First Brew - Need a recipe...

Hi everyone! First off, a big thanks to everyone here for all the info I've picked up so far - I even started a batch of Apfelwein.

Fizzy fruit goodness is nice, but I'd like to make some beer. The problem? I have no idea what to make - at least, specifically. I'm not all that interested in a kit - I'd like to buy some ingredients in bulk, and I'd prefer to avoid LME after all of the bad things I've heard about color.

The guidelines:

• Extract + Specialty Grain. I'd like to start someplace relatively simple and work my way up to AG later. I have the gear for a primary/secondary temperature controlled ferment, and I'll be using a 5g brewpot.
• It should be ready (and good!) quickly. I'm certainly willing to wait for beer goodness, but I'd feel much better being patient if I was drinking some of my first batch while the second was going.
• It should be on the malty side. I like all sorts of beer. SWMBO, however, likes beers that aren't super hoppy. I'd prefer something that wasn't a dessert beer that can still firmly implant the idea that brewing beer == fun/good. Maybe a malty brown ale or a hefe?
• DME is preferred. I'd like the color to come out right, and I'd like to be able to purchase/store in bulk. I hear the color can also be helped with a...
• Late Extract Addition. I've heard it's a good idea, but I don't have brewing software to adjust the hops. This certainly isn't a requirement, though.

I've searched the recipe database here, but I haven't really found anything that's caught my eye and would be ready quickly (or isn't AG). $15 gift card to the person whose recipe I use as a thank you!

What kind of beer do you like to drink??? I would make that.....Once you have a beer type/style picked out you can do a search for a recipe... I could tell you to make a "dead guy ale clone"...But you might not like it, but I love it... If you want it fast make a Hef.... Good luck.

Check my sig for the "SWMBO Slayer Belgian Blonde".

Post #7 includes a DME extract version.

Very tasty. Low hop profile. Bright in color but nice and malty. Called it SWMBO slayer cuz the wife couldn't get enough...

There's some nice pics there too.

Orfy's Mild Mannered Ale is really tasty and can easily be converted to an extract brew. It's session strength which means you can be drinking it in 4 weeks from brew day.

Edit: Actually I hadn't noticed, orfy actually posted an extract version as well.

I'm with splat- what do you like? Just about any AG recipe can be converted to extract, so don't let that stop you.

As far as malty, I like my Dead Guy clone, and the Redhook ESB clone. (I'll have to find that one if you're interested, I don't think it's posted). English Brown is a quick beer that is very easy drinking. All three of those beers are good 5-6 weeks after brewing but better with a little more age.

Well mine is basically an old ale ~8%ABV. I made it with liquid extract, but you can also use DME.
This beer is very malty, full bodied, and very flavorful...and will give leave you feeling good after just one brew.

6.6lbs Pilsner LME
1lb Plain Muntons DME
1lb Light Brown Sugar
8oz Malto Dextrin

Steep @ 160
1lb Munich Malt
1lb Crystal Malt 40L

Hop Schedule
1oz Perle 7.6% AA @ 60 min
1oz Liberty 4.2%AA @ 10 min


**I am not 100% sure if this is correct, I am at work and I will check and update later tonight!

Also the 6.6lbs of LME and 1lb of DME can be substituted by soley using 6.4lbs Extra light DME

I think a mild brown is probably a good place to start. They're meant to be slightly malty and color isn't a huge issue. Here's a simple recipe posted on the MoreBeer forum that I think will meet all your criteria:

Mild Brown
Malt extracts:
5 lbs English Light LME (or 4 lbs light DME)

Specialty grains:
8 oz Crystal 60L
4 oz Chocolate Malt

Hops:
1 oz Willamette (4.6%, 60 minutes)
1 oz Willamette (4.6%, 1 minute)

Yeast:
Yeast: WLP002 (liquid) or DCL S-04 (dry)

If done as a 3 gallon partial-boil (so it fits in your pot) without late-extract addition, BeerSmith rates it at 15.3 IBU and a 0.434 IBU/SG, which is going to be somewhat malty.

Dead Guy Ale is pretty good stuff, but SWMBO isn't a huge fan of it, and I'm not really sure why she doesn't like it. As I said, I'll drink pretty much style - I can think of beers that I like in almost every style - depends on my mood. For the first brew, I'd probably like something that's not super high ABV so I don't have to wait forever. Probably more of a "drinking" beer than a "meal" beer - maybe a hefe or a brown ale for this brew, since I hear they finish and are good pretty quickly. Thanks for the suggestions so far!