I think I've been ruined.

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gclay

gclay

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Like the topic says I think I've been ruined by beers like Labatt's blue, Molson Canadian, Laker, etc. Every time I try a craft brew it's too potent tasting for me. I just drank a Route 666 and wow, just like the hefe last night I was killed by flavor. I'm too used to watered down swill, I'll have to find a clone that's like those, or am I choosing the wrong craft beers?

Gerald
 
Hey, if that's what you like that's what you like. Nothing wrong with that at all.

The only problem I see is the cost- those beers are expensive in Canada, and it's tough to make a LaBatt's clone.
 
gclay said:
Like the topic says I think I've been ruined by beers like Labatt's blue, Molson Canadian, Laker, etc. Every time I try a craft brew it's too potent tasting for me. I just drank a Route 666 and wow, just like the hefe last night I was killed by flavor. I'm too used to watered down swill, I'll have to find a clone that's like those, or am I choosing the wrong craft beers?

Gerald
Click to expand...

you must me new to the scene, ger. your palette has not yet developed enough, we've all been there, you gotta take it slow. I started off with Amberbock; it was the best thing in the world for a couple of months, then slowly i progressed. when i went back and had an amberbock a few yrs later....TERRIBLE. Give it time. don't start off with intense craft brews. maybe venture out with, and i hate to say this but u gotta start somewhere, a blue moon. slowly, you'll desire bigger and better beers. we all used to be like you. now i can down a barleywine like it's iced tea
 
i find my tastes tend to drift here and there. don't try to train your taste buds, that's just silly. if you like light and crisp, think about kolsch or cream ale. if you can go lager, you can get much closer to what you like. you might find that you start craving bigger, maltier, or hoppier beers, but maybe not.

that's the best part of homebrewing, you make whatever you want.
 
oh and you can certainly make "watered down swill" if u want. just use mostly pale malt, not a lot of hops have an OG around 1040. also, u may find white beers to be very palatable, they're not very intense, that's why i suggested blue moon, but there are plenty out there. maybe even try boddington's, very "watery", but good enough to drink
 
I was planning on doing a 2.5gal ag batch this weekend. Nothing fancy, 14 IBU's. I know it'll take time for me to get used to homebrew again, did extract a few years ago, and have an ale bottled and a stout in secondary. I thought I screwed the ale but I guess not. When I first brewed, the extract kit I used was awesome, I still remember it as being the best beer I've ever drank.

The batch I was going to brew is...
3.5# pale 2 row
0.5# crystal 60ish (I toasted myself)
0.5 oz cascade 30 min boil
safale 04 yeast


simple.

Gerald
 
gclay said:
I know it'll take time for me to get used to homebrew again, did extract a few years ago, and have an ale bottled and a stout in secondary.


Gerald
Click to expand...

maybe i'm not reading this correctly, but are you saying that you have a 2 year old brew still in your secondary vessel? If so.....why haven't you done anything with it?
 
Head down to the LCBO and get yourself a six pack (or three) of the flying monkeys amber ale. That is a gateway beer if every there was one. Even their anti-gravity (which is only a 4% light ale) has more actual good beer flavour than anything labatts spews out.

I have a feeling that you will notice your tastebuds starting to demand more!
 
gclay said:
Like the topic says I think I've been ruined by beers like Labatt's blue, Molson Canadian, Laker, etc. Every time I try a craft brew it's too potent tasting for me. I just drank a Route 666 and wow, just like the hefe last night I was killed by flavor. I'm too used to watered down swill, I'll have to find a clone that's like those, or am I choosing the wrong craft beers?

Gerald
Click to expand...

You like what you like. Nothing wrong with that. If you're looking to grow your palate it's best to start small. If you're used to BMC and then drink a triple decocted imperial double dry hopped Belgian fermented Black IPA.... yeah... it's not gonna be your speed and be pretty intense.

Instead try the following styles...

Blonde Ale
Cream Ale
Saison
Witbier

These are all light bodied easy drinking beers, that still have more going on than your average domestic adjunct lager.
 
Lots of good american craft beers that might fit the bill for you - Metropolitan Brewing in Chicago makes a Kolsch style beer called Krankshaft you would probably love. Goose Island's 312 might be up your alley.
 
