale (clone - Highland Brewing) - Home Brew Forums

This recipe was good and tomorrow I am going to post a similar recipe that is not quite as hoppy and a bit more malty.

Doesn't like Pale Ale? Then I dont think she has ever had a good one. Magic Hat has a great Pale ALe #9 that my SWMBO and Sisters absolutely love.
 
Stouts? Hefes?

Sounds to me like she prefers a maltier beer, as opposed to a hoppy beer, and she's not afraid of a little color. Try a Robust Porter, a Cream Stout, a Scottish 70/-, maybe even a Dunkelweizen.
 
Does she like Negra Modello as well as Dos Equis? I wonder if she'd like a Vienna Lager?

Or a Maibock like rogue dead guy?

It sound's like she's eclectic and has her preferences....I would brew her clones of what she liked, as well as stouts and hefes....
 
llazy_llama said:
Stouts? Hefes?

Sounds to me like she prefers a maltier beer, as opposed to a hoppy beer, and she's not afraid of a little color. Try a Robust Porter, a Cream Stout, a Scottish 70/-, maybe even a Dunkelweizen.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm starting to think. I currently have a chocolate porter in the fermenter for her birthday - I'm pretty sure she'll like that one (assuming it turns out OK!).

Doesn't like Pale Ale? Then I dont think she has ever had a good one. Magic Hat has a great Pale ALe #9 that my SWMBO and Sisters absolutely love.
Click to expand...

She's had that one - doesn't like it. Nor Bass. Nor Long Trail. Nor Cisco's Whale's Tail. Nor any other pale I've brought home. She tried the one I recently made and just kind of shrugged. At this point I'm pretty sure she's not a pale ale fan.

Sounds to me like it's the bitterness. Are you trying to decide what's safe to brew for her? The blonde ale you're planning would probably be a good safe bet. Else, maybe a Kolsch. Good for the summer.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd like to brew stuff that she'll drink - she likes beer, I like beer, so might as well try to satisfy us both (!). I'll still brew the pale ales I like though. Now that I'm starting to put her tastes into perspective, I'm more excited to try brewing that blonde ale.
 
Revvy said:
I would brew her clones of what she liked, as well as stouts and hefes....
Click to expand...

+1 million on clones of what SWMBO likes. If I can put a knock off next to the real deal and she can't tell the difference, I'm good. Otherwise, well....depends on how clean the brewery is....
 
Dude, there is no pattern. You can't place logic onto a woman. Maybe she likes a label. Maybe one of here friend's likes Dos Equis so she decided she does also. Maybe saw Brad Pitt swigging a Corona. Just be happy she like beer. The only two beers my wife has liked is a Chapeau Banana Lambic and the Duchess de Bourgogne. Both were tried in Belgium which makes them impossible to find in Montana. Hit her up with a blind taste test of a bunch of beers. Bet she can't tell a BMC from Corona.
 
Actually there is a pattern. As Revvy said, she seems to like maltier beers with some personality. Corona is the outlier here, but everything else fits. If she also likes Negra Modelo, definitely brew a Vienna Lager. Austin Homebrew has a Dos Equis kit that is somewhere in between Dos Equis and Negra Modelo. Amber ales might also be a good fit, though she doesn't seem to care for American ("C") hops. I can understand that. They taste like cat pee mixed with grapefruit. Perhaps some English hops in an amber would do the trick. Try an English ordinary bitter or mild on her to see how she reacts. They tend to be more malty than hoppy and have more restrained hop aroma and flavor.

Chad
 
Your SWMBO likes beer, and it looks like she like a variety. Brew a couple that she likes and life is good.
 
JAlso said:
It depends on when you and your wife were in college if Killian's Irish Red that you drank was an ale or a Lager. Coor's bought the rights in 1986; up until that time it was an Irish Red Ale (typical Irish-more malty than hop, but with some degree of hop taste and aroma. ) They then changed it to a lager some point down the road. Whether they just changed the yeast and lager temps, I can't say. In Europe it is still an Irish Ale.
Click to expand...
 
llazy_llama said:
Stouts? Hefes?

Sounds to me like she prefers a maltier beer, as opposed to a hoppy beer, and she's not afraid of a little color. Try a Robust Porter, a Cream Stout, a Scottish 70/-, maybe even a Dunkelweizen.
Click to expand...

+1 to that. Dunkelweizen came to my mind as well. It sounds like you need to stay away from hoppy beers. If you can lager, you have lots of choices. I think an Octoberfest would be a home run, maybe a nut brown ale.
 
Try her on an oatmeal stout sometime. That's the favorite beer around here for the gals. Most of the people I know don't drink much, but they do enjoy my beer. I know my wife really likes the chocolate oatmeal stout, the silky mouthfeel and the coffee/chocolate flavor. (Comes from the oatmeal/chocolate malt)
 
conpewter said:
Try her on an oatmeal stout sometime. That's the favorite beer around here for the gals. Most of the people I know don't drink much, but they do enjoy my beer. I know my wife really likes the chocolate oatmeal stout, the silky mouthfeel and the coffee/chocolate flavor. (Comes from the oatmeal/chocolate malt)
Click to expand...

I've got an oatmeal stout in bottles and it is a hit. I'm brewing a chocolate porter now which should work as well.

Fat Guy Brewing said:
+1 to that. Dunkelweizen came to my mind as well. It sounds like you need to stay away from hoppy beers. If you can lager, you have lots of choices. I think an Octoberfest would be a home run, maybe a nut brown ale.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, lagering is not a possibility at the moment. Looks like I have a good excuse though to invest in some additional equipment!

After reading up on a few of the suggestions, I think I'm starting to see some consistency here. A Vienna lager and/or Oktoberfest would be perfect I think (once I can lager). For now I think I'll go ahead and try a blonde ale or kolsch in addition to the stouts and porters. Thanks for the suggestions
 

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