McMalty said:
maybe i'm not reading this correctly, but are you saying that you have a 2 year old brew still in your secondary vessel? If so.....why haven't you done anything with it?
Click to expand...


No I tried extract a few years ago, liked it but the wife didn't, 48 beers in a week.

I'm looking through north american clone brews right now. Picking up some Flying Monkey's tomorrow.
 
I'm loving the input guys, you'll notice I'm all over the board with hardware I want and stuff. I just want all my ducks in a row ;) I'll give those styles a shot.
 
cklages said:
gclay said:
I just want all my ducks in a row ;)QUOTE]

As long as you keep those ducks out of your 2 row :)
Click to expand...


Is there a style that uses Duck in beer? I'm aware of cold duck, but that's for the wine makers.....

I bet if there is a duck beer out there it is a Belgian... they seem to put everything in the beer, although Bacon beer is out of a CA micro brewpub
Click to expand...
 
I would go with the aforementioned cream ale and blonde ale. I think saison and witbier are probably not your cup of tea right now if a hefeweizen is too much for you.

You might also give something like a Kolsch a try.
 
You might just be a pilsner type of guy. Try looking for some pilsners from craft brewers and give them a shot. Then like others have suggested, check out blonde/golden ales, cream ales, and just work your way up. Is it an excessive maltiness that you don't like, or is it bitterness that you have an aversion towards?
 
I'm not sure if it's malt or bitter, but probably the malt. The 666 really blew me away. I've been looking at low IBU rated recipes in North American Clone Brews and I think I've found a few to try Sam Adams Summer Ale looks good. 15 IBU, 5.5% ABV. I'll leave out the grains of paradise (no idea what they are) and use the yeast I got from Rickards White, a wheat beer (real nice too). Now to scale down the recipe.

Gerald
 
Using a wheat beer yeast and leaving out the grains of paradise will give you a 100% different beer than the recipe you are trying to brew. Just so you know. Wheat yeasts provide a lot to the beer's flavor and aroma. The majority of flavor and aroma in a wheat.wit beer actually comes from the yeast.
 
What are grains of paradise? I wouldn't even know where to get them. The local brew pub is in Barrie about 30 mins away, if it's still there. I scaled the recipe down with Beersmith and pro mash and have 2 different IBU totals for .5oz 4% hops (hallertau) at 40 mins. promash says 14.4 Beersmith says 12.1.
 
you might get away with using black peppercorns. they're supposed to be pretty close.
 
I looked them up, I was thinking of peppercorns, if I can get the pink ones. or use 1/2 what the recipe calls for.
 
gclay said:
What are grains of paradise?
Click to expand...

It's a pepper that has a citrusy component too. You can eventually find them as Malagueta or Malaguetta. I found them in a local grocery store.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malagueta_pepper

10681_malaguetta_pfeffer_ganz_pb.jpg


Cheers from Italy! :)
Piteko
 
To the OP... try some beers from Amsterdam, Muskoka Brewery or Wellington brewery.
While not the best craft beer in Ontairo, it should help you get your pallate for more flavorful beers.
Try some imports too, Hobgoblin or Fuller's ESB/London Pride. These three can be found in almost any LCBO.
 
You like what you like, nothing wrong with that at all. Don't sweat it. But if you're really looking to expand your horizons a bit, the suggestions in this thread are pretty good.
 
I remember having Hobgoblin once, liked it. Muskoka Breweries Summer Weiss was too potent for me, wasn't expecting it. I've still got a green apple and strawberry beer to try.
 
I've been ruined in the exact opposite way. Don't get me wrong, I love my craft/home brews. I just wish I could still go to any bar and order a beer. Instead I have to buy beer at the liqour store and take it home.... I have mixed emotions about my love affair with craft beer. But I know I could never let her go.
 
gclay said:
I remember having Hobgoblin once, liked it. Muskoka Breweries Summer Weiss was too potent for me, wasn't expecting it. I've still got a green apple and strawberry beer to try.
Click to expand...
Unibroue Ephemere is actually a really good beer that I've witnessed be regarded as good by the entire spectrum of beer drinkers. I'm not much for light or fruity beers but I will drink a 4-pack of Ephemere a couple times throughout the summer.
 

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